Future employment lies in technology sector

AS TECHNOLOGY creates a new set of rules for the economy‚ school leavers and prospective students should take heed of the professions likely to be in demand to ensure their future “employability”‚ says the one of the oldest trade unions, United Association of SA.

Union spokesman André Venter expects decline in major economies in areas such as office and administrative jobs, manufacturing and production, construction and extraction, arts‚ design‚ entertainment‚ sports and media; and legal and installation and maintenance.

But he expects growth in job categories such as business and financial operations, management, computer and mathematics, architecture and engineering, sales and related jobs. and education and training.

Venter has broken this down further‚ based on international research and the World Economic Forum’s The Future of Jobs report to highlight jobs that will be in greater demand or remain stable in the next five years:

● Data analysts, to help make sense of all the data generated.

● Computer programmers‚ software developers‚ information security analyst ● Architects and engineers‚ specifically engineers qualified in biochemical‚ nanotechnology‚ robotics and materials.

● Specialised sales people who not only know their products but also understand the ins and outs of the business environment.

● Experienced managers to lead companies through transformation and disruption due to changes in labour market.

● Product design is expected to be a top skill in demand by 2020.

● Human resources and organisational development specialists to help reskill workers.

● Regulatory and government relations experts to navigate the legal side of the changes in the market. — TMG Digital the