What careers are future proof?

[9hdtvey54r]

I am thinking of retraining and wondering what careers do you think are future proof? I think the trades are e.g. plumber, electrician etc - any other thoughts? Thank you.

Trouble with social work is that it relies on a more social view of society, general interest in the population and tax revenues. This is actually quite a new profession. As demonstrated by current crisis in social work, education and health care - the triple issue of AI, increased individualized rather than social view on society, decrease of money amongst the general population i.e. both in the individual pockets but also when it comes to general taxation - results in those services being cut due to lack of concern/lack of money. We are seeing this already and it will only get worse. So yes you may still have a job as a social worker as it won't be automated but it won't pay enough to live on....and may eventually atrophy.

medics - all types

I would not be so sure - there need to be cuts in the NHS and the bureaucrats are very good at protecting themselves and passing on savings to front line staff.

I still think, psychologically, women don’t want to push a baby out into robot “arms”. So even if AI is used to read the monitor things you have on your stomach sometimes, and to assess risks based on various factors throughout the pregnancy, there’ll still be a human midwife doing the birthing.

In the same way I think people prefer human childcare workers. Even if an AI nursery robot is fully programmed with enriching learning activities etc, no one wants a robot to hug their child if they’re crying.

I read somewhere that a good general guideline is that any job which involves sitting at a computer all day is likely to be taken over, or at least be greatly influenced, by A1.

It's interesting that the type of professions often seen as 'menial' are now probably the 'safest' but of course no job is future proof.

No career is future proof and AI will change all our jobs in the long run, but it won't outright replace anyone. They nature of AI and of human beings simply make this impossible. However, if you look at the impact computers have had on the workforce, I expect that AI will have as large in impact in the next twenty years.

I think you can only make yourself "future-proof", so to speak, by being as flexible as possible. Look at the direction your industry is heading into and find opportunities to make yourself useful/indispensable.

None of the above will be a guarantee for anything, because redundancies will always remain a risk. I do feel that the greatest risks are posed by economic downturn and not by technological innovations, such as AI and automation.

I am really surprised no-one has mentioned the climate change related jobs that will all be needed. Only one poster so far mentioned EVs for example.

Just thinking of the UK:
Installing heat pumps in most buildings in the UK will be massive (not right this minute, but incoming - or an alternative technology that supersedes heat pumps, possibly hydrogen but could be something else)
Insulation ditto
There might be a growth industry in flood protection or heat protection as the climate changes (selling, installing the defensive measures, but also the insurance needed etc)
Possibly solar panels

Servicing EV cars - yes. These also have an infrastructure of rented software

I also think in-person events are a growth area - essentially finding new ways to monetise that people want to get together and socialise, whether B2B or B2C, The tech bros have done a great job of moving society online - essentially privatising social engagement so that now we are prepared to pay to have an exciting time leaving the house.

I think it already has in some organisations.

Octopus Energy comes to mind

I currently work in the charity sector - doing a bit of everything (as is so often the case in charities!) Project management and delivery, strategy development, people management, book keeping, fundraising... But unfortunately not hairdressing or plumbing! Many charities are now facing increasing needs at the same time as significant reductions in income (what with the cost of living and US and UK government cuts). I was hoping to be able to move into a more stable career but it looks like they're few and far between.

Completely agree. Related to this is being a lawyer in public law children's cases. Emotionally draining work, and I certainly couldn't hack it, but definitely an area of huge, unmet demand and likely to remain so for the foreseeable

Aren't they trialling AI lectures? Depressing thought ...

With the state of the NHS, nursing redundancies seem almost unbelievable :( So sorry

Yep. We are on the dawn of the next industrial revolution.

We will look back at this period of time we are in and have a name for it one day.

It is both exciting and terrifying.

Make the nhs so useless, when the gov decide to get rid of it, no one will bat an eyelid. The nhs is being deliberately brought to its knees. Very intentional imo

Heavy Goods / agricultural Mechanic has a few years left. It will be a while before they can move to electricity.

The job you are in is probably as good a bet as many

But if nobody else has jobs, luxuries will be out the window

I’ve read that hairdresser is one of the safest, at least from being replaced by bot, because it requires a combination of practical dexterity, interpersonal skills and creativity which AI cannot yet replicate. No idea if that’s correct but it stayed with me.

Cyber security

A good friend of mine quit his office job a year ago to go and do a bricklaying course and plumbing after, essentially said he saw too many jobs going AI based and theres a demand for trades people. He said he’d ideally like to have his own business in the future, which sounded sensible. I’ve always worked in Marketing and so much of it is going AI based now. My sister works in data analysis for a company that does human drug trials and she said the demand for that is pretty high rn, but unsure if that’s something that will be AI run in the future too.

But more people colouring their own hair due to cost in salon?

No ai firm would want the potential liability that its software malfunction could have caused the death etc of someone. They need to pin that on a human. I think ai will make it better, but certainly won’t replace the human touch in medical field

Agree,
A lot will change in the next 5 years

Its a difficult time for young people trying to decide what industry to go into, not sure what I would decide in their position

When network computers became mainstream we were all supposed to be replaced by them, too. I'm not so sure AI will replace what people can do, much like computers it'll just mean we're all able to do more, and do it quickly.

Teaching isn’t future proof. Nursing, yes.

plenty of AI already moving in taking those jobs