WORLD FOCUS

From rickshaw pullers to neon-sign makers, the world's disappearing jobs in the face of technology

Across the world, technology is transforming industries and jobs. New careers and businesses are being created but other roles are under threat. As workers around the world mark Labour Day today, The Straits Times and Agence France-Presse look at the men and women whose jobs are becoming increasingly rare.

Photographer Rodrigo Benavides from Venezuela has created a makeshift lab in a bathroom in his home, in Caracas, which he uses to develop black-and-white prints from negatives. Mr Mohammad Ashgar, 65, with his rickshaw in Kolkata, India. The rickshaw
Neon sign-maker Wu Chi Kai, 50, is one of the last remaining craftsmen of his kind in Hong Kong. His client base is shrinking as more people opt for brighter LED lights over neon signs. But Mr Wu remains undaunted, and keen to carry on with his trade. PHOTO: AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
Photographer Rodrigo Benavides from Venezuela has created a makeshift lab in a bathroom in his home, in Caracas, which he uses to develop black-and-white prints from negatives. Mr Mohammad Ashgar, 65, with his rickshaw in Kolkata, India. The rickshaw
Mr Syed Zafar Shah, 40, at the Shah Music Centre store in New Delhi where he sells antique gramophones and vinyl records. Despite newer innovations overtaking gramophones, his shop still offers a repair service for these record players PHOTO: AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
Photographer Rodrigo Benavides from Venezuela has created a makeshift lab in a bathroom in his home, in Caracas, which he uses to develop black-and-white prints from negatives. Mr Mohammad Ashgar, 65, with his rickshaw in Kolkata, India. The rickshaw
Mr Iain Bell is an engineer from British Gas. He supervises a five-man team that is responsible for lighting by hand, every evening, the 1,500 gas lamps that are left in London, some of which are 200 years old. PHOTO: AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
Photographer Rodrigo Benavides from Venezuela has created a makeshift lab in a bathroom in his home, in Caracas, which he uses to develop black-and-white prints from negatives. Mr Mohammad Ashgar, 65, with his rickshaw in Kolkata, India. The rickshaw
Uruguayan Abdel Ghaffar’s job as a clock-keeper involves maintaining this huge clock installed in a cathedral in the capital city of Montevideo. PHOTO: AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
Photographer Rodrigo Benavides from Venezuela has created a makeshift lab in a bathroom in his home, in Caracas, which he uses to develop black-and-white prints from negatives. Mr Mohammad Ashgar, 65, with his rickshaw in Kolkata, India. The rickshaw
Photographer Rodrigo Benavides from Venezuela has created a makeshift lab in a bathroom in his home, in Caracas, which he uses to develop black-and-white prints from negatives. PHOTO: AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
Photographer Rodrigo Benavides from Venezuela has created a makeshift lab in a bathroom in his home, in Caracas, which he uses to develop black-and-white prints from negatives. Mr Mohammad Ashgar, 65, with his rickshaw in Kolkata, India. The rickshaw
Mr Mohammad Ashgar, 65, with his rickshaw in Kolkata, India. The rickshaw puller is among the estimated 24,000 in the city who carry on this back-breaking work, despite it being outlawed in other parts of the world. PHOTO: AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
Photographer Rodrigo Benavides from Venezuela has created a makeshift lab in a bathroom in his home, in Caracas, which he uses to develop black-and-white prints from negatives. Mr Mohammad Ashgar, 65, with his rickshaw in Kolkata, India. The rickshaw
Ecuadorean washerwoman Delia Veloz, 74, at the municipal laundry of the Ermita neighbourhood in the capital city of Quito. Ms Veloz, who has been a washerwoman for over 50 years, is finding her job being taken over by washing machines. PHOTO: AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
Photographer Rodrigo Benavides from Venezuela has created a makeshift lab in a bathroom in his home, in Caracas, which he uses to develop black-and-white prints from negatives. Mr Mohammad Ashgar, 65, with his rickshaw in Kolkata, India. The rickshaw
Ms Candelaria Pinilla from Bogota, Colombia, is a street clerk who helps to fill out tax forms. She also types up petitions, sworn statements and letters on her typewriter. Street clerks, once commonly seen in the city, are dwindling in number. PHOTO: AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
Updated
May 01, 2018, 09:16 PM
Published
May 01, 2018, 05:00 AM
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HONG KONG • Across the world, jobs are changing. Technology is disrupting many industries and doing so very quickly in some cases.

Brighter LED lights are replacing the colourful neon signs of Hong Kong, while growing car ownership and ride-hailing firms are driving India's rickshaw pullers off the road.

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on May 01, 2018, with the headline From rickshaw pullers to neon-sign makers, the world's disappearing jobs in the face of technology. Subscribe

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