The government has announced a new retraining scheme for workers whose jobs have been replaced by automation.
The programme will offer short courses in fields described as “growing,” including software support, logistics and digital services. Several of those fields are also expected to reduce staff over the coming years.
Employment Minister Daniel Worth said the aim was to keep people ready.
“Work is changing quickly,” he said. “People must be able to move on before their old job has fully disappeared.”
The scheme has been welcomed by employers, who said workers would now have more time to prepare for roles that companies may not need for very long.
One warehouse worker, recently laid off after his site installed new sorting machines, enrolled in a course on automated logistics.
“I thought I would learn how to run the system,” he said. “On the first day they explained that the system mostly runs itself.”
He is now considering a course in robot maintenance. The training provider says demand is high, although the course may be shortened next year.
Officials stressed that the programme does not promise anyone a new job.
“It offers something more realistic,” said Worth. “The confidence to keep looking.”
Participants will receive a digital certificate confirming that they are prepared for future opportunities.
The helpdesk for the programme is expected to be automated next month.