Hot jobs of the future

With globalisation and technology, today's hot jobs will disappear ("Future of work: Forget about having a job for life"; last Saturday).

Thus, Singapore needs to have a flexible SkillsFuture learning platform.

Experts have suggested that the work done by private bankers, wealth managers, lawyers, accountants, actuaries and consultants will be replaced by algorithms and artificial intelligence.

However, some of the new future jobs include:

•Personal worker-branding coaches and managers. Most companies in the future will hire freelancers for contracts when the need arises, instead of keeping people on the staff.

These professionals need to brand and set themselves apart via a new set of skills related to self-management, self-promotion, administration, and personal development.

Thus, anyone who can teach these skills will be in great demand.

•Freelance professional managers who specialise in putting teams together for very specific projects.

•Freelance professors. The popularity of online courses from accredited universities will open a new avenue for academics to teach globally.

•Urban farmers. With an eye on long-term food sustainability, people may grow produce in their homes. Those with expertise in doing so can teach these amateur urban farmers.

•End-of-life planner. By 2025, the World Health Organisation predicts that 65 per cent of the world population will live up to 65 years old.

With the low birth rates in Singapore, a significant number in our population will be elderly. This last phase of life may be more important for these baby boomers, and end-of-life memorials may gain popularity.

•Senior carer. Geriatric care will become more important and workers in this field will be in high demand.

•Remote healthcare specialist. With advances in communication technology, such specialists can help take some of the less urgent cases off the hands of Singapore hospitals.

•Smart home handyman. With Singapore's "smart home" initiatives, there will be a new breed of professionals who can install and repair smart home technology.

•3D- printer specialist. There will be demand for specialists who can help design and operate 3D printers for applications in manufacturing and other industries.

When aware of what future jobs may look like, one can then leverage on SkillsFuture to plan one's lifelong learning journey.

Wong Shih Shen

This article was first published on July 16, 2015.
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