The research

Beyond the
objective career.

Why rebuilding who we are matters as much as securing what we do next.

Reskilling addresses the objective career.
This research goes deeper.

Global forecasts predict that 92 million roles will be displaced by 2030. In response, corporate support systems focus heavily on reskilling and reemployment.

But reskilling only addresses the objective career: skills, employability, and job placement. Beneath that sits the subjective career: how people actually experience meaning, continuity, and self-worth during forced transitions.

In Aotearoa New Zealand, our small labour market offers limited professional mobility, making these transitions even more acutely felt. This practice-based research project aims to bridge the gap between technological transformation and human support. By capturing the lived experiences of Aotearoa's communications professionals, the goal is to develop a validated, practical framework that coaches, leaders, and individuals can use to navigate identity repair during AI-driven change.

Reinventing the Self: Who Am I When
My Work Isn't Mine Anymore?

The complete research proposal submitted to AcademyEX. Professional identity disruption and repair during AI-driven role change in Aotearoa.

Researcher
Neha Bhardwaj
Programme
Masters of Technological Futures, Generation 27
Institution
AcademyEX, Aotearoa New Zealand
Status
Ethics approved · Fieldwork underway 2026

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Want to be part of the research?

If you're a communications professional in Aotearoa and this resonates, I'd love to talk to you.