Recreation Workers vs Occupational Therapy Aides AI Risk

Job 1

Job 2

Job 1

Job 2

low risk

Recreation Workers

55 shared · 27 different

core competencies

low risk

Occupational Therapy Aides

Side-by-Side Comparison

Recreation Workers leads 4–1

Metric	Recreation Workers	Occupational Therapy Aides
Risk Score	22.7%	24.2%
Risk Tier	Low Risk	Low Risk
Risk Percentile	13th	17th
Tasks at Risk (>50%)	4 / 15	5 / 15
Median Salary	$35,380	$37,370
Employment	310K	5K

Skill Comparison

Sorted by largest difference

Scheduling Work and Activities

Monitoring and Controlling Resources

Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others

Thinking Creatively

Assisting and Caring for Others

Provide Consultation and Advice to Others

Education and Training

Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work

Communicating with Persons Outside Organization

Staffing Organizational Units

Performing Administrative Activities

Public Safety and Security

Protective Factors

Higher values indicate stronger protection against AI displacement

Recreation Workers

34%

total discount

Occupational Therapy Aides

32%

total discount

Task Risk Comparison

Tasks sorted by AI automation risk — higher means more automatable

Recreation Workers

4 of 15 at risk

86%Complete and maintain time and attendance forms and inventory lists.

86%Schedule maintenance and use of facilities.

84%Document individuals' progress toward meeting their treatment goals.

51%Assess the needs and interests of individuals and groups and plan activities accordingly, given the available equipment or facilities.

49%Evaluate recreation areas, facilities, and services to determine if they are producing desired results.

Occupational Therapy Aides

5 of 15 at risk

84%Perform clerical, administrative, and secretarial duties, such as answering phones, restocking and ordering supplies, filling out paperwork, and scheduling appointments.

80%Report to supervisors or therapists, verbally or in writing, on patients' progress, attitudes, attendance, and accomplishments.

78%Assist educational specialists or clinical psychologists in administering situational or diagnostic tests to measure client's abilities or progress.

68%Observe patients' attendance, progress, attitudes, and accomplishments and record and maintain information in client records.

53%Prepare and maintain work area, materials, and equipment and maintain inventory of treatment and educational supplies.

Wage Comparison

Occupational Therapy Aides earns +$1,990(+6%) vs Recreation Workers

Recreation WorkersOccupational Therapy Aides

10th

$25,640$27,970

25th

$30,460$34,840

Median

$35,380$37,370

75th

$41,120$44,190

90th

$49,460$65,580

Premium Head-to-Head Analysis

Displacement Timeline Comparison

Recreation Workers2028–2035

Occupational Therapy Aides2028–2035

20242030203520402045

Recreation Workers has a longer runway before significant displacement, projected 0 years later than Occupational Therapy Aides.

Risk-Adjusted Salary

Salary weighted by displacement risk: salary × (1 − risk%)

Recreation Workers

$27,335

from $35,380

Occupational Therapy Aides

$28,338

from $37,370

After adjusting for AI risk, Occupational Therapy Aides offers $1,003 more in risk-adjusted pay.

Transition Feasibility

Skill Overlap

Low overlap — significant retraining needed for transition

Unique to Recreation

Unique to Occupational

Combined Protection Strategy

Regardless of which path you choose, focus on these protective factors

Creativity

Fine Manipulation

Social Intelligence

Decision Complexity

Recreation WorkersOccupational Therapy Aides

Find transitions from Recreation Workers Find transitions from Occupational Therapy Aides