Jobs of the Future

The jobs of the future are made up of vocations you may already be familiar with and those you may not have even known existed. The evolution of science and technology will continue to change the shape of and need for products and services consumers use every day.

Future in-demand careers will not necessarily make you big bucks, but those in these vocations will have an edge over those who have basic job skills in vocations with average growth.

Jobs that will see the most growth in the next 10- 20 years:

Roger Moncarz, the branch chief in the Employment Projections Program of the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics states the following jobs are expected to see some of the fastest growth over the next couple of decades (Employment Projections Program, 2009).

Biotechnology deals with the areas of medical research and development that fuses molecular biology, engineering and technology to make new products. Biomedical engineers make monitors surgeons use during procedures, edible sensors, artificial limbs and help develop other procedures or devices to solve health and medical-related products in humans and animals.

Many of these engineers work in hospitals or research facilities. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projection Program states that careers in biomedical engineering are expected to grow by 72% over the next 10 to 12 years.

To become a biomedical engineer, a student should study engineering in college and obtain a degree that specializes in the biomedical engineering field. Many programs that employ these kinds of engineers look for individuals who have a graduate degree.

Those interested in working with computer network systems can rest assured knowing that the use of computers is not going to end anytime soon. Network system professionals and data communications analysts work with local or wide area networks (LAN and WAN), internet and intranet systems and data communications systems.

Duties in this field may include telecommunication tasks, interfacing computer and communications systems, or supervising other programmers. To become a network system professional and data communications analyst, you will need to at least obtain a bachelor’s degree in computer science (CIS).

Jobs in this field are expected to grow by 53% over the next 10 to 20 years.

Home heath aides provide assistance and care to those who have medical needs, and the demand for them is expected to grow by 50% over the next couple of decades. These professionals work out of residential facilities or in the homes of patients, and may assist with housekeeping, meal preparation, patient grooming and hygiene needs and help clients fulfill doctor’s orders.

Home health aides are typically registered nurses or certified nursing assistants, and requirements for professional certification vary by state.

As the U.S. becomes more earth friendly, the demand for wind energy specialists is expected to grow. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the use of wind energy grows by 39 percent on an annual basis (Hamilton & Liming, 2010).

There are three main work specialties when it comes to wind energy: manufacturing, project development, and operation/maintenance. You can acquire the skills to work in the wind power industry by having a degree in engineering or experience working in a similar industry.

Following your passion while being mindful of areas of growing opportunity:

When considering your future, choose a career that you will enjoy and will bring you a sense of fulfillment. Simply choosing a career that is expected to have significant future growth can leave you feeling unsatisfied and stuck.

Before deciding on a career or program of study, give it a test run by job shadowing, learning more about the career, and finding out what is required to guarantee your success. Then determine if all the steps to gain employment in your dream job match your wants, needs and timeline.