Man makes bold career change, leaves high-paying role for a job AI can't replace or automate

Economic Times

17 hours ago

Synopsis
Stephen Condon left his high-paying marketing job. He wanted a more meaningful career. At 61, he became an EMT. Condon sought a role safe from AI. Tech leaders believe human skills are crucial. EMT work offers community impact. Condon enjoys improved health and a fulfilling schedule. He earns less but finds the work rewarding.
iStock A marketing executive left his high-paying marketing career to become an EMT, seeking meaning and AI-proof job security. (Representational image: iStock) When Stephen Condon left his $200,000-a-year marketing career, he wasn't chasing another corner office. He was chasing meaning—and a role that no machine could replace. At 61, Condon became a full-time emergency medical technician (EMT), trading spreadsheets for stretchers and corporate strategy for crisis response.
In an interview with Business Insider , Condon explained his pivot from decades in marketing to emergency medicine, a profession he calls 'low-risk' in terms of both training investment and job security in an AI-driven world.
Condon's decision aligns with a growing belief among tech leaders: the most future-proof jobs aren't necessarily the most technical—they're the most human.
Google DeepMind CEO Demis Hassabis recently told Wired that while AI might eventually outperform doctors in diagnosis, it will likely never replace nurses. 'There's something about the human empathy aspect that's particularly humanistic,' he said. Geoffrey Hinton, the so-called 'Godfather of AI,' has gone even further, advising people to consider hands-on roles like plumbing—jobs that demand dexterity, intuition, and emotional intelligence. EMT work, with its physical demands and high-stakes human connection, fits firmly into that category.
In another case reported by Business Insider, a former Oklahoma software engineer left a thriving tech career for welding, driven by industry changes and AI automating her favorite tasks. After years in software development, a May 2025 layoff triggered her shift. Welding, a skill from her youth, offers the hands-on creativity she felt tech had lost. After years of remote marketing roles left him feeling isolated, Condon wanted a career that would put him out in the community. He didn't want to invest years in a new degree, so he opted for a 10-week EMT course, followed by a national certification exam. 'I was the oldest in my class, surrounded by 20-year-olds who genuinely cared about helping people,' he said. 'It was inspiring.' His starting wage—$18.25 an hour—was a fraction of his corporate salary, but the work felt infinitely more rewarding. Condon now works four nights a week, often lifting patients on gurneys multiple times per shift. The physical demands have improved his health, and his schedule has helped him cut out unhealthy habits.
'I swim, I work out every morning, and I go to bed earlier,' he shared. 'It's never boring—no two calls are alike.' He's even considering transitioning into an emergency department technician role or an EMT position at a retirement community once his wife retires. For Condon, the decision was about more than job security. It was about rediscovering meaning and ensuring that when his wife retires next year, he can still provide benefits without dipping into their savings. He's now considering roles like emergency department technician or EMT safety officer at a retirement community. Experts say his timing is prescient. As AI continues to take over analytical and administrative roles, jobs grounded in empathy and physical presence—like EMT work—are proving more resilient than ever. Or, as Condon put it simply: 'If you're not happy in your job, you have to take a shot at something else. At least you'll learn something—and maybe you'll find the thing AI will never take.'
( Originally published on Aug 11, 2025 )