A new report has revealed detail on the jobs of the future – complete with potential job titles, descriptions, required skills and a quiz to help people find a role that matched their skills and interests.
The 100 Jobs of the Future’ report by Ford Australia, Griffith University and Deakin University, lists potential jobs to include a de-extinction geneticist, a data waste recycler, a robot ethicist, a space tourism operator, a virtual assistant personality designer and an autonomous vehicle profile designer.
“Writing on work futures is generally in agreement about the major drivers of change, including technological change — artificial intelligence, robots and big data, as well as innovation in materials, propulsion and energy strategies, climate change, globalization, population pressures and changed demographic profiles,”the report’s executive summary read.
“The implications for jobs are more vague, and futurists spread along a continuum stretching from predictions of dystopian futures to optimistic predictions of a better life for all.”
The report stems from research reviewing the literature on work futures, noting a long history of concerns about technological disruption that have proved unfounded in the broad sense, but acknowledging that the disruptive effects of the drivers above will lead to uneven patterns of change.
“Machines are already taking over many repetitive jobs and increasingly encroach on professional work such as accountancy or office work,” the executive summary points out.
“It is apparent that there will be a shift in emphasis to more skilled, and professional jobs, but pundits are divided on whether these changes will bring net job losses or net job creation.”
The report outlined trends away from routine jobs towards non-routine manual and especially cognitive skill work are already apparent, and will continue.
It also found people in all jobs will need digital skills, and STEM / STEAM skills are advocated by many as the basis of much of the changing economy.
“People will need to work with machines in new ways, rather than compete with them for jobs — this will be the way to keep pace with the changing economy,” Deakin University Professor and Chair of Science Education Russel Tytler said.
