A new report lists the “jobs of the future” that have become “jobs of the now” thanks to accelerated change brought about because of the pandemic.
Trying to predict the jobs that will be available and in demand over the next few decades is a fun and useful exercise. Times are changing and so are our careers. Some of our professions will look very different and maybe even not exist in 10 years.
Jobs of the future that got here early
This was already the case a few years ago, thanks to technological innovation and other contributing factors, and COVID-19 has changed things even more dramatically. As we (hopefully) emerge from the pandemic and its seemingly endless series of lockdowns, the pace of change has accelerated. The workplace landscape has shifted, probably forever. This means new lists of projected post pandemic, digitally enabled jobs.
According to the World Economic Forum, “time has compressed” and professions that were, until recently, considered “jobs of the future” are now “jobs of the now.”
The Cognizant Center for the Future of Work has previously published a series of reports on Jobs of the Future, proposing new roles they believe will emerge over the next decade and be central to businesses and employees everywhere.
A new list of these jobs has been published, many of which centre around remote work and reimagining the office workplace.
Here are the top 10 professions emerging in the wake of the pandemic according to The Cognizant Center for the Future of Work, via the World Economic Forum.
10 emerging jobs of the future
1. Work from Home Facilitator
Remote work is expected to remain the norm, so companies want to apply lessons learned to optimize the work-from-home experience.
2. Fitness Commitment Counsellor
This is described as “predictive and preventative approaches to counselling, paired with digital wearables like Apple Watches and Fitbit dashboards couple human accountability to maintaining fitness.”
3. Smart Home Design Manager
The rise of remote work and more time spent at home will apparently create a need for this role. “Smart home design managers will boom as homes are built – or retrofitted – with dedicated home office spaces.”
4. XR Immersion Counsellor
A rise of 3D realms of virtual space on the heels of so much time spent in Zoom meetings will give rise to a need for counsellors to work with artists and engineers to scale the rollout of AR and VR workforce training.
5. Workplace Environment Architect
The workplace will undergo an overhaul, says the report, with a focus on employee well-being, and human-centred design.
6. Algorithm Bias Auditor
To verify for balance in algorithms and ensure fairness in workplaces.
7. Data Detective
Data scientists are in huge demand and are also hard to find Data detectives will apparently help fill the gap.
8. Cyber Calamity Forecaster
Cyberattacks remain a serious threat. The ability to forecast these cyberattacks “is critical.”
9. Tidewater Architect
“The global challenge of climate change and sea level rise will remain an omnipresent challenge.” Tidewater architects will work with nature in civil engineering projects.
10. Human-Machine Teaming Manager
The rise of robots will apparently lead to the need for Human-Machine Teaming Managers to “operate at the intersection of people and robots and create seamless collaborations.”