Top 10 Jobs Of The Future

Top 10 Jobs Of The Future

by GT Scholars What's new?

When choosing your career path, there is often the dilemma of making sure you’re making the right choice. This does not have to be a dilemma if you take your time to understand yourself and do your research.

When doing your research, it will be good to start with careers that fall in line with your subject choices and strengths. You can then start considering which careers are more financially stable or what you will need to get a job in that career field. There can be many other questions and factors that you can include in your decision-making. 

One thing to note when doing your research is the fact that there is no correct or set list of the best careers out there. These lists will always vary and change according to trends and data. They may also not apply to your strengths or what you want to achieve, so it’s best to use them as a guideline instead of a rule book.  

To help you out, we’ve listed 10 jobs that current trends and data are favouring, which might help you out when choosing a career for you.

Software, Systems & Programme Developers
In a world dominated by technology, software, systems and programme developers are sought after for their high-level skills in developing programmes and software design. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, this career is projected to have a 24% growth by 2026. Along with a fast-paced and exciting job life, this career can offer you the chance to work in a wide range of industries including designing software for large retailers and manufacturers for their systems, building the latest hit games and apps, or working on creating new software for tech companies. Software, systems and programme developers create solutions in almost every sector imaginable. To be a developer, you will need to have high levels of data structure skills and an understanding of artificial intelligence to keep up with the constant change in technology and data. 

Accountants
Accountants play an integral role in the planning, balancing and management of all company finances and the auditing of financial reports. Accountants are highly skilled in offering these financial services as well as other services such as taxation, creating accounting systems, putting budgets in place, and cost management for both companies and individuals. Due to increased globalisation and internationally traded services, the professional and business services sector, which includes accountants, is expected to grow. According to CoursesOnline, the accounting industry has a predicted growth rate of 10% by 2026. 

Computer and Information Systems Managers
Again, since the world is dominated by technology, careers in the technology sector will continue to be in high demand for a long time. Computer and information systems managers are responsible for the maintenance, support, design and modifications that ensure that networks, software and other virtual environment infrastructures are operative and are up to date. They are also in charge of delegating tasks to developers and providing training to staff. These careers will also definitely be in high demand in order to provide high cybersecurity protection for valuable data.

Management Consultants and Business Analysts
Management consultants and business analysts tend to be in demand because of their ability to help organisations solve problems, improve efficiency and manage change. They do this by bringing together the problem-solving and communication skills that are essential to identifying business needs. These careers also help businesses minimise risks when it comes to making big changes that could have a negative or positive effect on the company, and since change is unavoidable, these roles are particularly valued. 

Engineers
Engineering is a highly skilled and technical industry that transcends across different working disciplines. In the UK, the engineering industry is seen as one of the best in the world, so it is continually being invested in by both the private and public sectors. This means that there are great opportunities for those who want to be part of such a cutting edge discipline. Engineering involves turning research ideas into technical plans, the use of computer-aided design/modelling programmes, doing surveys of systems and equipment to assess that they are working properly, and overseeing maintenance programmes and quality control. 

Web Designers
Another career field in the technology sector, web designers are also expected to grow in demand. One thing that does separate web designers from other tech careers is the amount of creative skill needed. Web designers create the main features of a website, such as the layout, colours, and other specifics of a website. The can also be involved in developing branding and marketing plans. Companies and individuals with their own businesses are always looking for good web designers for their websites and blogs etc. Another plus about this career is the amount of flexibility and you can work as a freelance agent or work directly for a creative agency. 

Medical and Nursing Practitioners
Due to increased opportunities from medical research and advancement, social trends and an ageing population, there is a 15% projected increase in nursing & medical jobs by 2026 according to CoursesOnline. Everyone needs to be healthy and medical care is one of the fundamental human rights. Doctors, surgeons, nurses and all medical practitioners will remain in demand as they are a necessity and play an important role in society. Technological innovations within this sector are also expected to change these careers but also keep them in high demand.

Teachers and Learning Professionals
No matter how advanced technology gets, teachers and other learning professionals, play a vital role in the development of young people and the education of the population. These careers require excellent communication skills and a passion for developing young minds. They also require creating good working relationships with parents, school governors and other stakeholders.

Motivational Speakers
With an increasing focus on personal development and mindfulness, motivational speakers are high in demand for businesses, universities, schools, and individuals. Motivational speakers help to inspire continuous growth in the minds of their audiences with the hopes of helping them to stay motivated and be more self-aware. They have to have a lot of confidence and need to be able to use their knowledge and experience to inspire change.

Entrepreneurs
According to the Financial Times, nearly 660,000 start-ups and companies were established in the UK in 2016. This is set to continue to grow as more government-sponsored initiatives are introduced to encourage people to set up businesses. Entrepreneurs invest in themselves and in their ideas and are able to turn their ideas into profitable businesses. They are also able to create jobs and can even address other needs in society through social entrepreneurship.

If you’re not sure what career path is right for you, GT Scholars holds an annual Careers Day where you can find out first hand from young professionals in various fields on how they found their career and reached their aspirations. Visit our website to keep a lookout for the next Careers Day or for our other impactful enrichment days and programmes.

7 Reasons Why State School Pupils are Still Not Getting into High-Income Careers

7 Reasons Why State School Pupils are Still Not Getting into High-Income Careers

by GT Scholars Educational inequality Narrowing the gap Parents Social mobility What's new?

There is still an increasing trend of educational inequality that affects young talent attempting to enter into the job market. A recent study from the Social Mobility Commission concluded that young people from more advantaged socio-economic backgrounds, including those who’ve attended private school, are more likely to be in top jobs. 

What is the root cause of the increase in this trend and what can society do to prevent us from slipping back into an age of educational oppression?  

Here are a few reasons as to why privately-educated pupils are getting the benefit of the doubt when going head to head with a state-schooled pupil:

  1. Untimely graduation – Few state school pupils who make it to college complete their studies on time. Pupils from low-income backgrounds may have access to grants for tuition, but they still have to make provision for living expenses. Many pupils cannot afford to study and work part-time and they end up being forced to seek full-time employment. Of course, there is the argument that working and learning at the same time can result in better education and stronger career prospects and future options, especially when working in jobs related to subjects studied, however, working too much can reduce completion rates for low-income and first-generation college pupils. A spokesperson for The National Union of Teachers said their report “gives a sombre warning to Government that unless investment and the correct interventions are in place, the attainment gap between disadvantaged pupils and their peers will continue”.
  2. Career threshold – Most employers have strict recruitment procedures that ensure all aspects of a new job application is covered. When considering job applications from new candidates, they look at educational background including the school attended, academic attainment and the university attended. What they fail to realise is the fact that ticking these boxes is not an accurate prediction of the applicant’s strength. A more adept way to interview would be to focus on non-academic factors such as articulacy, assertiveness and other important soft skills. Employers that access a wider pool of diverse talent will provide real benefits for employees and the business alike.
  3. Not enough equivalent experience – When employers refer to equivalent experience in a job posting, they could be referring to experience as a substitute for not having the educational requirements or they could be referring to unpaid experience, such as volunteer work or an internship. Most state pupils are obviously not able to meet this requirement due to time or financial constraints that prevent them from taking on volunteer work or unpaid internships.
  4. Incorrect business destination and intent – Many employers have the incorrect focal point when it comes to success. Their considerations lean more towards prioritisation of tasks and general commerce when they should rather be paying more attention to what individuals can attribute to their overall financial growth. Employers should be looking to employ people who are going to complement the community that they are trying to build. The graduates who clearly articulate their interests, goals and aspirations are often overlooked because of their lower percentage performance in university or due to a lack of educational prestige.
  5. Restricted personal development –  Young people from advantaged backgrounds are more likely to be extroverts and have substantially higher economic aspirations since private schools have the resources to work on personal development. On the other hand, state schools don’t focus on personal development enough, and their pupils are not able to develop self-confidence or high career aspirations.
  6. Budget deficits – With the entire world moving into a technology-based environment, it is becoming clear that tech-savvy thinking is one of the things that employers are looking for. Unfortunately, state schools are lacking behind in this area, especially when it comes to the use of tech devices in class. Pupils cannot afford their own devices and unless there is some sort of independent funding along the way, the schools are also not able to provide this for all pupils.  This suppresses the learning potential of the pupils and they will not be able to develop the necessary skills to keep up with the changing working world.
  7. Educator challenges –  State schools employ a disproportionate share of teachers, relative to the number of pupils they educate, with class sizes being far too high for one teacher to handle. This creates many challenges for individual educators such as learner performance and disciplinary problems. Learner performance is affected there is less time for the educator to give individual attention. Learners attention is also affected as classrooms tend to be more noisy and disruptive during lessons. Furthermore, the educator’s time management is affected as they do not have the time to attend to test papers and assignments with as much detail, so they often overlook vital areas where improvement may be needed.

Even though pupils are facing these challenges based on inequality and the lack of adaptability by many employers, they should not be discouraged.  Young people entering the job market should assess what they can offer and why they can be an asset to their potential employer. They should include their best qualities in a personal cover letter when applying and focus on their unique credentials and skills.

GT Scholars is a not-for-profit social enterprise and registered charity. We run after-school and weekend programmes that help young people achieve their academic and career aspirations. Our programmes include tutoring, mentoring and enrichment sessions for young people aged 11-18. Contact us if you would like to know more about any of our programmes and courses.