What Sectors Offer the Greatest Job Security for the Future?

Since 2020 The changing face of work and sectors that could offer the greatest job security in the future might not be what you’d think.

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With the ongoing march of technology and the continued digitalization of business, it’s becoming harder and harder these days for new graduates and even experienced workers to select a career that offers true longevity in terms of employment prospects. 

As Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) begin to play a more pivotal role in the workplace, so jobs that were once relatively assured are slowly being usurped by technology. 

The tip of the iceberg

Employment experts believe we’re currently in the throes of a fourth industrial revolution – a time when man and machine will coexist to a greater level than at any time previously in history. Certainly, there’s little doubting that computers, the web and tech have completely transformed the modern workplace. 

Now, just as the web enters its thirties, technology surrounds us and the internet has become such an interwoven, integral part of our lives that it would be difficult to imagine a world without it.

A changing style of work

While the internet has undoubtedly changed all aspects of our lives, perhaps nowhere has its effect been more keenly felt than in the way we work. Where once the office, 9-5, Monday to Friday structure was the norm, these days employees can work from pretty much any location they can find an internet connection. Pens, paper and filing cabinets have been replaced by smart devices more powerful than those that took man to the man, while the idea of physical meetings has been ditched in favor of online Zoom conferences. 

Technology – very much a double-edged sword

While it’s certainly true that the advances in tech have brought multiple benefits and helped companies streamline their process and empower their employees, there is still a downside. Never was this clearer than during the lockdowns caused by the coronavirus pandemic, which served to highlight just how much of our previous work responsibilities and work roles can now be handled equally well by computers.

The COVID-19 outbreak exposed many jobs as being simply superfluous to requirements – the so-called ‘pointless jobs’. While we all hope the worst of the lockdown and isolation measures are now well behind us, there’s little doubting that things changed markedly through coronavirus and most industry experts believe we’ve now turned a curve in terms of how and where people will work.

Also, with the growing realization on the part of CEOs and bosses that technology is now far more proficient than it used to be, we’ll likely continue to see the slimming down and streamlining of workforces as firms turn increasingly to computers and machines. 

Employment analysts suggest we’re seeing the thin end of the wedge in terms of the effects of this fourth industrial revolution (also often called Industry 4.0) and, just like the previous work revolutions before it, this one has the potential to leave lasting change and transform working practices forever. Certainly, there is little doubt that computers are already a vital component in most jobs and, as AI continues to improve, will become even more so in the years to come. 

The challenges ahead for today’s workers

With tech now becoming such a formidable force and an integrated component of most roles, the challenges facing today’s graduates and job seekers are far greater than at any point in history. Researchers believe many of today’s supposedly safe roles will cease to exist in the years to come, making it much harder for workers to look forward to any semblance of ongoing job security or career longevity. 

However, while the growth of automation in the workplace might sound solely negative and destructive, there is a flip side increasingly being argued by proponents of tech – and one that carries considerable weight in the scientific community. 

Many experts argue that, just like previous revolutions before it, Industry 4.0 has the potential to create requirements and invent jobs that don’t even exist yet. As tech spreads more and more into the workplace, entirely new roles will likely be created to satisfy these demands. 

Jobs considered largely immune to automation and digitalization

If you’re looking for a job that should offer relatively assured security and one that has longer career prospects, you could do worse than considering the sectors listed below. 

Jobs in tech: The saying goes, “If you can’t beat them, join them”, and taking a job in technology or with computers is guaranteed to offer longevity and sound career prospects. Almost all industry analysts agree we’re merely at the start of a very long road when it comes to the role machines will play in the workplaces of the future and having knowledge and experience in this area is almost certain to assure great employment opportunities.

Work as a plumber or in traditional trades: Skilled tradesmen have been in decline for many years as school-leavers and graduates sought to follow white-collar careers that were perceived as being more refined. Consequently, there is already a demand for workers with these abilities, but that is only going to increase in the future for one primary reason; while computers and machines are incredibly adept at performing repetitive, time-consuming tasks, they lack the problem-solving skills and manual dexterity required for these types of roles. As an added advantage, working as a plumber could allow you to start a company and work as your own boss – yet, somewhat ironically, being aided by the very types of technology that are replacing other roles. For example, there are now apps available that could let you easily manage your estimates, invoices, payments, appointments by using a plumbing software, visit https://www.thryv.com/industries/plumbing-software/ to learn more.

Take a job in the healthcare industry: Similar to the trades roles listed above, computers simply don’t have the capacity for caring and empathy that are the embodiment of healthcare jobs. Also, again similar to the above, machines lack the dexterity and range of movement that are needed to look after the sick, disabled or elderly. While it’s true computers are getting smarter, they’re unlikely to gain either of these skills anytime soon, making a job in healthcare a good bet for a long career.