Whether you’re thinking about a career change or just want to know what’s in store for future generations, the landscape is changing and there are new jobs on the way. From the more mundane to the downright crazy, we’ve rounded up five of the most exciting jobs that could be here by the end of the decade.
1. Holoportation workers
It’s no secret that the future is digital; in fact, we’ve already seen how virtual reality can transport us to never-before-been places. What we’ve already seen is merely the tip of the iceberg, and Microsoft is already working on the next generation of mixed reality. Its so-called holoportation technology will see real-time, 3D holograms of people being brought to reality, allowing you to interact with somebody distant on an almost physical level.
We’ve already written about this technology here, but it’s still unknown what hardware is required to generate holograms. That said, we do know that Microsoft - and other companies in due course - will be able to capture the body moving, so it won’t be like looking at a portrait.
Holoportation is a broad term for an industry that will likely include tens of roles in varying capacities. Jobs will range from research and development to the actual implementation, which may be seen in stores that require specially trained workers.
2. Artificial Organ Farmer
Onto health now: a market that has seen significant development throughout the 20th and 21st centuries. People are now living longer than ever, but our drive for longevity hasn’t slowed down. We’re already capable of donating organs to those in need, but the number of people prepared to donate isn’t keeping up with the demand.
Scientists are already making groundbreaking discoveries with regards to organ donation, which builds on our genetic similarity to pigs. This could save lives, but benefiting from other animals raises immense moral concerns owing to the fact that pigs in particular are highly sentient.
Scientists are already creating embryos that will not fully develop into fetuses, but only to a stage where their cells can be recognised as organs. According to IFLScience, the world’s first “synthetic” mouse embryo was created in August 2022 which lays the foundations for further work.
Beyond this, the healthcare industry as a whole is likely to experience a big shift. The automation of tasks that do not require human input, such as storing and moving parts around hospital buildings, is one example in which humans will be required to monitor, deploy, and maintain robots.
It’s likely that we’ll begin to see even smaller robots being used, this time inside our bodies, doing work that would otherwise require surgeons to create large incisions, helping to improve recovery.
3. Smart Home Consultants
Many of us already have some smart technology in our home, whether that’s a smart TV that works with screen casting or voice activated smart speakers. In fact, with Apple and Google’s respective Home apps, we’re seeing more and more smart technologies used in our homes, from lights and outlets to heating and ventilation.
Up until now, the untrained individual has been faced with tens if not hundreds of brands offering similar products with different levels of interoperability, and the landscape is only going to get more confusing as more categories become smart. Much like an interior designer, a smart home designer’s job will be to curate the perfect combination of technologies to facilitate daily life.
An article by Business Wire suggests that the smart home security market alone is expected to grow to $6.81 billion by 2026, compared with an estimated $3.27 billion in 2022.
4. Work from Home Facilitator
We’ve written countless pieces on hybrid working trends, which have seen more and more people turning to working from home since the pandemic. Our guides include the best webcams, the best headsets, the best video conferencing software, and the best productivity tools.
According to a Growmotely survey, via Forbes, a huge 97% of respondents didn’t want to return to the office on a full-time basis, and a further 61% of employees prefer being fully remote.
The truth is that, while working from home sounds like a dream, there are some important considerations to make. Aspects worth further research aren’t just limited to employees’ work-based activities, though. Their own health and wellbeing, as well as the financial implications of working from home, are just some of the things that need to be considered. Work from home facilitators will likely be employed by most companies worldwide, though we can’t guarantee that the role will actually involve working from home!
5. Disaster Forecaster
Recent history will stick with many of us for a long time, whether that’s the Covid-19 pandemic, the Russian invasion of Ukraine, or a potential financial disaster. We’ve already been warned that there could be more to come, but the fact is that it is inevitable. It’s just a case of what exactly, and when.
Ransomware attacks on businesses are more of a threat than ever, and cyber security has become a key priority for many organizations. Having a trusted team of developers will of course help to remedy any attacks, but a team dedicated to forecasting cyber attacks could help programmers to prepare fixes in advance - or even stop attacks in their tracks.
Beyond technology, we have the continuing pressure to preserve the environment. Exceptional heat and drought has been witnessed in many countries in 2022 alone, and with many scientists indicating that this could become more commonplace, forecasting disasters to ensure utmost preparation is vital. NASA has already reported a global average temperature increase of more than one degree Celsius as a result of human emissions.
Whatever industry you work in, your role will almost certainly be adapting to a new way of living in 2030, but if you’re ready to take on the next challenge, start brushing up on your skills for one of these five roles now.
