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Future Jobs You Can Start Preparing for Right Now

Glassdoor Team

Glassdoor Team

Glassdoor Team | Author & Career Expert at Glassdoor | Mar 10, 2021

An introduction to future jobs

Complex environmental changes impact employment industries, and they can reduce or increase opportunities available for workers. While you may have found a satisfying job, it's important to make sure you can continue to work in it in the future. Some occupations are projected to be in high demand in the future, and learning about them can help you find a keeper. Consider this article to learn about some good future jobs.

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What are future jobs?

Future jobs are the occupational opportunities that are likely to be both widely available and highly lucrative in the future. These jobs are identified using current employment data, trends in job growth, and estimates on industries, sectors, and professions. You can gain several advantages by learning about future jobs, such as:

  • You can find a future job that suits you. Identifying what some good future jobs are enables you to evaluate your interest in them and your qualifications for them. For example, if there is a growing demand for health care professionals, you can identify the medical job that best suits your interests and skills.
  • You can prepare for your future job in advance. By learning about these jobs now, you can identify the areas in which your qualifications do not align with specific job requirements. Then, you can start the job preparation process.
  • You can avoid wasting time. Knowing what jobs will be in demand in the future helps you to avoid gaining educational or experiential qualifications for careers that could be inaccessible to you. Instead, you can focus your efforts on a feasible job opportunity.

Looking for a new job? Start here.

Best future jobs

If you’re searching for a job you can do in the future, consider the following options, which are based on data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics:

Home health and personal care aide

Home health and personal care aides assist patients in their homes, monitor the health of patients and their responses to treatments, and help them to perform essential activities for daily living. Due to the increasing segment of elderly people and the rising number among them who are likely to live longer lives, jobs in these professions are likely to increase substantially in the future.

Learn more: How to Write a Fresher Resume: Tips and Samples

Wind turbine service technician

Wind turbine service technicians set up wind turbines, perform maintenance, and do repairs. With a 61% increase in job demand estimated between 2019 and 2029, this is one of the fastest growing professions. To qualify for this profession, you will need a professional, postsecondary qualification and on-the-job training.

Solar photovoltaic installer

A solar photovoltaic installer handles the installation and maintenance of systems that convert the sun’s energy into electricity that humans can use to power their devices. There will be many jobs in this profession to choose from in the future as a 51% increase in employment is expected between 2019 and 2029. You can be hired for this job with only a high school diploma, but be prepared to train while you work for up to one year.

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Nurse practitioner

Nurse practitioners work in teams, collaborate with other health care workers, diagnose patients, develop treatment plans, provide treatment, and monitor patient responses to care. They may provide primary or specialty care services. Due to the increased importance of preventive care and the segment of elderly people who need more health care services, a rapid increase in job growth is projected for the future. For this profession, you will need a nursing certificate, diploma, or degree.

Statistician

Statisticians use statistical techniques to interpret data and solve issues. With a significant increase in jobs estimated for this profession in the future, you’re likely to easily find an occupation when you gain the necessary qualifications. To qualify for this profession, you would need a master’s degree in math or statistics.

Occupational therapy assistant

Occupational therapy assistants work in teams and provide occupational therapists with support services in administrative support and occupational therapy delivery. To become eligible for this job in the future, you’ll need an associate degree in occupational therapy from a reputed program. This is a reliable profession to choose due to the projected increase in jobs in the future.

Physical therapy assistant

A physical therapy assistant focuses on keeping patients healthy and mobile through the application of various physical therapies. To enter this profession, you usually need an associate degree and a license. Due to the estimated increase in the 55+ segment of the workforce, demand for these professionals is likely to increase between 2019 and 2029.

Medical and health service manager

Medical and health service managers perform essential managerial tasks in coordination, worker motivation, strategy development, and communication that maintain the efficacy of health care institutions. You need at least a bachelor’s degree and relevant work experience for this job. As more people are starting to live longer and be more active, there is a rapid increase in the demand for these professionals.

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Physician assistant

A physician assistant works in a team of health care workers, providing administrative and clinical support services to senior physicians. Due to the increasing needs of patients with chronic conditions, demand for these professionals is projected to increase in the future. These jobs require a master’s degree and a license.

Information security analyst

An information security analyst evaluates the computer systems of a home or a company, identifies shortcomings in network security, identifies solutions that can optimize information security, and recommends upgrades to senior management. The consistent increase in demand for these professionals is likely to be driven by new additions to the Internet of Things (IoT), increasing cyber attacks, growing awareness in the health care and finance industries of the importance of protecting customer data, and the corresponding increase in consumer demand for secure information networks. You need a bachelor’s degree for this job.

Social media manager

As more consumers opt for e-commerce instead of the retail trade, companies will be focused on using computing technologies to showcase their product and service offerings. As social media plays a major role in digital marketing, opportunities for social media managers are likely to increase in the future.

Writer

Writers develop unique content for brands, write articles that inform people about current issues, and help companies to increase brand awareness, brand loyalty, and sales. With the increasing use of digital channels for communication, companies will require quality content that engages target consumers across different channels and guides them to corporate websites, social media pages, and press releases. Although this profession has been affected by the decline in demand for traditional printed content, job growth is likely to be fueled by corporate demand for expert writers to create content for new and emerging computer technologies and communication channels.

Editor

Professional editors evaluate content prepared by writers, correct linguistic mistakes, and optimize content for publication. While there is a decline in job growth due to the lack of demand for traditional printed communications, such as magazines, the need for quality content that addresses new products, services, and extensions of the IoT, is likely to fuel an increase in demand for these professionals in the future.

UX designer

As more people use the internet to work, socialize, and shop, UX designers are likely to be in demand in the future. These professionals can evaluate the efficacy of web products, such as websites and applications, and improve their user experience.

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Software developer

Software developers use their expertise in programming languages to develop apps for phones and computers. You will need a bachelor’s degree for this occupation. With future additions to the IoT, a rapid increase in demand for these professionals is likely.

Financial manager

Financial managers handle a company’s finances according to long-term plans they design. Activities include using direct financial investment, managing financial risks, and investing cash to generate future returns. This is a prestigious position that usually involves a high salary, and demand for these professionals is likely to grow in the future.

To become eligible for this job, you usually need a bachelor’s degree and industry experience in a supervisory role. You can start preparing for this occupation by getting industry experience as an accountant, financial analyst, or a security sales agent.

Medical records and health information technician

A medical records technician collects health information on patients, adds this information to the health care institution database, and manages the entered data. This job typically requires a professional, postsecondary qualification. Jobs are expected to increase in this area in the future.

Chief information officer

As there are computers in most types of essential equipment used in various industries and this trend is expected to continue in the future, more companies need a chief information officer. This professional oversees all the IT infrastructure and activities. You usually need a master’s degree and sufficient supervisory work experience in the IT industry for this job.

These are just some examples of future jobs you might want to consider. Take some time to think about your interests and skills to figure out if any of these jobs may be right for you. If you already have a job in mind, discover companies hiring by location, job title, and industry.

Glassdoor Team

Glassdoor Team

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