Jobs of the future: examining workforce trends
Published 2017
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A new report, titled Super connected jobs , examines the trends set to shape the Australian workforce in the next 15 years. The report looks at the key skill sets for future jobs in the digital age and predicts how certain roles may change and develop by the year 2030.
Since 2000, the Australian workforce has increased by around three million workers. This has come with greater emphasis on part-time work, female workers and older workers. The number of part-time roles has increased by 55 per cent, the number of female workers by 38 per cent and the number of workers over the age of 65 by 208 per cent.
Jobs in growth
The industries that have experienced the greatest growth are:
- professional, scientific and technical services (76 per cent)
- health care and social assistance (75 per cent)
- education and training services (45 per cent).
What’s more is that the workforce is still growing, with a further three million workers expected by 2030.
The report outlines five distinct skill sets that represent the future of Australia’s workforce:
The Care Givers: Care Givers provide support or personal services to the public or certain groups in society. The ageing population and rise of women in the workforce have increased the demand for Care Givers in the Australian workforce.
Example occupations: fitness instructor, social worker, beauty therapist, nanny
The Technocrats: Technocrats are central to the operational design and production of future products and services, and possess high-level skills in science, technology, engineering and mathematics — and, in many cases, entrepreneurship.
Example occupations: engineer, computer programmer, medical researcher, web designer
The Specialist Professionals: Like Technocrats, Specialist Professionals fall into the ‘knowledge worker’ category — a term given to professions that require a university education or technical qualification. While Technocrat roles are often at the creative end of knowledge work — designing new systems, products and services — Specialist Professions tend to focus on delivering outcomes and maintaining systems.
Example occupations: clinical psychologist, teacher, general medical practitioner, accountant, dentist
The Doers: This category includes tradespeople as well as occupations focused on ‘people-related’ activities, such as communicating with clients, ordering materials, allocating work and processing payments. The rising population and demand for infrastructure will provide employment opportunities for many workers in this field.
Example occupations: electrician, carpenter, personal assistant, sales representative
The Creatives
The final category includes workers who seek roles for creative or lifestyle reasons, including flexible working hours; the ability to pursue an interest or passion in an entrepreneurial way; or opportunities to work from home, online, part time or in a semi-retirement capacity.Example occupations: photographer, fitness instructor, dietitian, makeup artist, life coach
