Be it right now or ten years into the future, employability and the employment we dream of are always a matter of discussion. For some, jobs hold a lifetime of prosperity; for others, jobs are ways to implement lifelong dreams. In a growing economy forwarding with a global concept of supply and demand, the discussion of employment and the associations that follow are more prevalent than ever before. Growing needs, rapid changes, social reforms, and a roaring shift in necessities have created massive changes in the required skills and payback from jobs. These changes have also driven rapid shifts in employability criteria by declining traditional approaches. And this is said to be just the beginning. In ten years, the skill sets required will only keep furnishing to achieve a greater good, and the motion of employability will only adapt with the flow. So to keep you ahead in this game, we listed the jobs with the highest demands for the next decade by analysing their prospects- 

DATA SCIENTIST

Data is said to be the power tool of the 21st century. But the proper acquisition and management shape the datasets into usable assets. The minds that work with collecting, analyzing, and interpreting data are called data scientists. But the term data scientists often get confused with terms like data engineer and data analysts. Data analysts use static modeling techniques that summarize the data through descriptive analysis.

On the other hand, a data engineer is responsible for developing and maintaining data pipelines. And a data scientist uses dynamic techniques like Machine Learning to gain insights about the future. The range of areas varies from finance, academia, scientific research, health, and retail to government, even e-commerce And where data can bring success to companies or bring them down, it is only fair that data scientists will be the ones holding the titles of one of the highest paying jobs all around.

Salary range – $100,560/year (approx.)

Estimated growth rate: Data science was named the fastest-growing job in 2017 by LinkedIn with a growth rate of 650%, and in 2018 Glassdoor ranked data scientist as the best job in the United States.

Educational Requirements: Data scientists require a wide range of technical competencies, including statistics and machine learning, coding languages, databases, machine learning, and reporting technologies. Data scientists work in diverse disciplinary positions. So, a strong background in mathematics and computer science is needed. As a data scientist who works with large numbers, it is essential to have a strong foundation in the field. Strong communication and visualization skills are also needed to convey the research findings. 

DIGITAL MARKETING SPECIALIST/ DIGITAL MARKETER

Although listed as a prospective future career option, digital marketing is not the newest concept in the following context. With digitalization at its peak and traditional marketing media rapidly declining, digital marketing has earned its position as the newest communication channel between businesses and consumers. As diverse as the field of digital marketing is, it makes up a huge portion of the business and consumer growth. A buzzword, digital marketing, in its real term, includes any form of marketing implementation injected into digital platforms. This includes media planning, handling, content management, social media marketing, search engine optimization, and more. The diversification that this sector offers requires looking at communication channels from a creative outlook with the knowledge of technical feasibility. Digital marketers work with both broad and niche marketing concepts. Some marketers specialize in Pay-per-click, some focus on SEO, and others on social media management. Diversification allows marketers to be flexible with their choices. As the concepts are integrated into the core of every company, the scope of contributing to the digital marketing sector keeps increasing with every customer preference shift and trend. 

Salary range – $50,000 – $60,000/year

(approx. for entry-level)

Estimated growth rate – 35%

Educational Requirements – 

There is no specific educational degree required for the job. But a digital marketer should not fall short of skills in his chosen field. To become a digital marketing specialist, one needs to know about data analysis, SEO & SEM, CRM, content creation, communication skills, social media management, and basic design skills, as the career is a skill-based option. 

AI & ML ENGINEER

It is a no-brainer that artificial intelligence (AI) & machine learning (ML) has entered several sectors of our personal and professional lives. AI directly deals with patterns and internet traffics. So AI’s top three uses include analyzing everything from consumer preferences to supply chain and manufacturing developments. Autonomous vehicles, digital knowledge bases, and virtual assistants are also integrated and powered by the mechanics of AI. But the news of the technologies infiltrating securities has also been prevalent recently. AI ensures cybersecurity to mitigate the problem. While on the other side, ML deals with analyzing potentials and future predictions. The most visible example of machine learning has to be from a market investment perspective. As investments deal with risks associated with securities, the predictions and analytics behind them are made by ML. As the insights behind various growing companies are conducted without manual intervention and brokerage, the suggestions help invest money in the right place. Besides the automotive industry, computer vision, quantum mechanics, and robotics hold a significant chance of employment with ML skills. 

Salary range – US $125,087(approx. on average)

Estimated growth rate – According to Gartner, there will also be 2.3 million jobs in the field of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) by 2022. 

Educational Requirements- The prospect of Machine Learning with Python language is high. So Understanding data structures and associated software concepts, Mathematics, including calculus, linear algebra, statistics, and probability, is highly important. Data mining and visualization capabilities with a grip on machine Learning algorithms and their implementations are a major requirement to build a career in AI and ML engineering. AI is a vast sector, and ML is just a part of that. So a career in AI requires all that with a combination of data mining and data analytics background. The broadness of the sector tends to focus on artificial intelligence tools like machine learning, algorithms, neural networks, simulated annealing, prototyping, and a multidisciplinary approach to data technology. 

Although anyone can gather the skills aligning with their interest and capabilities, from a curriculum and professional development perspective, graduates with a background in computer science, data science, mathematics, or software engineering get ahead in the game because of the competitive advantage of their majors. 

BLOCKCHAIN DEVELOPER 

Since the concept of cryptocurrency and the ruling of bitcoins as a major has introduced elements for a decentralized communication chain, blockchain has become essential. Blockchain is a digital ledger system that records financial transactions in real-time. From the cryptocurrency perspective, blockchain eliminates the necessity of going to banks or any other financial institution. Blockchain helps individuals to create their own digital currency, from arts to financial assets. A decade ago, very few people knew and cared for this technology. Blockchain developers are programmers who create blockchain applications. As blockchain creates cross-chain functionality across industries, it bears a significant career opportunity for professionals. 

Salary range -$110,000 per year(approx. on entry-level )

Estimated growth rate – According to Glassdoor, the worldwide yearly growth in blockchain job postings was around 300% in 2021. For flexibility and security purposes, the jobs in this sector have become demanding worldwide. 

Educational Requirements- 

Blockchain developers typically have a lot of experience working with C++, Python, and Javascript in the beginner stage. Technical skills like proficiency in languages such as React, CSS, HTML, NodeJS, and Python and development frameworks like Truffle can bring a competitive advantage. College degrees in software engineering, computer science, or a related field to work is not compulsory, but having one is an important advantage because recruiters emphasize elements like experience and programming skills. The skill is basically implementation based, so the quickest way of establishing skills in the field is to get hands-on with an actual blockchain application. Employers prefer hiring candidates who have developed prototypes or successfully built applications using Blockchain technology.

Author- Subeh Tarek