The security industry is always evolving and innovating. New threats rise and new techniques are invented to address existing and future threats. Robotics and automation are everywhere and have their impact on security too. But the continuous digitization also has far reaching consequences on what kind of jobs are in demand, and will be in demand in the future. Some jobs will cease to exist where others will be created.
MT.nl (in Dutch) published an article in which they portrayed 10 jobs of the future. Their list is based on an analysis performed by Mariano Mamertino, an economist at indeed.com. Mariano did research on developments on the labor market in The Netherlands and Ireland.
In this list the number one spot is for cybersecurity and we couldn’t agree more. Besides to mention that it is not so much a job of the future but already a job of today. Check out the full list below.
Recent hacks at companies like Ashley Madison and Vtech show how proficient hackers have become in stealing data. Events like this have caused a rise in the demand for cybersecurity professionals. In 2015 the number of cybersecurity vacancies posted on job portal Indeed increased by 53,4% compared to 2014. While in 2014 it grew only 5,1% compared to 2013.
In The Netherlands, new laws have been adopted that make it possible to fine companies that have not put adequate security measures in place. This law seems to be the reason why cybersecurity vacancies have shown a 63% increase from October 2015 through March 2016. It is expected that this number will only increase in the coming years.
The job of a developer changes almost as quickly as technology changes. First there was a huge demand for web developers, then for mobile developers and nowadays it about yet another topic. On the one hand there is Internet of Things (IoT), the trend that more and more devices are connected to the internet (e.g. a fridge or a car or even a toaster). The number of vacancies related to IoT increased with a stunning 376,9% from 2014 to 2015. Virtual reality is another technology that shows a large demand for developers. Over the past two years vacancies related to virtual reality have increased by 377%
Just like the possibilities to collect, store and analyze data grow larger, so does the demand for people with skills related to data science. A much sought after profile is a combination of technical and scientific knowledge with the ability to distill important information from large amounts of data. It comes as no surprise that the number of vacancies in this field has increased. And not just a little, from 2013 through 2015 the number of vacancies relating to data science increased with as much as 206%. In 2015 Indeed-research showed that data science was the most popular IT related search term in The Netherlands. This shows that not just demand is growing, but also that the job is popular with professionals.
Within 30 years, 25% of the European population is 65 years or older. That is an 18% increase compared to how much people are 65 or older right now. This means that for jobs like nurses and occupational therapists a bright future lies ahead. This is confirmed when we take into account that the chance that this kind of jobs will be replaced with computers in the near future is estimated to be less than 1%, according to an Oxford University study.
Machines are good at a lot of things. But developing new and surprising ideas is (for now at least) not one of them. Creative professions that focus on the complex interaction between ideas, words and images with shared social and cultural values, are likely to survive the rise of the machine.
For example digital marketing has grown substantially recently and will probably keep doing so. Especially in markets that bear a lot of potential and opportunities for digital marketing. In 2015 the number of vacancies for digital marketing specialists on Indeed increased by 222% compared to 2014.
We do not yet live in a world where packages are delivered to your doorstep by drones. But the continuous search for convenience and support is a possible driver for the adoption of drone deliveries. This doesn’t mean that the logistics industry is ready to be fully automated. people still need to be involved in supervising and managing the complex worldwide delivery and supply chain processes of tomorrow.
Talent is increasingly becoming an issue of importance. Companies worldwide are always competing for the best candidates. With the increasing amount of data available for employers and employees, the role of HR is also changing. Recruitment efforts are becoming increasingly data driven with the introduction of analysis tools and automated screening -based on machine learning- becoming more common. To be a successful HR professional in the future you’ll have to possess both the soft-skills and expertise in software and analytics.
The future is not all about data and analytics. Companies like Uber revolutionized the ‘gig-economy’. At Uber, chauffeurs connected through their smartphones are able to work flexible in their own time. This model is spreading to other areas like services and jobseekers are aware of this.
The worldwide interest in the ‘gig-economy’ increased with 23,1% between 2013 and 2015. As this model is becoming more broadly accepted and regulated, taking part in it is also becoming more easy for people.
Education is another area that is characterized by an increase in demand, especially in developing countries and upcoming economies. Meanwhile an increase in online learning tools makes for new possibilities and opportunities. Teachers can easily teach to students all over the world. In 2014 The Netherlands saw record number of vacancies for secondary school teachers.
Some thing will never change. People will always have to eat and will always like to go out for dinner. The chance that cooks will be replaced with machines is only 10% according to the Oxford University research mentioned earlier. This is because chefs combine creativity with manual labor. In 2015 there was an increase of 252% in the number of vacancies for kitchen staff compared to 2013.