Jessica O'ConnorEmergency medical technicians are the least likely workers to be replaced by automation, according to new research from Planera.
The April 2026 study examined more than 55 manual and physical occupations across sectors including construction, healthcare, logistics and services.
It found that while some industries face high automation risk – such as agriculture (89%), construction (38%) and general healthcare (16%) – certain roles remain highly resistant due to their reliance on human judgement and interpersonal skills.
Emergency medical technicians (EMTs) ranked as the most automation-protected role, with just a 7% risk.
Emergency services roles more broadly performed strongly.
Firefighters (9% risk) and police officers (13%) were also among the least likely to be automated, reflecting the importance of situational awareness and critical decision-making in unpredictable environments.
Healthcare and social support roles also showed resilience.
Healthcare social workers (12%) and registered nurses (14%) ranked among the safest occupations, driven by the need for empathy, communication and complex human interaction.
In the construction trades, electricians emerged as one of the most secure roles, with a relatively low automation risk of 14% alongside strong demand for labour.
Other skilled trades such as plumbers (21%) and carpenters (25%) also ranked among the most resistant to automation.
An automation expert from Planera said: “Low automation risk and growing demand are a rare combination in today’s job market, but electricians have both, as do many construction trades.
“The electrician shortage is projected to worsen through 2026, with over 80K new positions expected nationally, driven by aging infrastructure, EV charging networks, and the energy transition.
“The irony is that AI data centers, the very technology driving automation fears, need electricians to get built and kept running. That’s about as future-proof as a job can get.”
