It’s never easy to look for a new job, or a change of career direction. Aside from the simple logistics, there are a number of other questions to ask yourself to make sure the move is right for you:
- Can I do it?
- Am I qualified?
- Will it make me happy?
- What are the options for career development?
The first few of these might be easy to answer. But for career development in particular, it can often be hard to predict just what the future holds, especially with technology moving so quickly. After all, the internet has only been around for 20 years, and the jobs that millions of people do today would be impossible without it.
So, moving forward, what careers are we likely to be pursuing, and what careers will become obsolete? Obviously we can’t predict the future (Delorean on standby), but here are our top five jobs you may be doing, to give you an idea:
5. Vertical Farmer
As a wise philosopher once said: the only way is up…
With experts predicting the world’s population will increase to around 9.1 billion by 2050, space will be at a premium in the future. Farms will start to spring up on rooftops and terraces, inside purpose built skyscrapers, and anywhere else where there’s any room to grow. After sorting out a few teething problems (rearing livestock may prove to be a challenge), this profession will become an essential part of our survival.
Think Emmerdale meets Sex and the City.
4. End of Life Counsellor
Medical technology is also advancing at an astonishing rate. Genetic screening could soon become part of our routine medical checkups in the not-too-distant future, predicting the likelihood of disease and even determining how long we’re likely to live.
The metaphysical questions this throws up will be enormous, and therapy will become an essential part of dealing with the situation. As a result, counselling will become all the rage.
Expect a slew of pamphlets with titles such as: The end of your life, and how to deal with it.
3. Data waste management operative
People love to hoard. But, as we move further into the future, our entire film, music and book collections will all be digitally stored, not to mention all our personal correspondence. Sounds neat right? Think again.
Imagine a world where entire data storage facilities will be needed for every individual, where you’ll have hundreds of thousands of e-mails to sort through on a weekly basis, and where a virulent virus could prove as deadly as a break-in.
To counter this, experts will be needed to help you tidy up your tablet, feng shui your phone and de-clutter your data drives, while also monitoring potential security threats at all times.
Fundamentally, a cross between a refuse manager and a night watchman. Flashlight not included.
2. Robot Technician
R2D2. Kryten. Sir Kill-a-lot. Whether they’re destined for a life of solitary servitude or to rise up and take over the world, there will come a time when robots will no longer be the preserve of elite scientific minds or secondary school pupils eager to meet Craig Charles.
One thing about technology which will remain a constant, however, will be its ability to break, which makes Robot Technician a pretty attractive future career option.
Well, until the robots learn how to fix themselves, that is. Then you’re pretty much on your own.
1. Space Captain/Super commander
Space: The final frontier (etc.). But what happens after we boldly go where no man (or woman) has gone before? With the launch of commercially available spaceflights, popping up to the international space station or taking a cheeky jaunt to Jupiter could become commonplace.
And inevitably, there will be a massive recruitment effort to attract drivers. Although most of the hours will be pretty lousy, the uniform alone will be enough to attract some of the world’s very best HGV licence holders up into the big black. Have spacesuit, will travel.
One small step for man, one giant leap for commuters everywhere.
Honourable mentions: Bounty hunter, hoverboard instructor, space cowboy, jedi.
Think there’s any we’ve missed out? Share them with us on twitter @reedcouk
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