Will I still be employed in the next few years? If you find yourself asking this question at random hours, you are not alone. As per a study by Dell, 85% of the employees working in tech will switch to a job that they have never heard of by 2030.
This alarming report means we are going through the most crucial time in history when things are changing at an exponential rate. This change is not just limited to the geopolitical situation but also extends to tech, business, healthcare, manufacturing, and construction.
A report by McKinsey claims that high-skill jobs within the health are and STEM will see a rise. Apart from this, the report also suggests that more than 12 million employees within Europe and the US will be required to change their jobs.
So, regardless of your job, niche, location, or the industry you work in, if you want to future-proof your career you have to upskill.
If you are currently working or will be entering the workforce by 2030, here is everything that you need to know about the changing tech world, high-demand skills, and upskilling.
Top Tech Trends to Shape the Job Market
In the world of tech, change is the only constant. Within the last few years, the overall tech trends have reshaped the world and made it unrecognizable. Although it all started with residential internet like Spectrum Internet became powerful, accessible, and affordable for all the train of change did not just stop there.
While there is no way to tell, how the world will look in 2030, recent developments within the tech can help you to at least predict the future and rethink your career path accordingly.
-
AI Is Everywhere
AI has become an unstoppable force behind the changing tech world. A study by MIT Technology Review conducted in 2024 reveals that 78% of businesses are considering generative AI tools to have a competitive edge. Apart from this, 2/3 of the businesses are rethinking ways to utilize technology in everyday tasks.
-
Shift in Work Models
Within the last few years, we went from onsite to remote and then flexible. However, it seems that on-site jobs are finally making a comeback. More than 12% of business leaders are now shifting to on-site work. However, a report from Stanford and the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta states that work-from-home paydays will not be changing much over the years.
-
Skill Obsolescence
This is the era of upskilling and upgrading, be it lifestyle, job, or past time. Within the last few years, we have seen more jobs and coding languages becoming obsolete or being replaced than ever. It seems that this trend will continue and more skills with be replaced in the future at an exponential rate. A report by the World Economic Forum states that 39% of key jobs will be replaced or will face at least some kind of change by 2030.
-
Rise in Automation
Automation has become a buzzword at this point. Most people today use automation tools without even knowing about it. From our smartphones to our homes, everything now has automation features. A report by McKinsey predicts that within Europe (27%) and the US (30%) work hours will be automated. While this number might seem scary for the individual working on a basic skill level, this also means individuals working in complex and creative jobs will be able to complete their tasks faster.
-
Diverse Skillset
Hiring interviews are a matter of life and death for most companies. One wrong hiring means, pulling an employed worker out of the workforce, wasting a lot of company money, and taking a hit on the reputation. To avoid these issues, companies now have elaborate interview processes. However, priority is still given to the technical interviews. However, it is expected that now technical skills will not be enough, instead, behavioral assessment and diverse skills will be required to be hired.
The above-mentioned trends seem promising but what does this mean for the future job market? How will this shift the education system and what are some of the high-demand jobs that you can prepare for?
Top Skills in Demand By 2030
1. Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning (AI/ML)
AI is on the boom and so are the jobs related to Artificial intelligence and machine learning. As per an estimate, the demand for AI and ML-related jobs will increase by more than 71% by 2030. Moreover, AI jobs will not just be limited to tech but instead, they will be in other industries like healthcare, finance, education, construction, hospitality, etc.
Skills required for AI and ML jobs
For AI and ML jobs, you need to have a background in tech. Apart from this you also need to specialize in languages like Python, TensorFlow, PyTorch, NLP, and deep learning frameworks.
Possible roles within the AI and ML field
You can work as an AI engineer, AI developer, ML specialist, AI compliance manager, etc.
Job description of AI and ML roles
- Get to work on machine learning models and AI algorithms
- Required to train a predictive algorithm so the system can read patterns.
- Work with Large data models, different data, and algorithm
- Build solutions and apps with AI integration
- Design AI chatbots and models
Educational criteria:
Although there is no hard and fast rule about the particular education. However, a degree in computing science with specialization in Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, Robotics, and Data Science is considered ideal.
2. Data Science and Big Data
Handling data is one of the biggest tasks in recent times nearly every website, every app, and every search engine scraps data. This data is collected and then filtered to make important decisions. Moreover, data is used for building algorithms for a seamless work pattern. It is expected that by 2026, data science-based roles will see a growth of nearly 26%.
Skills required for Data Science and Big Data jobs
For data science-based jobs you need to have a fundamental understanding of Python, R, SQL, pandas, and data visualization (Tableau, matplotlib). Apart from this, you should master software and tools used for filtering data i.e. excel sheets.
Possible roles within the Data Science and Big Data field:
You can work as a Data scientist, data analyst, or data architect.
Job description of Data Science and Big Data roles
- Organize, large data sets, scrape the data, and filter it out
- Determine data patterns and trends and gather insights by analyzing the data
- Design detailed reports representing the data, and visualizing data for a better understanding
- Get to create strategies depending on the overall data insights
- Filter datasets and make dashboards to help clean data
Educational criteria:
For handling, data there are no technical criteria. However, courses related to Data Science, Business Analytics, and the basics of Computer Science are enough.
3. Cybersecurity
As technology is becoming more sophisticated, so are the data threats. Cybersecurity roles are mainly designed to ensure the safety of data, and business and reduce the risk of financial loss. Overall, through cybersecurity roles aim to secure the online data.
Skills required for Cybersecurity:
For cybersecurity roles, you need to have an understanding of Ethical hacking, network security, cryptography, and penetration testing. Apart from this, you also need to have good problem-solving skills.
Possible roles within the Cybersecurity field:
Some of the roles you can explore related to cybersecurity include Information security analyst, ethical hacker, and cybersecurity engineer.
Job description of Cybersecurity roles:
- Get to Analyze the security risks and then develop protection strategies to minimize the threats in the future
- Building a system for Monitoring the vulnerabilities and threats
- Detect security breaches, manage incident reports, and decide a way forward
- Explore different security protocols, implement them, and ensure compliance with regulations
Educational criteria:
For a cybersecurity-based role, you need a fundamental education in computer science. Apart from this, you need to specialize in Cybersecurity, Information Security Management, and Risk Management as well.
4. Cloud Computing
In the world of tech, data is the ultimate currency. Companies collect data to make informed decisions, which eventually help them earn more. So, to avoid data loss, companies are now shifting their data to the cloud.
Skills required for Cloud Computing:
For cloud computing roles, you need to have a grip on software and skills related to AWS, Azure, Google Cloud, Docker, and Kubernetes.
Possible roles within Cloud Computing:
Some of the cloud computing roles you can explore include Cloud architect, cloud solutions engineer, and DevOps engineer.
Job description of Cloud Computing roles:
- Get to create and manage the framework of the data warehouse systems
- Build a central repository to store data from different sources
- Sort out data in a storage for maximum performance and efficiency
- Strength the data security while ensuring accuracy, and easy accessibility
- Work with cloud-based applications with AWS and Azure.
Educational criteria:
For cloud computing roles, you need a basic education in computer science and then proficiency in fields like Data Science, Information Systems, Cloud Computing, and Database Management.
5. Soft Skills for Tech
Since tech roles are quite lucrative, they require extensive education and skillsets. However, there are non-technical roles within the industry that are equally rewarding. For these roles, there is no formal tech education required instead you have to be good at resilience, critical thinking, and leadership complementing technical skills.
Skills required for soft skills jobs:
Some of the main skills that are essential for these non-tech, soft-skill jobs include Adaptability, collaboration, decision-making, being critical in every situation, attention to detail, and creative problem-solving.
Possible roles within soft skills jobs:
Some of the main jobs where these soft skills can be helpful include tech project manager, engineering leader, AI product manager, project lead, scrum master, etc.
Job description of soft skills jobs roles:
- Collect data and requirements from the client
- Sort out and filter requirements to make technical paper and screens
- Assign tasks, set deadlines, and make sure the team meets these deadlines
- Work with the team by communicating the requirements and building projects
Educational criteria:
These soft skills-related jobs do not require any technical knowledge; instead, courses good for effective communication, organizing information, and then making a decision are very important.
What is The Impact of High Demand Jobs on Education?
Job demand directly affects the education system. Generally, when a skill is in high demand, the education system tries to fill the labor jobs by offering degrees, skills, and courses within the same discipline.
For instance, during the early 2000s, right before the .com boom, construction and banking jobs were in high demand. To ensure that new graduates would be welcomed by the job market, universities focus on finance and commerce jobs. This shift helped in the seamless transition of students from universities straight to corporates.
However, in the late 2000s when the .com boom started tech roles were in high demand. Tech jobs were not just better but more lucrative. Around this time, universities started prioritizing and encouraging students to opt for tech degrees. This pattern can be observed during the Web 3.0 era, crypto era, and AI era as well.
FAQ’s
Which IT field is best for 2030?
Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning Engineering will be considered the best field in 2030.
What technology will grow in 2030?
Machines and robots that can be used for decision-making, good for spatial computing, and AI-to-AI communication will grow in 2030.
Which job will pay the highest salary in 2030?
Jobs related to the field of Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning Engineering will be most lucrative.
