The world of work is changing fast, with rapid advances in technology and machines replacing human tasks. If we don’t adapt to these changes quickly, we’ll find it difficult to stay relevant in our careers. We could either lose our jobs or struggle to get a new one.
One way we can adapt and survive in an ever-changing business world is to adopt skills that technology will find hard to replace.
The following are 10 jobs that need these skills and are here to stay:
A lot of data is collected electronically on a daily basis, and making money from this large amount of data has become critical for business success. So data specialists will be in heavy demand, such as data scientists, collective intelligence officers, and virtual environment managers.
Data analysts in particular will become increasingly more important in every industry. There’ll be greater demand for them as they can help make sense of all the data that’s generated by technological disruptions.
In general, jobs that require working with computers and maths skills will get a boost, helping them to stay relevant. These include computer programmers, computer coders, software developers, and information security analysts.
Front-end web developers in particular will be in high demand. Every business and organisation needs a website. Front-end web developers who know how to design websites that work for online customers will be highly regarded.
What’s more, the bioinformatics field is growing rapidly and needs new people that use engineering, mathematics, statistics, and computer science to analyse and interpret biological data. So bioinformatics specialists will also be in high demand.
People who are skilled in architecture and engineering will be in higher demand. There will particularly be increased growth for engineers whose job it is to work with biochemicals, robots, nanotechnology, and materials.
With advances in technology continuing to disrupt industries, more specialised sales people will be needed. They can explain a company’s offerings to a range of existing clients like governments, consumers and businesses, as well as to new clients. For example, as people consume content more on mobile, sales people who know the ins and outs of mobile advertising will be a great asset to a digital media company.
Industries that are ready to be disrupted, such as the media, entertainment and information industries, will still need senior managers to help companies navigate the rough waters of change.
Creativity is a skill that’ll be in demand because creative jobs still require a human. So with their creativity skills, product designers are here to stay, especially commercial and industrial designers. They’re responsible for designing and developing products like appliances, gadgets, and cars.
Socio-economic and technological changes not only cause some jobs to disappear, they also create new jobs. And companies either try to find new employees to fill these new jobs, or they train existing employees with new skill sets so they have the talent required for the new jobs. This means human resource professionals and organisational development specialists will be needed both for hiring and reskilling workers.
The law will always exist and people will continue to break the law, so that means lawyers will indefinitely be in demand. And if lawyers are in demand, the jobs associated with their services and operations will continue to exist. For example, a lawyer requires a paralegal to assist them in conducting legal research, preparing for trials and hearings, drafting correspondence and more.
New food additives are invented every year and this will increase with the arrival of 3D printers that can print new foods inexpensively. This means food chemists are going to be in heavy demand.
Jobs that require human touch will be less vulnerable to extinction through automation, such as nursing, aged care, and beauty therapy. The nursing and aged care professions in particular will need people who can do hands-on work with patients like administering injections. And with an ageing population, we’ll need more nurses, home care aides, and rest home employees.
Jobs with human interaction that will also remain stable include physicians, dieticians, occupational therapists, and mental health and substance abuse social workers. Foetal medicine specialists will especially become more important, as they can diagnose illnesses in the womb. More parents will want this and they’ll increasingly be able to afford it.
By learning skills that are required for jobs that’ll remain stable in the future, you can stay relevant in your career. So whether you choose a career as a data analyst or as a nurse, you’ll be able to future-proof your employability.
For more career opportunities, check out our blog or the list of courses that ICI can offer you.
Gladys Mae serves as the General Manager and Head of Student Services at the International Career Institute. Gladys holds a degree in Mass Communication - Broadcast Media from the University of San Jose-Recoletos. She joined ICI in 2010 and has over the past 12 years been instrumental in providing leadership and guidance to staff and students alike. Prior to joining ICI Gladys led a multifaceted career with key roles in the banking and business process outsourcing industries.
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