The 4th industrial revolution has introduced a new era of economic activity. The interactions that citizens have had with jobs and services in the past are being reshaped by shifting lifestyle demands and digital innovations. This is impacting countries and organisations on many levels. Transformation in processes and job descriptions is also being impacted. Faced with new demands and rapidly changing behavioural patterns, governments, and the private sector will need to evolve to meet the demands of society today. This means considering how to create services and products that are relevant and equally sustainable. In turn, requiring new skill sets and/or enhancements to existing skills and altogether altering the types of jobs that will be in demand soon.
With the rapid change in technology and digitisation in recent years, this information comes as no surprise given that in 2016, the World Economic Forum had already published a study stating that 5 million jobs would be lost to automation by 2020. Around this time conversations about the pace of change during the 4th Industrial Revolution were picking up momentum and people were being urged to gain the skills to keep up. Fast forward to today, we are in the thick of an era where skills that are related to knowledge creation and innovation are steadily in demand to keep up with a rapidly evolving global economy.
With COVID-19 and recent lockdown measures taken by governments across the continent and the globe, economies have taken a hard hit. Rescuing them will require innovative processes and solutions that will further influence job demands. So, as the needs of the masses mutate so too will the functions of various sectors. Advancements in machinery and technology have been key for exploring and experimenting. They’ve also been effective in finding creative solutions to complex problems. Herein is where a lot of focus will go for solutions that will continue to open up a plethora of new career opportunities. And no, this does not mean kissing soft skills goodbye! So stay put because there are opportunities for everyone.
By 2030, jobs that will still be in demand will largely be in the following sectors; agriculture, health, education, banking, consumer goods, infrastructure, mining, oil and gas, and telecommunications. Within these sectors tech and finance skills will still be in high demand. And thankfully because not everything can be automated, people will still need emotional intelligence for effective communication and conflict resolution. Critical thinking will also still be essential and without a doubt humans will still be the core drivers of innovative problem-solving. Because… you guessed it! The problems that need solving are primarily theirs. That said, there’ll be no one quick solution to prepare for future jobs. But important factors are affecting the working landscape that you can consider while preparing yourself for future employment.
Let’s take a look at some of the most important shifts explored by GetSmarter, an online education platform offering short courses geared to prep you for the future:
1. The traditional hierarchical model of many organisations will be reshaped by social and external collaborations. Compelling organisations to be more flexible. This rearrangement will change job demands in management and executive roles. Upskill yourself into being able to fill roles such as Business process manager, Operations Manager, Project manager, and Business sustainability expert.
2. With a growing global and multigenerational workforce, more flexible and adaptable approaches will be necessary to retain talent. This will present the need to modify policies, salaries, benefits and working terms to accommodate the modern professional. Important roles will open up in areas such as HR management, Talent management, and Facilities management.
3. Virtual devices are enabling vast connectedness, and communication can take place from just about anywhere at any time. This change in the way we work is creating ongoing growth for cloud-based services as well as cybersecurity measures. This will create job roles for; Internet of Things specialists, Information systems manager, App developer, Cloud computing manager, Cybersecurity manager.
4. Rapid technological changes such as AI, the Internet of Things, and robots are redefining the workplace. People who can fast adapt to the changes and handle the uncertainty while handling the automation are in demand. The following job roles will be in high demand; Data analyst, Data Scientist, Fintech entrepreneur, AI specialist, IT professional, and Healthcare practitioners.
5. The introduction of robots into everyday reality will change the professional environment. So as big data, analytics, and AI take on tasks previously performed by humans, there’ll be continuous growth in new roles. Skills such as monitoring, creating, operating, or designing automated and online processes will grow in demand. There’ll be very little shortage of job roles such as App developer, Business systems analyst, and Cloud computing manager.
