Get Ready for Future Jobs

Technology is advancing astronomically across all sectors of industry, and humans are stepping into the realm of artificial intelligence. We are increasingly dependent on computers, machinery, and robots. If the past generations were pushing the wheelbarrow to use it, people today are sitting on the wheelbarrow that is being automatically pushed.

However, our ever-growing reliance on technology has posed a serious problem in society. More and more people are skeptical about their job prospects because numerous jobs are being replaced by machines. Most discussions revolve around how many jobs will disappear in the future. College students and graduates are concerned about the limited number of jobs available for them. What they are forgetting or not paying attention to is the fact that many new jobs will emerge in the future thanks to technological developments such as the advent of supercomputers and artificial intelligence. Furthermore, there has been a huge change in trends in the corporate world (source).

Although many long-standing companies still have a hierarchical system where employees expect to move up with experience and achievement, more and more foundations and businesses prefer linear, horizontal movement over climbing the ladder. Students have to be aware of the change in the corporate world because they need to develop certain skills accordingly. IB Economics teacher Ms. Partee commented, “Students should be well-rounded” to compete in emerging markets. Students can leverage the existing skills they have acquired and utilize them when they are working in a company. Since present day employees are expected to perform multiple jobs and are working in the interconnected, complex world, being well-rounded is crucial. Ms. Partee also emphasized, “Students should experience as many things as possible.”

The discussion of whether or not more jobs will disappear in the future is still open. Ms. Partee says, “We can’t predict what will happen in the future because there are so many different factors that affect the future.” Despite many students’ apprehension about not being able to find the jobs, many jobs will emerge in the foreseeable future. Due to the technological advancement and ever-growing data, more jobs that require collecting and analyzing data will be more available when we graduate college. The number of data analysts, big data specialists, and technology specialists required will grow exponentially in the future. For these jobs, the skills that are in demand are the ability to process data and decision-making skills and reasoning. Furthermore, jobs and roles requiring social interaction skills are also significant because sales and marketing professionals will be highly sought after in the future.