A NEW WORLD AT WORK

SEEK reveals emerging workforce trends

THE future landscape of work is tipped to be vastly different to what it is now – and if forecasts are correct, it will not be long before the changes arrive. Futurists Morris Miselowski and Adam Long predict how people will work and the jobs that will be most in demand in the years ahead.

NO MORE EIGHT-HOUR SHIFT

Workers will take more of a “portfolio view” of their careers, rather than focusing on one role at a time.

Miselowski says having two or three part-time roles may be the norm, as work integrates into the bigger picture of our lifestyles.

Workers may still find, however, that they are working 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday.

“We may have a main job that’s more office bound, then get out into people’s gardens, or jump into Uber duties the next day, for example,” he says.

AT THE SERVICE OF OTHERS

Self-checkouts and online shopping may suggest otherwise but Miselowski predicts service jobs will be a peak growth industry.

“People increasingly value experiences over spending on material goods, and while some services can be automated, experiences ultimately come down to human interaction – a five-star meal is less memorable served on a self-driving trolley, after all,” he says.

“Baby Boomers are less concerned than previous generations with leaving a legacy behind and paying a close eye to their savings.

“Instead, they’re into travelling, going for meals, and staying in their own homes longer – all of which create jobs.”

In-home care already is a preferred option, creating a booming market in aged care services such as concierges, whose duties may range from domestic tasks through to arranging inhome physiotherapy and providing companionship.

FEED THE WORLD

More students already are studying farming degrees to learn how to get the most food out of an increasingly shrinking amount of land.

Miselowski says there are also emerging fields, such as AI, robotics and CRISPR technology (genetically modified growing methods), that will allow people to manipulate foods to adapt to weather conditions.

Meanwhile, Long says there will be a need for people to discover and cook new, sustainable products, leading to new careers in such agricultural activities as jellyfish and insect farming.

“I recently attended a dinner, which served predicted ‘future food’ from the year 2045,” he says.

“On the menu were crispy fried crickets, jellyfish sashimi, wallaby tail, seaweed jelly.”

IT’S ALL TECH

Careers that combine IT skills with another skillset – for example a doctor/data scientist or lawyer/UX designer – will be in great demand in the future, Long says.

“Learning additional IT skills and integrating them into their existing job will make people more employable than ever before,” he says.

“A doctor and a data scientist working as a team is naturally less efficient and creative than a doctor who is also a data scientist, for example.”

Long says short courses are the way of the future and online education means workers can train outside of working hours and keep up with the latest technologies throughout their career.

THIS ARTICLE FIRST APPEARED ON SEEK CAREER ADVICE