Who will HR hire in the next decade?
Automation and AI are set to revolutionise the world of work, everyone from economists to engineers will agree. The question isn’t simply about which jobs will disappear but about which ones will emerge – and about how the world can prepare for these new roles.
Some of the more traditional professions such as health care and education will continue to be in demand. Other trades, however, will see a shift in focus as they rely increasingly on robots to handle the usual grunt work.
Here are the jobs we can expect to see emerging or transforming in the next decade:
- Drone managers, dispatchers and mechanics
- Self-driving car mechanics
- Alternative energy consultants
- Smart building technicians
- Virtual/augmented reality developers
- 3D print designers and engineers
- Urban agriculture engineers
- Biomedical engineers
- Remote health care engineers
- Personal brand advisors
- Technology ethicists
- End-of-life managers and memorialisers
Some trades such as drone or self-driving car mechanics are expected to evolve from the traditional professions we see today. The main difference: workers of the future will be tinkering with far more sophisticated machines.
Other ‘futuristic’ professions have arrived and are set to become even more ubiquitous in the years to come. Virtual and augmented reality developers, for instance, are already finding work at companies like Facebook/Oculus and Microsoft.
Biomedical engineers who have been around for decades will also find themselves dabbling in new projects such as customising new body parts or implanting chips.
While engineering disciplines will continue to flourish, the future will also see the rise of technology ethicists, personal brand advisors and end-of-life managers – professionals who will be keeping an eye on how tech influences our everyday life, our career, and even the memories we’ll leave behind.
