Future Jobs
This episode begins with a look at the changing career landscape as AI and automation reshape white-collar work. Don and Tom discuss a Wall Street Journal piece suggesting that some workers—and especially young people deciding on careers—may want to reconsider the trades and other blue-collar paths where demand and wages are rising. They explore shortages in skilled labor, the value of transferable business skills, and the importance of knowing yourself when choosing a career. Listener questions then cover whether Robinhood’s transfer bonuses make the platform worth considering, the realities of starting a second career as a financial advisor later in life, and whether switching from the Avantis Global Equity ETF (AVGE) to the more value-tilted AVGV makes sense inside an IRA.
0:04 Why today’s topic isn’t investing but earning money—rethinking career paths in the age of AI
1:15 White-collar layoffs and stagnant wages: why some workers may reconsider the trades
2:32 Labor shortages in skilled jobs and the surprising opportunities in service and technical roles
3:31 Don’s brief career as a car dealership service advisor—and learning to drive a stick shift the hard way
6:46 Apprenticeships, pay potential, and career ladders in skilled trades
9:05 Blue-collar employment rising among younger workers
9:47 Massive labor shortages: factory workers, construction workers, and auto technicians
11:35 Pensions today—why unions still offer them while many corporations no longer do
13:04 Career wandering in your twenties and discovering the right path
14:23 Listener Mike: Is Robinhood okay if you ignore the gambling features and just invest?
17:23 Listener Dominic: Starting a second career as a financial planner at age 55
19:14 Why great advisors succeed because of people skills—not investment knowledge
21:03 Will AI reduce the number of financial advisors needed?
23:18 Listener Angela: Switching from AVGE to AVGV inside an IRA
24:47 Risk differences between global equity and global value portfolios