582 Technology: Engineering Our World Copyright Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. The digital economy has also resulted in a demand for workers with opposite skill levels: low-skilled customer service workers and high-skilled technologists. There are now fewer semiskilled occupations. The jobs of semiskilled workers have been increasingly taken over by automated technologies. Fewer full-time, permanent jobs are available. Added to the rapid pace of technological innovations is the trend toward globalization. Workers in developing countries are paid less than people in developed countries. Developed countries, including the United States and Canada, are trying to become more competitive by using modern technology, including robots, to boost productivity. Fewer workers are needed to operate robots and other computerized equipment. These innovations create a demand for more STEM, entrepreneurial, creative, and social skills, including the ability to cooperate with others (Figure 20-3). Another point to consider when thinking about a future career is that boundaries between disciplines (fi elds of study) are becoming less distinct. Disciplines are merging, creating a need for interdisciplinary skills. Interdisciplinary skills are the combination of two or more academic, artistic, or scientifi c disciplines into one activity. The demand for problem-solving, creative, and social skills is likely to increase. For example, to become an effective salesperson of robotic equipment, you will need to understand its technology. You may also need to be skilled in a second language, such as Spanish or Mandarin, to sell the equipment to the target market. Mathematical skills will also enable a person to analyze data, giving them an opportunity to discover new business opportunities. These examples show that workers must be able to move across specialty knowledge boundaries, work together virtually, and be aware of cultural sensitivities. iko/Shutterstock.com Figure 20-3. This entrepreneur combines creative, social, math, and computer skills to operate her clothing design business.