Jobs of the Future

Change is not a word to be scared of but embraced by an adaptable professional.

The work environment is likely to change over the next decade and professionals who want to be in a relevant and rewarding job should stay agile and flexible. More and more things are likely to change in the work environment so people should not be afraid to change roles, working methods and technologies.

Despite the AI revolution and remote work taking over, many jobs and skills will still be needed. 

Since the current trends in the job market seem unlikely to be reversed or even slowed down, it’s better to prepare for what is coming.

Let’s see which are the jobs of the future

1. Technology is here to stay and so are the jobs in this sector.

While the majority of the workforce is concerned about losing their jobs, business leaders have an opportunity to develop their organizations to be at the forefront of the AI revolution.

Experts expect that AI will create new work opportunities and jobs. AI will produce jobs for software engineers, senior data scientists, data analysts, user experience designers, program managers, and others.

Given that AI is not perfect, addressing the biases and shortfalls will be left to humans. This entails employing people to examine and/or analyze the ethics involved. As a result, businesses will need to fill new professions such as AI Auditor, AI Trainer, and AI Ethicists/Ethics Experts.

Last but not least, one of the most critical challenges that businesses must tackle is data security. As a result, we will see more job openings in data protection and cybersecurity, such as Ethical hackers.

Furthermore, even those working in other industries must become technologically savvy. In fact, professionals knowledgeable with artificial intelligence, “big data,” and quantum information will be needed in many departments, not just IT. 

2. Learning & Development

With a job market that is continuously evolving, being employable should be a top goal for most people. Professionals should not wait for their existing employer to bring in funding and opportunities, but rather take charge of the situation. 

The possibilities for those interested in teaching others or generating and developing material and learning experiences will be numerous as online learning expands. 

Lifelong learning is no longer an abstract term, especially when we consider that, according to the consultancy Korn Ferry, 85 million jobs worldwide would go unfilled by 2030 due to a lack of skilled individuals. As a result, there is a lot of work to be done in this area.

Digital training is already a necessity but, since many repetitive and administrative tasks will be automated, soft skills will not go unnoticed. 

There are many talents that professionals should concentrate on, but you may start by looking at WHO’s list of the ten key life skills:

• Self-awareness
• Empathy
• Critical thinking
• Creative thinking
• Decision making
• Problem Solving
• Effective communication
• Interpersonal relationship
• Coping with stress
• Coping with emotions

3. Remote working and wellbeing

Many people enjoy working remotely, but it has its drawbacks. One of these is feeling isolated. Lack of human interaction is also detrimental; consequently, because remote working is here to stay, many firms will prioritize employee well-being.

Given that it is critical to identify potential problems early and to be proactive in order to maintain a healthy lifestyle and work environment, new roles regarding employee experience will emerge and existing ones will be considered even more important.

Some of these positions are:

Community Manager

Work from home facilitator

Distraction Coach

Wellbeing Director

With technology handling administrative responsibilities, HR professionals will have more time to focus on the human element of the job. Simultaneously, employee experience is taking center stage, and some predict that People Experience departments will emerge. 

4. Medicine

Technology will have an impact not just on businesses, but also on the medical field.

Telemedicine was successfully used throughout the pandemic and the resistance towards this new trend is said to decrease over time. 

Furthermore, virtual reality is said to help surgeons improve their performance and telesurgeons, performing surgeries from a distance, are thought to be the next big thing in medicine.

On the mental health front, there will be a need for physicians and patients to be supported in their use of technology, as well as analytical support to make use of rising volumes of data.  

Finally, changes in the job market will always follow technological developments, and it is already clear that the concept of employment in the coming decades may be very different from the traditional job roles we are accustomed to.

One of the first things that can help us cope with the enormous upheavals that are coming our way is to discard the notion that automation is bad.  

Instead, training our minds to look for possibilities and opportunities would be the first step in ensuring that we are still on the market in a decade’s time. It isn’t always easy, especially for those who have dedicated years of their lives to a particular profession. But this is the task at hand. 

The barriers we pose for ourselves and the flexibility to conquer the coming changes is the enemy here, as well as our need to stay in the comfort zone.