The future of work: What we can learn from the changing job market

The year is 2010. It’s the turn of a new decade, nostalgia is king, pop history is about to be made (again), and colorful skinny jeans are almost everywhere. Later this year, we’ll see the first woman win the Academy Award for Best Director and witness the launch of a single app (Instagram) and device (iPad) that forever changed the social media and consumer technology landscape. 2010 was also the year we saw landmark laws such as the Equality Act and the Affordable Care Act come into force in the UK and US, but what about the working environment?

As technology continues to transform the way we learn, live and work, perhaps the clearest example of this shift can be seen in the workforce. New titles are becoming more common, and skills that were virtually non-existent for the average employee a decade ago are now in demand across industries. In this blog, we’ll explore this shift in more detail, touching on roles that don’t exist in its current form, what’s being done now, and looking ahead to predict what we think will happen in the next year or two.

A growing career

Over the past two decades, technology demands have transformed the job market, changing business priorities and shaping skills needs. Let’s take a look at some of the emerging key players that didn’t exist 15 years ago, either at all or in their current form.

AI prompts engineers

From AI-driven learning solutions to everyday hackers, AI is changing the way we work and live, and with the number of AI models (such as ChatGPT, Claude, and Midjourney) released and used every day, the need for well-crafted, accurate, and up-to-date responses is greater than ever. This is where AI prompt engineers come in. As experts in testing AI models and refining their output, Tip engineers use their technical knowledge and skills to help these models produce better results.

Mixed Reality (MR) Developer

While terms like virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) have been known for decades, mixed reality (MR) may not be as commonly used and well-known as the other two, despite the fact that researchers Fumio Kishino and Paul Milgram first used the term in 1994. Mixed reality falls under the umbrella term “extended reality” (XR), which is used interchangeably with augmented reality, but has come to prominence over the past decade or so with the release of Microsoft’s HoloLens. Because mixed reality blends the virtual and physical worlds, mixed reality developers leverage touch, spatial sound, and their understanding of space and environments to create these immersive experiences, allowing users to interact with virtual content in real time as if it were actually part of the physical world.

Short video content creator

Being able to grab an audience’s attention and keep their interest is already a great feat that requires skill and strategy, but do you think you can do it in six seconds? As the rise of YouTubers steadily grew, the launch of apps like Vine and TikTok in the early to late 2010s, as well as influencer management agencies, quickly capitalized on the social-first era and helped these new content creators rise to stardom. In addition to filming and editing, short video content creators are also responsible for storyboarding, planning, researching and promoting their content.

Net Zero Consultants

Scientists and researchers have been looking for ways to mitigate the effects of climate change for more than sixty years, with the term “net zero” first being used in the mid-2000s. Now more than ever, businesses need experts to ensure they reduce their carbon emissions with strategies, training and support to help them achieve this, and net zero consultants can help fill this gap.

future work

So, where will the fastest growing areas of the job market be in the future? We explore some of the growing job opportunities and industries below.

space

The space industry’s growth isn’t slowing down anytime soon. According to data from the McKinsey Global Institute The next big area of ​​competition Increased private sector investment, business innovation and lower launch costs will help space industry revenue reach $960 billion to $1.6 trillion by 2040, the report said.

Artificial Intelligence Ethics

By 2024, ChatGPT’s web traffic will have exceeded Netflix, Twitch and Pinterest. As more people use AI, more experts will be needed to address governance and ethical issues surrounding AI models and develop policies to ensure safer development and use.

renewable energy

The UK’s net zero economy is already growing three times faster than the UK’s overall economy, and as the deadline approaches each year, approaches to delivering sustainable electricity to the UK and the rest of the world will only become more important. According to LinkedIn’s 2025 Green Skills Report, the fastest-growing green skills category is energy management, with 17.4% more LinkedIn members adding this skill to their profiles in 2025 than the previous year. Likewise, the utility industry has the highest concentration of workers with green skills, meaning more growth is expected over the next decade.

network security

By the end of this century, the market size of network security is expected to reach more than 500 billion US dollars. As more products and services go digital, the need for more secure and robust systems continues to grow, but the cybersecurity industry is not without its challenges, namely the lack of enough skilled professionals to meet industry demands. There are 3 million job openings in 2021 alone, but this does provide opportunities for those who want to change careers.

How to future-proof your career in a changing job market

While we can’t see the future, we do know that improving your soft skills (such as creativity, problem-solving, empathy, leadership, and emotional intelligence) and technical skills is always the answer to getting and staying ahead of the curve, no matter what industry you’re in. Explore our range of courses, microcredentials, and degrees to get started.

• Virtual Reality: Exploring the Digital Future, Communication University of China
• Fundamentals of Creative Technologies and Interactive Experiences, University of York
• Artificial Intelligence Data Pipeline and Knowledge System, Starweaver
• Generative AI for developers, AWS
• Building an intelligent agent architecture, Starweaver
• Short video storytelling: How to create short video content, Communication University of China
• How to measure, reduce and offset your company’s carbon footprint, MSQ and BIMA
• Enabling the transition to zero carbon emissions and sustainable urban transport, University College London
• Climate Solutions: Use your influence in the workplace to achieve a net zero future, Deakin University
• How to drive sustainable healthcare: education, engagement and empowerment, University College London
• BA (Hons) Visual Communication, Falmouth University
• Master in Artificial Intelligence from Brunel University London
• University of New England (UNE) Bachelor of Sustainability
• PgCert Sustainable Agriculture, Aberystwyth University