‘라이온킹’ 이동국(41)이 프로축구 K리그1 우승이 확정된 뒤 진행된 은퇴식에서 참았던 눈물을 왈칵 터뜨렸다. 20년 넘게 한국 축구의 ‘대들보’, 그리고 전북 현대의 ‘레전드’로 활발하게 그라운드를 누볐던 이동국은, 이제 화려했던 선수 인생을 끝마치고 제2의 인생을 시작한다.
전북은 1일 전주월드컵경기장에서 열린 K리그1 파이널A 27라운드 최종전에서 대구에 2대 0 승리를 거뒀다. 이동국은 최전방 스트라이커로 선발 출전해 풀타임을 뛰며 마지막 경기에서 팀 승리를 이끌었다. 이날 승리로 전북은 K리그 최다 8회 우승 기록과 최초 4연패 기록을 세웠다.
전북의 우승도 뜻 깊었지만, 이날 경기는 이동국의 마지막 경기란 점에서 더욱 의미 있었다. 전북 선수단도 이를 의식하고 그라운드에 나섰다. 경기 후 기자회견에서 주제 모라이스 감독은 “이동국이 90분 경기를 뛸 몸 상태가 아니기 때문에 대화를 나눴는데, 이동국이 ‘모든 걸 다 쏟아놓겠다’는 약속을 한 데다 선수들 또한 이동국의 마지막 경기를 화려하게 장식해주고 싶다는 의사를 표명해 풀타임을 출전시켰다”고 설명했다.
우승 직후 세리머니 행사에서도 레전드 이동국을 위한 구단과 선수, 팬들의 배려와 응원이 이어졌다. 김민혁은 그라운드에서 인터뷰하는 이동국에게 얼음물을 통째로 뿌리며 자축했다. 세리머니 후엔 이동국의 거대 유니폼이 등장해 ‘은퇴식’의 시작을 알렸다. 동시에 전광판엔 국가대표팀과 소속팀에서 이어진 이동국의 축구 인생을 담은 다큐멘터리가 상영됐다.
허병길 전북 대표이사는 이동국의 등번호 ‘20번’의 결별을 선언했고, 관중석에선 박수가 터져 나왔다. 그 외 전주시와 완주군에서는 각각 ‘명예시민증’과 감사패 등을 이동국에게 수여했다. 우승 티셔츠를 입고 전북 구단 머플러를 두른 이동국은 행복한 표정으로 이 모든 과정을 함께 했고, 궂은 날씨 속에서도 끝까지 자리를 지키던 팬들은 계속해서 기립박수를 보냈다.
이윽고 KBS ‘슈퍼맨이 돌아왔다’에 출연해 인기를 모은 이동국의 네 딸 재시·재아(13) 설아·수아(7)양과 아들 시안(6)군이 그라운드에 나와 아버지에 안겼다. 그와 동시에 전광판을 통해선 아이들이 함께 부른 ‘걱정말아요 그대’가 흘러나왔다.
선수들과 함께 포즈를 취한 이동국의 모습. 한국프로축구연맹 제공
노래 영상이 끝난 뒤 이동국은 “마지막이란 단어 자체가 슬픈 것 같아, 마지막이 아닌 새로운 시작이란 생각을 하고 난 뒤부터 슬프지 않았다”며 “전북 현대에서 뛰었던 순간들이 항상 기억날 것 같다. 화려한 은퇴식 만들어주셔서 너무 감사 드린다”며 한동안 말을 잇지 못했다.
이어 부모님을 떠올리면서 참았던 눈물이 터졌다. 이동국은 울먹이며 “30년 넘게 축구선수 아들을 뒷바라지 해주신 부모님께 너무 감사하다는 얘기 드리고 싶다”며 “축구선수 아버지로선 은퇴하시겠지만 새로운 삶의 동반자가 되 주시면 좋겠다는 생각이 든다”고 말했다. 이어 “아내를 비롯한 다섯 꼬맹이들, 태어나서부터 아빠가 축구선수 삶 사는 걸 많이 이해해주고 따라준 오남매에게 감사한다. 아빠가 시간 많이 같이 못 보낸 것에 미안하다”며 “은퇴하고 더 많은 시간 보낼 수 있도록 노력할 것이고 너무 사랑한다는 얘기를 해주고 싶다”고 덧붙였다.
이동국은 전북 팬들에게도 벅찬 감사 인사를 전했다. 이동국은 “오늘 운동장 들어오면서부터 20번 유니폼 보면서 울컥했고, 더 이상 이동국이란 20번을 볼 수 없다는 것에 대해서…”라며 말을 잇지 못했다. 그리곤 “전북 현대에 와서 얻은 게 더 많은 것 같고, 여러분들을 만나서 항상 잘할 때나 못할 때나 응원해주시고 제 편이 돼주신 분들께 감사드린다”며 “저는 없지만 저희 선수들 뒤에서 응원해주시고 힘 넣어주시는 팬들이 됐으면 좋겠다”고 마지막 메시지를 전했다.
은퇴식 후 기자회견에서 이동국은 “아이들의 노래가 나올 때 제 핸드폰 벨소리와 같은 곡을 불러줘서 찡했고 팬들의 기립박수에서 또 한 번 감동 받았다”며 “팬 분들이 아무도 가지 않고 은퇴식을 지켜보고 유니폼을 들고 흔들고 오늘 유난히 제 유니폼이 많이 보이는 것 같아서 정말 가슴 찡한 감동을 느꼈다”고 설명했다.
손준호는 “동국이형의 마지막이 해피엔딩으로 끝나 선수로서도 기쁘고 함께한 날들이 너무 영광스러웠다”며 “3년간 대단한 선수와 함께 해서 영광스럽고 슬프기도 하지만, 앞날을 응원하고 싶다”고 박수를 보냈다.
SINGAPORE: Technology - it is one of the few sectors still hiring despite the COVID-19 economic fallout; it is what has enabled many employees to work from home amid the pandemic; it could also displace many jobs over the next few years.
According to the World Economic Forum in its latest Future of Jobs report released in October, half of the businesses surveyed plan to accelerate the automation of jobs in their companies.
Forty-three per cent indicated that they are set to reduce their workforce over the next few years due to technology integration, while 34 per cent said they plan to expand their workforce for the same reason.
"By 2025, the time spent on current tasks at work by humans and machines will be equal," said the WEF report.
Technology-based jobs populate the top 20 in a list of emerging jobs, from data analysts to robotics engineers. Those that are increasingly redundant include accountants, human resource specialists and relationship managers.
The report is based on a survey of senior management leaders from nearly 300 companies worldwide - including 29 with operations in Singapore. Data was collected between January and September this year.
Findings from the World Economic Forum's Future of Job's 2020 report on the top 20 emerging and declining jobs.
So in a future where technology dominates work processes, what do employment prospects look like for people who cannot tell the difference between Python and Java?
It is not necessary for most people to master coding or learn to build software, tech industry players and recruitment experts told CNA, although they noted that it is important to be able to use the latest technological tools that relate to an employee's job function.
Even in a technology firm, non-tech roles like public relations and product design executives will still be necessary in the future - and employees are required to have strong communication skills or a good eye, said Mr Alex Teo, the people experience and government relations lead at online cashback platform ShopBack. It has 150 employees in Singapore and about 500 in nine territories.
Even then, some basic level of coding or data analysis might be required of most of its employees going forward, he said. For example, his finance and marketing teams need to know programming language to enable them to pull out information about transactions or create email newsletters.
“So knowledge of those coding languages … I think going forward. That may be the expectation for (most people),” Mr Teo said.
Similarly, co-founder of digital wealth manager Stashaway Michele Ferrario said many roles in the company do not need technical know-how, such as those in marketing, compliance and client engagement.
Digital tools these departments use, like customer relationship management systems, have also become more user-friendly and intuitive over the years, he added.
Nonetheless, there are business development or strategy positions where data analysis is required and “being able to code will make you faster”, he said.
Stashaway currently has around 130 employees across five territories, with more than half of them in Singapore. Headcount is likely to increase to 200 plus or more than 300 in the next few years, Mr Ferrario said.
Rather than focus on becoming a computing expert, workers should put their energy into finding out how technology will affect their roles and learn to use the latest digital tools, industry players said.
“Tech jobs do not always mean coding or software development. There is a range of jobs in tech, such as product management, digital marketing, data analytics, user experience design (and more),” said Ms Aziza Sheerin, the Asia senior regional director of General Assembly, an educational organisation that runs classes in technology.
“What is important is for people to understand how to leverage tech in their roles now,” she said.
General Assembly's senior regional director of Asia Aziza Sheerin. (Photo: General Assembly)
“I think tech is an enabler, but it doesn't really mean that you have to be a hardcore technical person … the key message is the ability to adapt and change,” said Mr Eric Heung, a manager of supply chain and procurement at recruitment firm Robert Walters. He cited the example of marketing executives who were used to print advertising strategies having to now grasp the idea of social media campaigns.
“If they are not interested in tech, they should still think about how is technology going to change their function, what they're doing, or their industry,” he said.
Ms Feon Ang, LinkedIn’s Asia Pacific vice-president of talent and learning solutions, said the best way to future-proof yourself is to pick up both technical skills and “soft skills” - interpersonal skills related to traits like creativity and persuasiveness.
“Most jobs today require professionals today to possess basic digital skills and we know there will also be demand for professionals with deeper technical skills as businesses adapt to the changing environment,” she said, referring to how COVID-19 has led to a working environment heavily reliant on technology.
Data collected by LinkedIn from its users found that between June and August, software engineers were most in demand in Singapore, based on the proportion of hires with this job title. And among the top three most important skills was the ability to use coding languages JavaScript or Java.
To support such roles, Ms Ang said there will be a need for professionals who are able to conduct collaboration and manage teams across a digital space, which is where the “soft skills” come in.
LEARNING NEW SKILLS
Even before the pandemic hit, some in Singapore have jumped on the coding bandwagon.
Mr Koh Han Seng enrolled in SG Code Campus in March to learn how to use Python and is now in the next level of classes diving into data analytics.
Apart from using his programming expertise to invest in the stock market, the 52-year-old said he took up the courses as he plans to work as a business consultant. The potential new role, he believes, will require him to scrutinise and sort through data.
Ms Siti Herda Nuryani Nasir, a former customer service officer with Singapore Airlines, got herself into General Assembly’s software engineering course in March last year as a way of switching careers.
Like Mr Koh, Ms Nuryani said it was a steep learning curve, jumping into studying something so technical and completely new to her.
What helped to keep them going, they said, was the motivation to learn.
“I have always been interested in programming, (so) I enjoyed all the time I put into practising and learning more about it,” said Ms Nuryani, who is now a junior software engineer at start-up Online Pajak. “I think being able to enjoy what you are going to do most of your time is also really important.”
Previously a customer service officer with Singapore Airlines, Siti Herda Nuryani Nasir is now a junior software engineer at start-up Online Pajak. (Photo: Siti Herda Nuryani Nasir)
Representatives from the schools said it is possible for anyone to become a coder or software developer.
Although having a science, engineering or mathematics background does give students a leg up in the classroom, General Assembly’s Ms Sheerin pointed out that she has seen students from non-technical backgrounds graduate and find a job after that.
One of them was a cabin crew member who studied software engineering and is now a developer at a bank; another moved from being an architect to a user experience designer.
Founder of SG Code Campus Ian Choo agreed that while being more math or science-inclined is helpful in some areas of technology, like machine learning or data science, the outcomes of its three-month boot camps in other aspects like mobile or Web programming is proof that it is possible for anyone to make the switch.
A class conducted by SG Code Campus in February this year. (Photo: SG Code Campus)
“Both competency and interest can definitely be nurtured,” said Ms Sheerin. What her five years at General Assembly have shown is that students need to have enough motivation to see through their training long enough to gain competency, she added.
There is no “cookie-cutter approach” to developing an interest in technology, but taking a broader view of hobbies helps, she said, noting that some people who were very much into playing video games decided they want to build games themselves, while others who were active in community service wanted to figure out how to apply technology to their work.
“I see interest as (something that can be developed) because it’s something that’s within the control of the instructor,” said Mr Choo. “I think it really boils down to - are you convinced that it is useful. And then if you are convinced that it is useful, is it worth your time? And in the process of learning it, do you find it fun?”
Article From & Read More ( As COVID-19 speeds up automation, what does the future hold for non-tech job seekers? - CNA )
https://ift.tt/3mJORlH
Business
