Navigating the Future of Work: What Robots, AI, and Digital Platforms Mean for the Freely Associated States
By Caroline Adams, Micronesian Stick Chart Institute (MSCI)
The World Bank’s recent report, Future Jobs: Robots, Artificial Intelligence (AI), and Digital Platforms in East Asia and Pacific (EAP), explores how technologies are reshaping employment across the region. For the Freely Associated States (FAS) - the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM), the Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI), and the Republic of Palau (ROP)- conversations about robots and digital platforms may feel distant. But automation is already changing the nature of work, especially in the U.S. – our main migration destination. Jobs involving routine tasks - data entry, customer service, logistics - are disappearing. Without preparation, new technologies could widen the gap between those with access to skills and digital infrastructure and those without.
The Promise and the Risk
The World Bank finds that while automation may eliminate some jobs, it also creates new opportunities, especially in digital services and AI-enabled industries. Platform work, like freelance services offered through websites such as Fiverr, allows individuals to provide skills like writing, graphic design, or translation to clients worldwide. However, many FAS citizens lack the infrastructure, training, or connectivity to take advantage of these new jobs.
If the region does not invest in access and skills now, the digital divide will deepen. But if we act strategically, we can help our communities access flexible, higher-paying, and resilient work opportunities.
Local Solutions: Micronesian Examples
Imagine a young Micronesian woman with a master’s degree in accounting who, after several years of experience in the U.S., returns home to care for elderly parents. Rather than stepping away from her career, she launches a virtual accounting business. Using cloud-based tools and reliable internet, she serves clients across the Pacific and offers online financial literacy workshops to local organizations. She remains productive, connected, and impactful while living in the islands.
Now consider a young Micronesian man with a strong command of English and his local language. Wanting to remain rooted in the islands, he builds a sustainable business from home. He offers translation and interpretation services for legal, medical, and educational clients, while also tutoring diaspora youth in both English and their native language. With basic digital tools, he promotes and delivers his services to clients across the region, contributing to cultural preservation and community empowerment.
These examples show that when the right infrastructure, training, and mindset are in place, skilled islanders can participate in the global economy on their own terms.
White-Collar Work Is Changing, Too
Technology isn’t just affecting laborers. It’s reshaping government jobs and development aid work—mainstays of the formal economy in the FAS. Roles in administration, finance, procurement, and project management are increasingly being automated. Governments and aid institutions are already shifting to digital tools for reporting, budgeting, and personnel management.
If FAS professionals are to remain competitive, they’ll need digital proficiency, not just in word processors or spreadsheets, but in cloud-based platforms, data visualization tools, and AI-assisted systems. Institutions must modernize while ensuring that local staff have the skills and tools to meet rising expectations.
Education, Labor, and Scholarship Priorities
To build a future-ready workforce, the Departments of Education and Labor must anticipate these shifts and adjust their priorities accordingly. Curricula should include digital literacy, data analysis, and problem-solving skills from early education through college and vocational training. Career counseling must reflect emerging opportunities in digital services and remote work.
Scholarship offices (FSM’s national and state programs, the Marshall Islands Scholarship Grant and Loan Board, and Palau’s Ministry of Education) should prioritize degrees and certifications in fields like cybersecurity, computer science, and digital communications. Short-term certifications and online programs can be critical in regions where on-island expertise is limited.
Labor departments can help ensure that job seekers have access to reskilling, apprenticeships, and job matching that aligns with both local and global markets.
Somber Reality of Educational Outcomes
Yet, before we can build a future-ready workforce, we must confront the current state of education in the FAS.
Across the Freely Associated States, the data paint a sobering picture. According to the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF)’s Situation of Children in the Marshall Islands, only 66 percent of students in the RMI complete upper secondary education. Even more concerning, 60 percent of fifth-grade students do not meet basic reading standards, and 42 percent fail to meet minimum numeracy benchmarks. These foundational gaps hinder students’ readiness for higher education and significantly increase the difficulty of engaging in the digital economy.
The FSM faces similarly steep challenges. According to UNICEF’s Situation of Children in the FSM report, approximately one in three children aged 3–4 shows low cognitive development, and over 60 percent of sixth graders fall below proficiency in both literacy and numeracy. These severe learning deficits are compounded by limited access to trained teachers and educational resources, particularly in outer islands.
The ROP, by comparison, has made notable progress. According to UNICEF’s Situation of Children in Palau report, 89 percent of fifth-grade students meet or exceed minimum reading standards, and over 80 percent meet numeracy expectations. While Palau continues to face challenges in digitizing education and modernizing curricula, its education system benefits from strong public investment, well-supported teachers, and a national commitment to quality learning outcomes.
Private school students across all three countries may have greater access to resources and digital exposure, positioning them slightly ahead in terms of future readiness. But the goal must be to ensure that all FAS students —regardless of where they live or the school they attend —are equipped to participate in a digital future.
What Families and Students Can Do
Preparing for the future of work isn’t just a government responsibility. Parents and students can and must also take ownership. Parents can support digital literacy from a young age, advocate for tech-based education, and guide students toward in-demand career paths. We also need a culture shift that teaches children from an early age that connectivity and the digital space are more than just entertainment - they are tools for learning, productivity, and opportunity.
Older students, particularly those in high school or college, should consider pursuing short-term certifications in IT support, cloud computing, or project management. Platforms like Coursera, edX, and Google Career Certificates provide flexible, low-cost access to skills that can open doors to remote work opportunities. Internships, volunteering, and building a digital portfolio can make students more competitive.
Young Micronesians must also be encouraged to think entrepreneurially - not just to seek jobs, but to create them. Rather than viewing the diaspora only as a destination, they should see it as a market. Micronesian youth can offer tutoring, translation, consulting, or cultural products to clients worldwide using digital platforms.
Filling the Skills Gap Through Remote Work
As outmigration continues, remote work can help fill critical skills gaps left behind. By empowering residents to work online, FAS can retain talent while reducing dependency on expatriate consultants. Remote work enables individuals to earn an income from their home island while serving clients worldwide.
However, managing remote workforces requires a shift in supervision strategies. Public and private employers must adopt performance-based evaluation systems, establish clear deliverables, and provide training on remote work readiness. Success will depend on building institutional trust, adapting management systems, and ensuring value for money.
What FAS Leaders Can Do Now
Convene education stakeholders – Assess digital readiness in schools and identify quick wins for improvement.
Develop or adopt digital curricula – Use global resources to fill gaps in on-island expertise.
Create safety nets – Support displaced workers with reskilling programs and financial aid.
Promote inclusive innovation – Encourage tools and businesses that serve diverse languages and low-connectivity settings.
Turning Risk Into Opportunity
This is not just about robots or AI. It’s about how we respond as island nations. We can wait for change to overtake us, or we can plan, prepare, and lead.
The Future Jobs report serves as both a wake-up call and a roadmap. With commitment and coordination, we can shape a digital future that works for all Micronesians - at home, in diaspora, and across the region.
References
UNICEF, The Situation of Children in the Federated States of Micronesia Country Fact Sheet. 2024.
UNICEF, The Situation of Children in the Republic of the Marshall Islands Country Fact Sheet. 2024.
UNICEF, The Situation of Children in the Republic of Palau Country Fact Sheet. 2024.
World Bank; Fukuzawa, Daisuke; Le, Duong Trung; Mattoo, Aaditya. Future Jobs : Robots, Artificial Intelligence, and Digital Platforms in East Asia and Pacific - Overview (English). East Asia and Pacific Development Studies Washington, D.C. : World Bank Group. http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/099060425124027796
