Money & Career
How to prepare your child to compete for jobs of the future
©iStockphoto.com Image by: ©iStockphoto.com
Money & Career
How to prepare your child to compete for jobs of the future
Just 15 years ago, there were no social media managers, app developers or sustainability experts. Today, these professions are part of our lexicon. Imagine what the job market will look like for the next generation.
Well, futurists (yes, that's also a profession) have seriously considered what's ahead as part of the Canadian Scholarship Trust's Inspired Minds Careers 2030 campaign, designed to help parents saving for their children's education think about future occupational opportunities.
"When we thought about the careers of 2030, we asked ourselves, 'What major forces will change how and where we work over the next two decades?'" says Jayar La Fontaine, foresight strategist with Idea Couture, a Toronto-based strategic innovation firm. "Because Canada's population is aging, we imagine jobs that meet new needs in the health-care sector. Automation and information technologies may also make some jobs obsolete, but new scientific and technological advances could simplify many of today's jobs and even task them to robots."
Here are three prospective careers your child might apply for in the future. (Find more at careers2030.cst.org.)
1. Rewilder (Agriculture)
Futurist and sci-fi writer Karl Schroeder, head of strategic foresight with Idea Couture, says this is one of his favourite jobs, even if it is only speculative. As sprawling farms are replaced with vertical operations that take up less land, rewilders will work to reverse environmental damage by replacing roads with forests, reintroducing native species, and restoring diversity and health to the land.
Relevant post-secondary programs Wildlife management, agriculture, environmental sciences.
2. Auto-Transport 
Analyst (Utilities and Infrastructure)
By 2030, technological advances will have introduced an automatic transport system with trains and buses that are run by computers instead of human drivers. The analyst will handle problems that need a human touch: helping transit users and developing strategies for improving service.
Relevant post-secondary programs Logistics, systems sciences, civic and transportation engineering.
3. Health-Care Navigator (Health Care)
How does a family make tough medical decisions? A navigator will guide patients and their loved ones through the complex medical system.
Relevant post-secondary programs Nursing, foreign languages, social work, hospital administration, health sciences.
Looking for a job? Check out Canada's 10 hottest job industries.
This story was originally titled "Generation Next" in the June 2014 issue. Subscribe to Canadian Living today and never miss an issue! |
Comments