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Episode 170 What characterises the most AI-proof jobs in the world?
52 Plays7 hours ago
Episode 170 includes news for 21 July 2026, including the Victorian Labour Hire Authority's scathing assessment of former Hudson directors Mark Steyn and Kendall Ryan, why the ATO killed the original rescue plan, and what HiTech's bid could mean for Hudson's future. We also discuss a groundbreaking Harvard study revealing how weight-loss drugs are changing employment outcomes for women, analyse the latest financial results from PageGroup, Robert Walters and ManpowerGroup, and look at Victoria Police's innovative strategy of rehiring retired officers to tackle critical workforce shortages. Question of the week is "What characterises the most AI-proof jobs in the world?"
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Transcript
Hitech Group's Acquisition of Hudson Global Resources
00:00:09
Speaker
Breaking news, Hitech Group Australia have just released a statement to the ASX which says it's entered a binding agreement to acquire the Australian operations and selected business assets of Hudson Global Resources Australia from its administrators for an upfront consideration of $7 million. dollars The acquired operations contribute about $190 million dollars in pro forma financial year 2026 revenue based on annualised May billings from active contractors intended to transfer to high tech.
00:00:46
Speaker
The purchase price includes a $1 million dollars deposit payable on signing and conditional deferred consideration of up to $3 million dollars within 12 months of completion subject to future cash generation from the acquired businesses.
Controversies Surrounding Hudson Australia's Directors
00:01:01
Speaker
We will have more information about this breaking news in next week's ah RNA. Do you know who helps recruitment agencies recruit adults?
00:01:11
Speaker
It's Wingman Recruitment, flexible recruitment support built by recruiters for recruiters. More capacity, less pressure, better results. Learn more at wingmangroup.com.au and visit the services tab.
00:01:25
Speaker
Welcome to Recruitment News Australia. This is the news for the 21st of July, 2026. I'm Ross Klenit. And I'm Adele Last. The Victorian Labor Hire Authority has unleashed a scathing critique of the conduct of Hudson Australia's directors Mark Stain and Kendall Ryan. The correspondence released to creditors on Friday the 10th of July provides all the details the LHA considered in cancelling Hudson's Victorian labour hire licence and they don't hold back, do they Ross?
00:01:54
Speaker
They certainly don't, Adele. The VLHA was very clear. They pointed out that Steyn and Ryan, as the only directors and only company officers listed on the labour hire licence application, were responsible for all major decisions while the company accrued massive debts to statutory creditors.
00:02:12
Speaker
The LHA, in explaining their decision to cancel Hudson's licence, noted that Steyn and Ryan failed to demonstrate honesty or integrity in accepting responsibility for the company's many failures. Instead, the authorities said they attempted to shift blame to the ATO for its supposed reluctance to be flexible enough for Hudson's liking in negotiating a debt repayment schedule, which the LHA flatly rejected.
00:02:38
Speaker
And there's also the issue of transparency regarding the company's leadership structure. The second major reason the LHA gave for cancelling Hudson's licence is that Hudson failed to update its labour hire licence to disclose four senior executives who the authority says met the definition of an officer under the Act.
00:02:57
Speaker
Specifically, Dean Davidson, who succeeded Stain as CEO in September 2024, Chief Revenue Officer, Dimity Gill, Head of Growth, Josephine Calabria, and Head of Talent Solutions, Kimberley Hubble.
00:03:10
Speaker
Under the Labor Higher Licensing Act, these roles must be declared within 30 days of appointment, which Hudson failed to do. The LHA also mentioned that Hudson failed to provide evidence of meaningful governance reforms. This was a significant issue for the LHA as they stated they could not be satisfied that the company has the capacity to comply with its obligations in the future.
00:03:33
Speaker
By failing to provide an adequate explanation for non-compliance prior to entering administration, Steyn and Ryan have essentially exhausted the regulator's trust. The authority's refusal to exercise its power to grant continuity of the licence, even with strict conditions, shows just how severe they consider these failures to be.
Financial and Legal Challenges Faced by Hudson
00:03:52
Speaker
It seems the ATO is also playing a decisive role in how this administration is unfolding. They aren't interested in using any of their discretionary powers to support any rescue plan.
00:04:03
Speaker
Owe nearly $20 million dollars by Hudson, the ATO voted for liquidation at the reconvened second creditors meeting, but were foiled by the casting vote of the administrators who voted for the docker proposed by the existing directors and senior employees.
00:04:18
Speaker
There are two reasons for the ATO's unhappiness. Firstly, that Docker included an indemnity against Stane and Ryan for any potential legal action. The ATO has specifically mentioned $11 million dollars in loans to Apache Group Holdings, the parent company of Hudson. Stane and Ryan are directors of both entities. The ATO believe there are strong grounds for the administrators to potentially recoup some or all of its money as a dubious related party transaction.
00:04:48
Speaker
The ATO also disputes the Administrator's assessment of Hudson's future, questioning its cash flow assumptions, the risk of labour-high licence cancellations and the likelihood of recovering funds through potential claims against directors and officers over related party transactions.
00:05:04
Speaker
The lawyers acting on behalf of the ATO noted in correspondence to Hudson's Administrators that the response received from them did not accept the significance of the ATO's concerns, which is government speak for, we hold all the cards here, And you don't seem to realise that or understand how much your inadequate responses pissed us off.
00:05:23
Speaker
Hence why the docker that was voted up at the second creditors meeting is now dead and the administrators are waiting for a binding offer from HITECH. One thing we can say for sure is that if the HITECH proposal is voted up, then Steyn and Ryan are gone and the future of Davidson, Gill, Calabria and Hubble as Hudson employees seems problematic at best.
00:05:43
Speaker
A show cause notice issued to Hudson from WorkSafe ACT, responsible for labour hire licensing in the Australian Capital Territory, is just another action from regulators that suggests Hudson, under the leadership of Steyn and Ryan, docker or no docker, had no realistic future.
Impact of Weight Loss Drugs on Life Aspects
00:06:01
Speaker
A Harvard researcher found weight loss drugs didn't just change bodies. Surprisingly, the effect of the drugs changed how the labour market treats women. Economist Rebecca Diamond examined the obesity penalty by tracking women who lost weight on GLP-1s against those who wanted the drug but hadn't started.
00:06:20
Speaker
Diamond found that for women who were unemployed before taking GLP-1 medications, their employment rate rose by a staggering 27 percentage points after about 18 months.
00:06:31
Speaker
The impact was almost entirely seen at the beginning of a woman's working career or when she returned to work after a break. Women who were already employed did not see a higher likelihood of finding a better job or climbing the ladder, suggesting the labour market responds to weight loss primarily when forming an assessment of a female job seeker with little to no work experience.
00:06:54
Speaker
Unsurprisingly, the social implications extend beyond the office as well. with the study noting that single women were 29 points more likely to find a romantic partner or cohabitate after weight loss.
00:07:07
Speaker
Overweight women are ah penalised significantly more than overweight men, according to the research. Same drug, same weight loss. Men with partners who lost weight became 12 points more likely to leave that partner.
00:07:21
Speaker
Women's weight loss built new bonds, men's dissolved old ones. One intervention, two opposite scripts sorted by gender. Perhaps the most unsettling part for many is the wellbeing data, which show that despite these external gains in hiring and marriage for women, the women who lost weight did not report feeling happier or more confident compared to before their weight loss. In fact, some women who returned to work after their weight loss reported feeling lonelier.
00:07:47
Speaker
The gains were entirely external. The world changed how it treated them. Nothing inside these women improved. It's hard to escape the conclusion that these drugs, at an out-of-pocket monthly cost of $450, allow more affluent individuals to buy their way out of social stigma while leaving those who cannot afford the treatment to continue paying the price.
Financial Performance of Recruitment Companies
00:08:10
Speaker
Ross, we have some fresh Q2 2026 data from the big players, starting with Page Group. That's right, Adele. Page Group reported a group gross profit of £197 million, pounds which is down just 0.2% on a constant currency basis compared to the same period last year, with the positive news that about 50% of their markets are back in growth mode. The Asia-Pacific region was a standout, jumping 9.4% thanks to Japan and India, although Page Group Australia remained flat.
00:08:40
Speaker
Moving to Robert Walters, their net fee income for the quarter ended 30 June 2026 slipped 4% to £69.4 million. pound However, their productivity per fee earner actually rose by 6%. Their regional performance was quite a contrast. The UK surged by 21% while Europe declined 16%. Net fees in Australia fell 6% due to soft-up permanent hiring but New Zealand saw a strong 16% growth driven by temp volumes.
00:09:11
Speaker
Manpower Group reported second quarter revenue of US$4.9 billion, us dollars up 5.8% in constant currency and adjusted EBITDA rose 15% to US$103 million. us dollars The company reported the growth was driven by increased activity in the manufacturing and logistics sectors.
00:09:30
Speaker
The Manpower staffing business grew revenue by 16% while Experis there tech resourcing arm saw a 2% decline. They reported that using AI-powered tools had reduced the time to fill by two-thirds.
00:09:43
Speaker
It appears that while the specialist firms like Robert Walters are seeing localised pockets of high growth in the UK or New Zealand, the global giants like Manpower Group are benefiting from a broader recovery across the Americas and Southern Europe. This suggests a stabilising global recruitment market as we head into the second half of the year.
Reservist Program for Retired Officers
00:10:03
Speaker
To combat a recruitment and retention crisis, Victoria Police is turning to a familiar face to help its own retired officers. More than 1,000 former members have already expressed interest in rejoining the force as part of a new reservist program.
00:10:18
Speaker
These reservist officers will take over essential administrative duties and desk roles, such as triaging calls and responding to inquiries. This is designed to free up current field officers from paperwork, allowing them to increase police patrols within the community.
00:10:34
Speaker
Former officers with at least two years' service in Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom are eligible to apply. the first squad of 25 reservists is set to complete training by the end of this month, including 68-year-old Margaret Lewis, who after 43 years' service as a Victorian police officer, is looking forward to returning to help out after four and a half years in retirement.
00:10:59
Speaker
Ms Lewis told the ABC, I needed a further purpose in life for myself. I really have a lot of time on my hands, so I thought this is ideal. I retired earlier than I was planning to, so being able to go back to work part-time now is perfect.
Future of Recruitment at APSCO Emerge Conference 2026
00:11:13
Speaker
Next Tuesday, the 28th of July, i will be in Sydney for APSCO's Emerge Conference 2026. Held at the historic New South Wales Parliament House, it brings together recruitment and staffing leaders to explore the trends, technologies and business models reshaping the future of work.
00:11:30
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Opening the conference is Kevin O'Neill, Technology Research Director at Staffing Industry Analysts, who will deliver a global perspective on workforce trends, technology disruption and the future of our industry.
00:11:42
Speaker
Attendees will also hear presentations on offshoring the Australian economy, AI, and I will be hosting the Big Rec Quiz, which I promise will provide an educational and lively conclusion to a day of learning, discussion and industry connection.
00:11:57
Speaker
Go to au.apsco.org for more information.
AI-Proof Jobs and Human Connection in Recruitment
00:12:05
Speaker
Question of the week. What characterises the most AI-proof jobs in the world? This is a highly topical debate, Ross. We've all heard the headlines about artificial intelligence taking over the workplace, but a new report suggests that some of us are much safer than others, I believe. Is that correct? Yes.
00:12:23
Speaker
That is right, Adele. A recent analysis by Regime now using occupational data across 894 jobs revealed the superhuman roles that AI is unlikely to replace, at least in the foreseeable future. These roles require physical and cognitive abilities that AI cannot currently replicate in the real world.
00:12:47
Speaker
The researchers scored all 894 jobs on a six-specific superhuman ability scale. I'm going to read through that. ah These superhuman abilities were endurance, stamina, sustaining physical effort over long periods, strength, maximum muscle force required to lift, pull, push or carry objects, reflexes or reaction time, responding quickly when a signal movement or change appears,
00:13:15
Speaker
Navigation, spatial orientation or knowing where you are in the environment or where objects are in relation to you. Split attention or time sharing, shifting between multiple activities or sources of information in real time. And danger detection, problem sensitivity, recognising when something is wrong or likely to go wrong before it escalates.
00:13:37
Speaker
So based on these, Ross, what do you think was on the top of the list in terms of jobs? I'm going to say it's got to be something like a paramedic or a soldier or maybe police officer.
00:13:54
Speaker
It was actually a firefighter with a score of 699. It's officially the most AI-proof job today. The reasoning is clear. You need a combination of physical strength and the ability to make a split-second high-stakes decision in an unpredictable, dangerous environment.
00:14:11
Speaker
Makes sense. What job was second? Airline pilots are followed closely by manufactured building installers. These jobs all share a common thread. They require workers to move through the physical world and read changing conditions that artificial intelligence can't navigate.
00:14:29
Speaker
Okay, so what about my three guesses? Were they in the top ten? Unfortunately, none of them were. The other roles making out the top ten were tree trimmers, iron workers, roof bolters and fishing and hunting workers.
00:14:43
Speaker
Hmm, okay. So it sounds like if your job involves heavy equipment, the great outdoors, or reacting to immediate physical risks, you're all good. Well, at least for the next decade or two.
00:14:57
Speaker
While AI may reshape aspects of this work, the ranking shows why full replacement is more complicated than automating individual tasks. The occupations at the top of the list require workers to move through real-world environments, read changing conditions, respond quickly and take responsibility when the stakes are immediate. And those are superhuman skills that AI can't replace.
00:15:23
Speaker
Okay. Sounds to me that if someone's considering a career in emergency services, defence, construction, maybe healthcare or aviation, you're far less likely to have career disruption compared to a career in, say, IT, accounting, finance, law, marketing?
00:15:43
Speaker
I think the key point is about career disruption. There will still be very good careers to be had in those five sectors that you named. The difference will be if you were attempting to predict a career path in those five sectors over the next two decades.
00:15:57
Speaker
That'll be far more problematic compared to predicting a career path in, say, healthcare, emergency services, defence, construction or aviation. Yes, i agree completely.
00:16:07
Speaker
ah wonder what will happen in a sector like performing and visual arts. I mean, on one hand, humanity has always valued the ability to sing, dance, act, paint, sculpt and craft.
00:16:19
Speaker
Yet already we see how quickly ai is being used to write music, create graphic art and replicate voices at a possible level. Will enough people be prepared to pay a premium compared to the low cost of AI-generated arts and art for human-created arts and art?
00:16:36
Speaker
Well, this is one worth exploring a bit more, Ross. Do you attend live music? ah Yes. In fact, I attended a concert with my daughter on Saturday night. Great. So what did you specifically appreciate about that event?
00:16:49
Speaker
Well, quite a few things. The venue. i mean, the forum in Melbourne, it's magnificent. I had so much to the total experience. being with other fans of the band, Hiatus Coyote, and seeing how they react to the music, the complete immersive experience of live music. I didn't speak to Nicky or look at my phone for two hours. I was completely absorbed with watching the drummer, the bass player, the keyboardist, the lead singer, who also played guitar, and the three backing vocalists. Looking around me, I would say a huge majority of attendees would have said the same thing.
00:17:17
Speaker
Well, very cool going to that concert, I must say, Ross. um It sounds like all those people's jobs are pretty safe then. Yes, but... Hiatus Coyote have been around for 15 years. They're well-established band with a strong following. They weren't trying to make it in a time when AI-generated music was a form or at least some form of competition. Young bands starting now have got that problem.
00:17:40
Speaker
Well, bringing this back to topic, how at risk do you think a recruitment role is? Well, based on the research's characteristics of endurance, strength, reflexes, navigation, split attention and danger detection, recruitment would rank well down the list. So the inarguable conclusion is that a career path in recruitment is hard to predict.
00:18:03
Speaker
I think that's a different conclusion to the role of a recruiter. I would argue the role of a recruiter will only increase in importance. However, for how many recruiters this applies to, That's an extremely difficult thing to predict.
00:18:19
Speaker
If I was forced to make a prediction, I would say the number of recruiters won't decline in real terms. However, the proportion of the workforce who are who are employed as recruiters will decline over the coming decades as productivity per recruiter grows by a factor of, I'm going to i' going to say, two or three compared to 2026.
00:18:45
Speaker
The job of recruiter will never involve that physical strength or, you know, exposure to danger. So i guess it will never be near the top of these kinds of lists. um However, outside of jobs with those characteristics, I think the safest jobs are the ones built on human connection, which recruitment does fit into. you know, things like trust, influence and building relationships. You know, AI can analyse data, but it can't genuinely earn someone's confidence.
00:19:13
Speaker
but Maybe I'm reassuring ourselves because we're in that space, but I think recruiters are safe. Well, for now. We hope you are enjoying your weekly dose of ah RNA.
00:19:24
Speaker
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00:19:34
Speaker
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