Throughout history, students across the globe have consistently considered career outcomes as a significant factor when deciding to pursue a specific course or study in a particular country. As you find yourself in or are about to embark on your student journey, it's only natural that you begin to contemplate your career options post-graduation. However, unlike previous generations, you are currently positioned at a fascinating juncture in time where the world around you is undergoing rapid and constant change. With that in mind, here is a question for you to ponder.
What types of jobs will you be holding by the year 2030? Before you answer, here is an interesting stat. According to a 2017 report by Dell Technologies, about 80% of jobs that will exist by 2030 are yet to be invented. Additionally, the US Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that individuals could concurrently hold 8-10 jobs in the near future. Considering the global developments that have occurred in recent years, these forecasts are expected to come true much sooner than anticipated.
Today, we see job roles and industries that barely existed a decade ago. Smartphones were a luxury and not the necessity they are today, Facebook was at its prime, Instagram had not taken birth, and terms like AI and Metaverse were yet to enter the public zeitgeist. Fast forward to 2023, an astonishing rate of development has occurred, and the rate of innovation is accelerating. So, what could the jobs of the future look like? What are these trends of today that will go on to define the 'new jobs' of tomorrow?
By observing the evolving trends in job markets worldwide and with AECC's experience of nearly two decades in the international education sector, here are our predictions for the top 5 industries that will experience high job demands by 2030.
1. Jobs in Healthcare
Healthcare has phenomenally benefitted from the explosion of technology in this century. Modern medicine has eradicated several diseases and developed vaccines for many, and life-saving medicines and methods are more accessible to common people now. Our increasing life expectancy worldwide is a testament to the success of the healthcare industry. So, what could the coming decade look like for this industry?
Unsurprisingly, healthcare is expected to grow manifold in the next decade, with new technologies and an aging population driving the demand for healthcare services. The major areas in the industry that are expected to peak in this period are robotics, telemedicine, AI & ML assisted diagnosis, wearable tech and 3D printing, and EHR (Electronic Health Records).
Apart from the core roles like physician, surgeon and nurse, jobs and roles will be generated in research, management, logistics and marketing. The interesting point is that when the healthcare industry grows, it will positively reflect on supporting industries such as biotechnology and pharmaceuticals. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, healthcare jobs are expected to increase by 14% from 2019 to 2029, which means that the healthcare industry is expected to add 2.4 million jobs by 2029.
And here are the top 10 jobs in healthcare predicted to experience high demand by 2030.
- Registered Nurses (RNs)
- Medical and Health Services Managers
- Physicians and Surgeons
- Nurse Practitioners
- Physician Assistants
- Home Health Aides
- Medical Assistants
- Physical Therapists
- Occupational Therapists
- Speech-Language Pathologists
2. Jobs in Technology
In this decade, technology will start to permeate much deeper into the lives of its consumers than ever before. We will leave more things to technology to care for if it doesn't require a certain level of creativity and human intellect. Therefore, technology will be the most exciting space to watch out for, whether you're a consumer or a creator.
A report by Deloitte also estimates that the number of jobs in the technology sector will increase by 11% by 2028, with the majority of job growth in software development, data analytics, and cybersecurity.
In addition, there will be a significant demand for technology professionals with skills in data science, machine learning, and cloud computing with the rise of big data, IoT, and the need for more data-driven decision-making in businesses.
Based on the trends, these jobs in the tech industry are predicted to be in high demand in the next 10 years.
- Data Scientist
- Cloud Computing Engineer
- Software Developer
- Cybersecurity Analyst
- Artificial Intelligence Engineer
- Data Analyst
- Network and Information Security Engineer
- Full Stack Developer
- DevOps Engineer
- Business Intelligence Analyst
3. Jobs in Renewable Energy
The Guardian updated their Style Guide to address environmental crises in the world accurately. So, they no longer use "Climate Change". Instead, they would be using "Climate Crisis or Emergency". A simple change in the Style Guide, but with a profound and powerful impact that accurately depicts the crisis the world currently faces.
The quest for the next big source of fuel will gain pace in the near future, creating more jobs in research and manufacturing areas. By 2030, we might be running the world on a clean fuel reducing our carbon footprint and fighting climate change even more stronger.
One of the latest reports from the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) states that the renewable energy sector is expected to create up to 42 million jobs by 2050. This growth is driven by several factors, such as the falling cost of renewable energy technologies, government policies promoting clean energy, and the growing awareness of the need to reduce carbon emissions.
Many new jobs are expected to arise in alternative energy spaces, particularly in solar and wind power. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of wind turbine service technicians is projected to grow by 57% from 2019 to 2029, and employment of solar photovoltaic installers is projected to grow by 63% from 2019 to 2029.
If you're looking to enter the industry, it's the right time and here is the list of 10 jobs in demand in the coming decade.
- Solar energy technicians
- Wind energy technicians
- Geothermal energy technicians
- Bioenergy technicians
- Energy auditors
- Energy efficiency analysts
- Energy storage technicians
- Renewable energy project managers
- Renewable energy consultants
- Electric vehicle technicians
4. Jobs in Education
Education will be an exciting space to watch out for in this decade. Traditional teaching and learning models will continue to exist, but they will embrace technology to a vast extent to keep up with the changing times.
One significant learning from the pandemic is how most parts of the world could quickly switch to online learning at all levels of education. Data is a cheaper commodity today, enabling edtech players to reach every nook and corner of the globe.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics report indicates that employment in the education industry will grow by 4% between 2020 and 2030. The most in-demand jobs in education will likely involve technology and data analysis, such as instructional designers, e-learning specialists, and edtech coordinators. Additionally, there will be an increasing need for teachers skilled in integrating technology into the classroom.
Overall, technology has the potential to tremendously improve the education industry by making learning more accessible and personalised.
Here is our list of the top 10 jobs teaching and non-teaching roles to experience high demand in this industry.
- Instructional designers
- E-learning specialists
- Edtech coordinators
- Data analysts
- Virtual and augmented reality specialists
- Online educators
- STEM education specialists
- Special education teachers
- Bilingual education teachers
- Educational consultants
5. Jobs in Environmental Science
Conservation of our environment is more of a cause than a commercial function. The need to preserve the ecosystem through appropriate measures is a meaningful and exciting area of science. Looking at how the industry is shaping up, it's pretty promising that anyone passionate about environmental science will have a promising career worldwide.
Technology will revolutionise this industry by making data collection and analysis more efficient and accurate. Machine learning and artificial intelligence advancements can also analyse large amounts of data and predict future environmental trends.
Regarding job demand, the Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that employment in environmental science and protection will grow 8% between 2020 and 2030. Environmental science as an industry will generate new job roles in the future, and these are some of those jobs in the industry you can keep an eye on. And here are the top jobs of the future in this industry.
- Environmental scientists and specialists
- Renewable energy engineers and technologists
- Climate change analysts
- Environmental health and safety specialists
- Data analysts and GIS specialists
So, yes, these are our boldest predictions for 2030. As mentioned at the start, these are the predictions made based on the available data and studying the evolving trends amongst the student community globally. But, what can be said so sure about the future is these tools ease our life and improve the quality of our lives. We can leave mundane tasks to our computers to care for and focus on what seems more meaningful.
On the other hand, the future will also demand we rethink and relearn our skills, beliefs and lifestyle. We need to be prepared to face many drastic social and economic changes. However, if you're a student now, here is some good news. Compared to the past, more exciting and creative jobs are being envisioned. Therefore it's certainly possible for you to have a highly rewarding and lucrative career in an industry that genuinely excites you.