Top 12 Jobs of the Future
The world is changing rapidly — and with it, the job market.
This means new professions are being shaped while others essentially disappear. Choosing a future-proof career is vital if you want to succeed in the long run.
But what exactly are jobs of the future? And why is it important to keep an eye on industry trends?
This article will discuss what jobs of the future are and why it’s important to consider your career’s future outlook. It will also give you a list of 12 careers of the future already trending.
What are jobs of the future?
Jobs of the future refer to trending professions that show no signs of slowing down. These careers will likely exist for years to come.
When you look closely at the industry trends in your intended field, you have a better chance of determining whether or not your future career path is growing or shrinking.
For example, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, computer and information technology occupations are projected to grow by 15% from 2021 to 2031, a fact that is not surprising considering that more and more workers are remote or hybrid employees.
As the need for these professionals continues to increase, many computer and information technology occupations, such as software development positions, are future-proof.
It’s crucial to consider the future outlook of the career you plan on pursuing.
Why?
Because you don’t want to get stuck investing time and possibly money on a dying profession. Likewise, you don’t want to miss out on an exciting new profession simply because you didn’t know it existed.
Take a look at these jobs that didn’t exist just five years ago.
To help you with this research, we’ve compiled a list of 12 future-proof careers. If you pursue one of these professions, you can rest assured that you’ve chosen a job that’ll be around for many years to come.
12 jobs of the future already trending
As many careers slowly fade away, others are rapidly growing. Here are 12 rapidly growing jobs of the future to consider:
Careers in the health and fitness industry
1. Nurse practitioner
Nurse practitioners work in clinics, medical practices, and other care organizations. They’re responsible for recording patients’ medical histories, documenting symptoms, collecting samples, performing detailed examinations, and more.
In addition to offering extremely lucrative compensation — over $120,500 per year, on average — this profession shows no signs of slowing down anytime soon.
In fact, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the employment of nurse practitioners is expected to grow by a whopping 46% — the highest growth rate out of all professions in the U.S. — from 2021 to 2031.
To become a nurse practitioner, you need to be an RN (Registered Nurse) who has a BSN (Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing), completed an NP graduate of doctoral nursing program, and passed the national NP board certification examination. From there, you can apply for nursing jobs at different hospitals, clinics, and medical practices.
2. Physician assistant
Another popular job type in the health industry is a physician assistant (PA).
PAs are licensed medical professionals who work in physician offices, outpatient clinics, hospitals, and other healthcare facilities. Most PAs work full-time and are responsible for providing high-quality, direct patient care.
Some of a PA’s most common duties include interviewing, examining, and diagnosing patients’ illnesses or injuries and performing minor procedures. They can also assist physicians during surgeries and with administrative duties.
Like nursing, the PA field is expected to grow rapidly — by 28% over the next 10 years.
To become a physician assistant, you must complete a degree from an accredited medical school. Most of these require an undergraduate degree and experience in healthcare before beginning. After obtaining this graduate degree, you will also have to pass the PANCE (Physician Assistant National Certifying Exam) to earn your license.
3. Physical therapy assistant
Physical therapy assistants work under the direction of physical therapists. They’re responsible for treating patients through exercise, muscle massage, and other other therapeutic treatments. These assistants or aides are also responsible for recording patient progress throughout the course of their treatment.
Depending on the state you’re in, you can earn anywhere from $20–$36 per hour as a physical therapy assistant. The employment of physical therapy assistants is expected to grow by 26% from 2021 to 2031.
To get a job as a physical therapy assistant, you need to complete an associate’s degree and pass a licensing exam.
Interested in a job in the healthcare industry? Learn how to format your healthcare resume to land your dream job.
4. Personal trainer
Today’s consumers are more concerned with their physical appearance than ever before.
As such, the employment of personal trainers is projected to grow by 19% from 2021 to 2031 — much faster than average.
Personal trainers can work independently or for a fitness facility. Regardless of the route they choose, common duties in this position include evaluating clients’ fitness levels and building custom exercise plans.
You don't need post-secondary education to become a personal trainer. A high school diploma or equivalent is adequate, provided you have a keen understanding of fitness.
However, you’ll get a personal trainer job far easier if you have a fitness trainer certificate — which takes anywhere from three to six months to complete.
Careers in the business and information technology industry
5. Market research analyst
Markets are rapidly evolving as technologies, consumer behavior, and business conditions change. Market analysts help predict market changes so that companies can implement optimal strategies to maintain high profits.
Some of a market research analyst’s main duties include researching statistics, consumer preferences, competitor activities, and industry trends to help businesses make decisions that’ll result in more sales.
As the number of businesses increases, so will the required number of market analysts. In fact, market analyst employment is predicted to grow by 19% over the next 10 years.
To become a market analyst, you need a qualification that includes data analysis expertise, such as marketing and analytics or math and statistics.
6. eCommerce specialist
eCommerce retail sales amounted to approximately $5.2 trillion worldwide in 2021 and are expected to reach $8.1 trillion by 2026.
With the eCommerce industry’s growth, small and large eCommerce retailers are hiring more industry specialists.
eCommerce specialists create and implement strategies that lead to more online transactions. Some of their main duties include developing, writing, tracking, and updating eCommerce websites, products, and marketing platforms.
To become an eCommerce specialist, you need to have a solid understanding of the eCommerce industry. You should also understand different eCommerce marketing methods, such as SEO, pay-per-click advertising, and email marketing.
7. UX designer
User experience (UX) designers research and design user experiences and implement them into websites, apps, and digital products. They’re primarily responsible for creating systems that offer the best possible user experiences for customers. You can often find them working alongside web developers for large companies with big budgets.
A UX designer may, for instance, need to create a website wireframe to make sure that a website is structured in a way that results in the best possible user experience.
The employment of UX designers and web developers is expected to grow by 23% from 2021 to 2031 — much faster than average.
The average UX designer earns around $37.50 per hour.
You don’t necessarily need a specific qualification to become a UX designer. However, you do need knowledge of development tools like HTML, how to use design software like Adobe Creative Suite, and how to create website wireframes.
8. Digital marketer
The digital marketing market reached a value of nearly $305 billion in 2020 and continues to grow. Since all businesses need clients and the number of businesses is growing, digital marketers will remain in demand.
A digital marketer may be expected to perform several duties, depending on the nature of their job. These duties include social media management, content marketing, and running advertising campaigns.
Some of the most sought-after digital marketing skills are brand development, content strategy, data analytics, and competitive research.
Learn how to include these hard skills on your resume.
While you don’t necessarily need a specific qualification to become a digital marketer, many companies prefer hiring digital marketers who have skills and experience in this field.
Thus, teaching yourself how to perform digital marketing tasks will help you land a job in this field or even find work as a freelancer.
Careers in the education industry
9. Coach
Coaching — which, in this case, refers to coaching practitioners who work with people to improve parts of their lives or businesses — is another industry that continues to grow rapidly. For example, a business coach helps early-stage entrepreneurs develop their business ideas to improve their likelihood of success.
There are also coaches in other fields, including spirituality, sales, and relationships.
According to the 2020 Global Coaching Study, the estimated global revenue from coaching reached almost $3 billion in 2019 — an increase of 21% from 2015.
You generally don’t need a degree to become a coach. However, you need to be an expert in a particular area. For example, if you’re bilingual, you can consider becoming a language coach, offering your services to businesses and individuals.
10. Online teacher
Education has changed drastically since the start of the global pandemic. Now more than ever, people are pursuing education online. In fact, the e-learning market is projected to surpass $243 billion by the end of 2022.
As the e-learning market continues to grow, so will the demand for online teachers. Online teachers are professionals who help students learn in a virtual setting.
You don’t need an education degree to become an online teacher — though a degree is necessary if you want to teach for a formal school or college.
You can also become an online teacher if you’re an expert in a particular field. For example, if you’ve been a tax professional for years, you can teach small business owners — through online classes — how to do their taxes.
Construction industry
11. Electrician
Electricians are responsible for installing and repairing electrical wiring, fixtures, and systems in buildings. They make sure that piping and wiring comply with electrical codes.
Though electricians have been around for many years, this occupation is expected to continue growing as technology and its demand on electricity continues to evolve.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the employment of electricians is projected to grow by 7% over the next 10 years.
There are several routes you can take to get into the electrical trade. You can either attend a technical school to earn a qualification or apply for an apprenticeship.
12. Construction laborer
Construction laborers perform many physical tasks on construction sites. Some of their duties include gathering materials, using machines and tools, erecting structures, and cleaning up construction sites.
The need for construction workers isn’t slowing down, as more and more buildings are being constructed, demolished, and reconstructed every year. The employment of construction laborers and helpers is predicted to grow by 4% from 2021 to 2031.
You don’t need a post-secondary education to become a construction laborer — a high school diploma or equivalent will be fine. However, mathematics, welding, and other vocational high school classes can help you get a position.
Future-proof your career
Did any of the above-mentioned jobs pique your interest? If so, and you have adequate experience or skills for the profession, you can start looking for a job today.
Simply head over to Jobcase’s job board and type in the job you’re looking for alongside your location. You can even choose the “remote” option if you want to work from home.
Need help adjusting your resume for a specific position? Learn how to improve your resume or customize it to land a job with ease.