Olga, the career fortune teller over at The US Bureau of Labor Statistics, has looked into her crystal ball to reveal which will be the fastest-growing careers over the next decade and which could be all but obsolete.
If you are not afraid of heights then you’re in luck. Wind turbine service technicians have the fastest growth rate of any career, with solar photovoltaic (solar panel) installers taking the third slot. The rapid growth is driven by demand for renewable energy.
However, because these are relatively small occupations, the two roles will account for about 11,000 new jobs collectively, according to research compiled by Visual Capitalist and the US Bureau of Labor (BLS) Statistics.
If you are not queasy at the sight of blood or the smell of hospitals, then that’s two for two. Nine of the top 20 fastest-growing jobs are in healthcare or related fields, as the baby boomer population ages and chronic conditions rise.
“Home health and personal care aides, who assist with routine healthcare tasks such as bathing and feeding, will account for over one million new jobs in the next decade,” said Visual Capitalist.
“This will be almost 10% of all new jobs created between 2020 and 2030. Unfortunately, these workers are the lowest paid on the list.”
Visual Capitalist
Computer and math-related jobs are also expected to see high growth. No surprise there as algorithms will probably rule our daily decisions by 2031.
The BLS expects strong demand for IT security and software development, so IT contractors can sit tight. But they may need to make more “house calls” given most of us will be working from home.
What did Olga see about salaries?
Many salaries of these high-growth careers are on the up as candidates will be highly skilled and/or in demand.
That said, Olga saw a dismal future for some careers, one that is a bit worrying: nuclear power reactor operators.
The specialists in this field are well paid, but nearing retirement, and there is not enough uptake in the field to spread across the world’s nuclear energy facilities.
Many of the jobs in demand over the next decade could be conducted on a fixed-term contractor or freelance basis. But possibly not as we know it today. Freelance platforms and hiring practices will have evolved in ways we cannot even imagine today.
Have a look to see what tickles your fancy in the careers stakes with this nifty infographic from the folks over at Visual Capitalist. Parking officers, it might be worth looking for a new gig.