Engineering vs Trades & Physical
How does Engineering compare to Trades & Physical on AI displacement risk? Engineering averages 46.0/100 (median 48.1, mode 48) across 194 assessed roles, while Trades & Physical averages 60.5/100 (median 62.3, mode 61) across 369 roles. Explore the zone distributions, specialisms, and individual roles below.
Engineering
46.0
/100
Mean46.0
Median48.1
Mode48
194 roles assessed
98
86
10
Green 98
Yellow 86
Red 10
Specialisms
| Specialism | Avg Score | Roles |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical & Electronics Engineering | 50.3 | 34 |
| Biomedical Engineering | 50.0 | 10 |
| Aerospace Engineering | 49.8 | 28 |
| Civil Engineering | 49.7 | 35 |
| Chemical Engineering | 48.1 | 16 |
| Environmental Engineering | 47.6 | 17 |
| Engineering Management | 45.9 | 10 |
| Mechanical Engineering | 45.8 | 37 |
| Industrial Engineering | 40.9 | 17 |
| Architecture | 40.7 | 13 |
| Engineering Technicians | 37.4 | 37 |
Safest Roles
Trades & Physical
60.5
/100
Mean60.5
Median62.3
Mode61
369 roles assessed
322
36
11
Green 322
Yellow 36
Red 11
Specialisms
| Specialism | Avg Score | Roles |
|---|---|---|
| Roofing | 73.5 | 9 |
| HVAC | 67.1 | 16 |
| Plumbing & Pipefitting | 66.6 | 18 |
| Finishing Trades | 66.3 | 44 |
| Electrical & Mechanical | 64.9 | 59 |
| Masonry | 63.8 | 23 |
| Structural Trades | 63.4 | 52 |
| Specialist Repair & Restoration | 60.6 | 49 |
| Welding | 60.5 | 12 |
| Automotive | 60.3 | 35 |
| Equipment & Vehicle Repair | 58.7 | 33 |
| Construction Support | 57.8 | 38 |
| Heavy Equipment | 57.7 | 19 |
| Facility Services | 54.9 | 42 |
| Painting & Finishing | 52.7 | 21 |
| Machining & CNC | 34.1 | 18 |
Safest Roles
Most At-Risk Roles
- Miscellaneous Assembler and Fabricator (Mid-Level) 10.7
- Parking Attendant (Mid-Level) 12.5
- CNC Tool Programmer (Mid-Level) 18.1
- Drilling and Boring Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic (Mid-Level) 22.1
- Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setter, Operator, and Tender (Mid-Level) 22.5
Frequently Asked Questions
Which domain is safer from AI — Engineering or Trades & Physical?
Trades & Physical averages 60.5/100 across 369 roles, while Engineering averages 46.0/100 across 194 roles — a 14.5-point gap. Trades & Physical has more roles in the Green Zone, making it the safer domain overall.
How many roles are in Engineering vs Trades & Physical?
Engineering covers 194 assessed roles and Trades & Physical covers 369 roles. Each role is individually scored on the AI Job Resistance Index across five dimensions including Task Resistance, Evidence, Barriers, Protective Principles, and AI Growth Correlation.
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