High school students: These are the jobs of the future

Schools, colleges and universities everywhere are tightening their grip on their academic frameworks to ensure subjects acknowledge the societal transformations of technology, and the rapid speed of AI innovations.

For high school students, the time between secondary education and the first steps into the workplace or university is a delicate transition.

Not only are you expected to have a detailed plan explaining your future aspirations and where they’ll lead, but you’re also pressured to pick the right university, course or job to complement those plans.

Yet, with so many predictions about the future workforce, how do you know your desired job will survive the mechanic threat of automation and robotic minds?

Sometimes the pressures gets too much. Source: Giphy

According to the World Development Report 2019 by The World Bank, the nature of work is changing.

“Overall, technology brings opportunity, paving the way to create new jobs, increase productivity and deliver effective public services. Firms can grow rapidly thanks to digital transformation, expanding their boundaries and reshaping traditional production patterns.

“Technology is also changing the skills that employers seek. Workers need to be better at complex problem-solving, teamwork and adaptability. Digital technology is also changing how people work and the terms on which they work. Even in advanced economies, short-term work, often found through online platforms, is posing similar challenges to those faced by the world’s informal workers,” the report explains.

The Jobs of the Future

To highlight the jobs of tomorrow, The World Economic Forum (WEF) released The Future of Jobs Report last year to evaluate emerging roles in the main areas below:

Automotive, Aerospace, Supply Chain & Transport 

Data Analysts and Scientists
AI and Machine Learning Specialists
Process Automation Specialists
Software and Applications Developers and Analysts
Innovation Professionals
Sales and Marketing Professionals
Service and Solutions Designers
Product Managers
Industrial and Production Engineers
Supply Chain and Logistics Specialists

Aviation, Travel & Tourism

General and Operations Managers
Data Analysts and Scientists
User Experience and Human-Machine Interaction Designers
AI and Machine Learning Specialists
Software and Applications Developers
Sales and Marketing Professionals
Product Managers
Innovation Professionals
Information Security Analysts
Brand and Communication Specialists

Infrastructure

Robotics Specialists and Engineers
Data Analysts and Scientists
Software and Applications Developers and Analysts
Sales and Marketing Professionals
Product Managers
Organisational Development Specialists
Information Security Analysts
Big Data Specialists
Process Automation Specialists
User Experience and Human-Machine Interaction Designers

Global Health & Healthcare

Biologists and Geneticists
AI and Machine Learning Specialists
Information Technology Services
Environmental and Occupational Health and Hygiene Professionals
Big Data Specialists
Administrative and Executive Secretaries
Supply Chain and Logistics Specialists
Specialist Medical Practitioners

Digital jobs are transcending boundaries. Source: Avi Richards/Unsplash

Financial Services & Investors

User Experience and Human-Machine Interaction Designers
Digital Transformation Specialists
Sales and Marketing Professionals
Client Information and Customer Service Workers
Innovation Professionals
Information Technology Services
Information Security Analysts
General and Operations Managers

Energy Utilities & Technologies

Organisational Development Specialists
Renewable Energy Engineers
Digital Transformation Specialists
Big Data Specialists
Software and Applications Developers and Analysts
Process Automation Specialists
AI and Machine Learning Specialists
New Technology Specialists

Consumer

Sales and Marketing Professionals
AI and Machine Learning Specialists
Training and Development Specialists
General and Operations Managers
Ecommerce and Social Media Specialists
Organisational Development Specialists
New Technology Specialists
Information Technology Services
User Experience and Human-Machine Interaction Designers

Oil & Gas

Robotics Specialists and Engineers
Renewable Energy Engineers
Process Automation Specialists
Organisational Development Specialists
New Technology Specialists
Information Technology Services
Digital Transformation Specialists
Scrum Masters

As you can see from the WEF emerging roles listed above, there are many new jobs that involve tech and automation.

But if you’re a creative individual who’s inclined towards the world of arts, drama and design and you think that this report has neglected those areas, have no fear – there will always be openings for creative careers and a need for out-of-the-box innovation; something most robots struggle to achieve…

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