Technology has been changing our lives year after year, changing the landscape of our lifestyles and job markets as well. With such rapid advancements, it makes everything obsolete in just months instead of years, and we are living in a super fast-paced world.
Then, 2020 happened and the world changed even more drastically. Jobs are the biggest concern for everyone. Or the loss or lack of them, to be more precise.
In view of this, we have to think about what the future holds for our children when it’s their time to venture out into the world. What kind of jobs will exist for them in the coming 10 to 20 years’ time?
Facing an Automated World
Looking at our generation of children growing up, I’m sure we can also agree that they are different from us and have different interests too. They have so much more exposure than us. They’re not likely interested in what we do and telling them to stick to the stereotypical jobs that we know is not going to help develop them for a time of change.
Automation will take over many jobs in the years to come. As it is, we are already seeing the start of it.
Just look at the replacements that already exists now; shoppers do self-checkouts at grocery stores without cashiers, there are robot-servers in restaurants, robo-financial advisors, and I’ve even read about how robo-surgeons would be more error-free than human doctors.
I’ve read articles written solely by a computer, and my kids tell me people can easily make music using applications instead of musical instruments.
So let’s look at some of the predicted jobs that will be in demand, and how human jobs can be a part of them, and start gearing our children towards a future where they fit in better.
Future Jobs For The Children of Today
1. Artificial Intelligence (AI) Specialist
Fire up their interests in robotics, computer coding, engineering, automation and technology. There already exists degree programs for specific majors in AI and specialisations within it like health informatics, engineering computer science and IT.
2. User Experience (UX) Designer
Customers of the future will interact mostly with interfaces to buy products and services from websites or apps.
UX Designers will be the ones who will design these touchpoints to cater to the behaviours of future consumers who will likely want things to be fast and even more efficient than what we demand today.
3. Augmented-Reality (AR) Journey Creator
In time to come, there will be more demand for people to experience virtual realities outside of gaming itself. As it is, we don’t know when normal travels will be a thing we get to do.
Virtual experiences seem likely a solution to this. An AR journey creator will design, write, create, calibrate and gamify the whole experience for customers.
4. Digital Currency Advisor
In time to come, we may well be converted to transact in cryptocurrencies. As it is, we are using e-Wallets instead of cash these days. Who’s to know what the future generations will bring about.
Instead of the current financial advisors we have now, these digital currency advisors will specialise in showing people how to manage their finances and wealth using the right systems.
Of course, they will be equipped with knowledge in the areas of financial management and data security.
5. Data Detective
As it is, most companies are counting on data for their businesses and data mining and science is currently a highly demanded field.
With technological advances, businesses will require real-time generation and analysis on data for various use.
6. 3D Printing Engineer
More and more things are becoming possible to be 3D-printed today, including houses!
This has proven to be a quick method to assemble things together, needing only hours or just days in comparison to months and years of construction works.
7. Extinct Species Revivalist
Many species have perished and this will continue, seeing the way we are reaping off nature in the name of development. These specialists may well be needed in order to bring back some order to a more balanced environment.
8. Rewilder
Everywhere we turn, we are more and more surrounded by concrete jungles. Forests around the world are burning down.
In time, we will realise we cannot survive without nature and something has to be done to reinstall forests and native species.
Rewilders will likely need an education background in agriculture, wildlife management and environmental science.
9. Drone Traffic Optimiser
In the coming decade, drones would be seen everywhere, whether it’s used for policing, delivery, monitoring, etc.
To avoid chaos in the drone space, traffic needs to be controlled and optimised for them to be deployed safely.
10. Trash Engineer
With the amount of trash that the world is throwing away (over two billion tonnes a year), filling up endless landfills, a solution is much needed to deal with them as we run out of space to keep trashing things.
Future trash engineers will be charged with devising ways to upcycle trash and make use of byproducts efficiently.
The Future of Education
Our children are educated quite differently from our days in school. The degrees that exist in universities today may be the same, perhaps with more variations to cater to the ever-changing landscape of future jobs to come.
No matter what new fields that will be introduced to our children, we need to prepare them for a future that we probably can’t imagine just yet. Nothing is too far off when we are dealing with technologies.
Children of today learn in multiple ways, mostly from interactions rather than from textbooks. Keep encouraging them to explore and widen their horizon.
They learn best when they are curious and motivated, leading them to be more self-directed learners. And this will benefit them better than for us parents to tell them what they need to do for their future.