Episode #2 - Why Your College Degree Makes You MORE Vulnerable to AI | The Great Divergence cover art

Episode #2 - Why Your College Degree Makes You MORE Vulnerable to AI | The Great Divergence

Episode #2 - Why Your College Degree Makes You MORE Vulnerable to AI | The Great Divergence

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White-collar workers with degrees are getting automated faster than blue-collar workers without them. Here's the data that proves it—and what to do about it.

In Episode 2 of Surviving AI, we expose the paradox destroying the "get a degree, get a job" myth:

→ Pharmacists (PharmD + licensing): 60-75% automation risk → Electricians (apprenticeship + license): 5-15% automation risk → Why predictable office environments are MORE automatable than unpredictable job sites

We introduce The Four Protection Factors—the framework that determines if your job survives:

  1. Physical unpredictability
  2. Human connection & empathy requirements
  3. High-stakes judgment + personal liability
  4. Multiple overlapping credential barriers

Case Study: Why nurses (5-15% risk) will outlast pharmacists (60-75% risk)—even though both require advanced degrees and state licensing.

Plus: The skilled trades boom nobody's talking about. 550,000 plumber shortage by 2027. Nvidia's CEO says electricians are in "astronomical demand." Data centers need humans to build and maintain them.

📊 Exercise included: Rate your job on the Four Protection Factors (0-40 scale) and discover your true risk tier.

If your score is below 20, you need Plan B by next quarter. Not next year.

#collegeeducation #skilledtrades #careeradvice #AIautomation #jobmarket2026

"Quick note before we dive in: This episode was created using AI tools, including Claude for research and scripting, Notebook LLM for voice generation, and Eleven Labs for intros. I'm demonstrating the very technology we're discussing - AI as a creative collaborator, not a replacement. Okay, let's get into it..."


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