Earlier this year, MIT Technology Review predicted five jobs that are likely to grow in 2018. We’re now well into the year; how prescient were its predictions? Let’s take a look at the five jobs predicted to grow in 2018:
Renewable-Energy Technician
As the energy industry moves away from coal to focus more on natural gas and renewables to provide power to meet rising demands, new professions are emerging. Two of them—solar photovoltaic installers and wind turbine technicians—have been identified as “the fastest-growing professionals by percentage over the next 10 years,” according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).
Machine Trainer
While people tend to be more concerned about the jobs that artificial intelligence (AI) may take away, some point to ways that AI may actually create new jobs. “Machine trainer” is one example. In fact, Erin Winick writes in the MIT piece, “In December, Google hired 10,000 workers to help clean up content on YouTube and train its machine-learning technology.”
AI Engineer
In order for companies to be able to adopt AI technologies, people need to be available to actually create these applications. That’s where AI engineers come into play. As Winick points out, “There probably isn’t a more sought-after skill set in the world of technology.”
Video Game Streamer
Video games remain a hot item in many circles, and with new technology emerging to make gaming experiences much more interactive and engaging, it’s not surprising that the demand for content will continue. Twitch, a game-streaming website, has more than 25,000 people earning money on its platform and more than 15 million daily users, writes Winick—and demand is likely to continue to grow.
Caregiver
While many new and hot jobs are technology-driven, not all are. The healthcare industry still relies predominantly on people to deliver care, and that’s not likely to change anytime in the near future. In fact, Winick writes that the BLS predicts that demand for home health and personal care aides “will grow by 426,000 and 754,000 workers in the next 10 years.”
The emergence of these, and other, hot jobs often reflects talent and capabilities that do not yet exist in many organizations. Now is the time to begin considering what new competencies your organization will need to stay on top of emerging trends.