The Work of the Future
With every leap in technology, the job market experiences a significant restructuring. The first to be replaced were agricultural workers, and then factory workers. Soon, machines will begin to take over the tertiary sector as well, and may go on to “strip companies of their white-collar workers in the next decade,” says Graeme Codrington from TomorrowToday Global.
The jobs that have traditionally been the safest, like office workers, administrative personnel and even law will be hit the hardest. However, the future of jobs is not as bleak as one might think. Historically, new jobs have always been created to compensate for the ones that are lost. In the new job landscape, technical jobs, personalized care and training services, as well as entertainment and new media workers will likely take the main stage. The work of the future will revolve around creativity, technology, and even more importantly, people.
Computational and Social Skills
Research shows that the future values aggregate skill sets over specialized expertise. While both mathematical/computational and social skills will likely be in high demand, it is the jobs that require a combination of these skills that are still growing. As AI technology and machinery advance, jobs with simpler functions will begin to disappear, leaving only higher-end professions such as financial managers, management analysts and computer scientists to thrive. The general workforce will have to acquire much more complex skills in order to survive.
Healthcare
However, new job opportunities are not limited to management and technical professions. As systems become more efficient and people’s living conditions improve, there will be increased demand for healthcare and wellness. This provides a wide range of opportunities for doctors, nurses and coaches, including increased need for physical therapists, senior caregivers and potentially end-of-life planners as our life expectancy increases.
Personal Improvement and Entertainment
People will also have more time to spend on personal grooming, entertainment, and lifelong learning. This bodes well for stylists, designers, entertainment and game industries, as well as marketing and sales personnel and freelance educators. These jobs require creativity and a level of social and public awareness that is difficult for computers to achieve. At the same time, however, these areas may become increasingly competitive and difficult to succeed in.
On-Demand Labor Force
The new climate will call for more freelance or on-demand workers as well, as need-based employment is more financially advantageous than keeping people on staff. Technology will also make it more convenient for people to work remotely, diminishing the cost of travel and widening the pool of potential candidates. This will likely trigger a new line of professions surrounding personal branding as freelancers struggle to stand out from the crowd. “Professional tribers” may also arise — professionals who, like Hollywood directors, help companies put teams together for specific projects, so that companies don’t have to search for people themselves.
While new jobs are always being created as old jobs disappear, these new jobs will require entirely different skill sets. Intellectual, creative and social skills will be more and more coveted by industry leaders. Workers across the board will likely have to readjust their understanding of employment as well as management, and learn new skills in order to not fall behind. The role of education will become even more crucial in the future.
What new jobs do you see being created? How do you think we should keep up with this newest tide of technology?
***
Smart Professions is an education startup focused on hyper-personalized career training for jobs that don’t require a college degree. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, or Youtube to stay connected.
