LIVE FROM CES 2020, LAS VEGAS: Consumer Technology Association (CTA) CEO Gary Shapiro (pictured, left), urged tech companies to prioritise staff training to avoid hindering the pace of innovation.

During a keynote, Shapiro said preparing employees for jobs of the future is not only “the right thing to do for workers,” but also key to ensuring there is a sufficient number of suitable candidates. “If we can’t lead the world in innovation, if we can’t access the skilled workers we need, we’re not going to do well as an economy, as a country.”

Ivanka Trump, adviser to US President Donald Trump (pictured, right), echoed Shapiro’s words, referring to innovation as a “net jobs producer”.

But she noted advances including self-driving cars will eliminate traditional jobs in trucking and other fields: “It is our responsibility as we think about this country to anticipate where there will be disruption and come up with a plan to help transition those people.”

Trump said the US government plans to release a national workforce strategy “in the coming months” containing recommendations for training and re-skilling workers for future jobs.