Kayode Ibukunoluwa-Micah's Blog

UNDERSTANDING CAREERS THAT WILL BE IN HIGH DEMAND IN THE NEXT TEN YEARS

Today we live in a fast-paced, high-speed, scientific, and technology propelled world; a world whose future will be shaped by cloud technology, Artificial Intelligence, future 5G starting from 2021 with a promise of a single-digit millisecond latency.

It is interesting to note, that what we prized today as skill and ability will likely become obsolete some few decades away from now except they are ICT and technologically compliant. That some skills, jobs, and work will become totally un-useful to the new enterprise, and customers’ demand should not contemplate doubt to our minds.

In this article, I will take a futuristic look into the future of work as we presently have it, bring out the changes that we are likely going to see and what we should do to fit in into the future requirements of business enterprises, change in customer’s need and the career or job that will play a significant role in the future.

WHAT IS WORK?

Simply define; work is the exertion of energy or effort and the commitment of skills and abilities to achieve a pre-determined purpose. Work has a utilitarian value in the sense that such an effort must be value-based and create an outcome that serves society or meet the needs of others.

Work is the first assignment given to man at creation and serves usefulness both to man, the business interest as well as the society at large. Work in its present state requires over 80 percent of effort or energy, this holds true especially in the developing and third world nations of the world. However, with technology, this is changing and will move in the direction of 85 percent knowledge and 15 percent of energy or physical strength in about a decade and a half from today.

It is worthy of note that if your work requires 80 percent of your energy or physical strength please mark my words that without you embracing technology and investing in self-improvement, tech-enhanced capability such skill will become irrelevant in another 15 years from now. I am not a prophet of doom but a writer and researcher on the side of reality, someone who would rather look at global business trends and the requirements of the future enterprise.

WHAT IS THE FUTURE OF WORK?

The NeXtGeneration5G, disruptive technological innovations, and digital networks that guarantee ultra-high-speed internet capacity are the forerunner of future work. Opportunities generated by technology will create and reshape work in such a way and manner that will determine the directions of businesses, government, consumer behavior, and job requirements.

Careful consideration of the COVID-19 pandemic and its impacts on businesses around the world which resulted in a lockdown and social distancing has brought about flexible work processes, remote working, tech-enhanced processes that create opportunities such as drone-delivery, which is likely going to impact traditional logistics and cut down on person-to-home delivery. Today, scientific innovation in robotics has made it possible for robots to perform surgery, classes being taught via remote platforms such as GoogleClass, Whiteboard, and Zoom.

The world is now moving in the direction of digitalization, living in smart cities; cities that will be powered by high-tech innovation such as smart transportation without traffic officers, digital courtrooms and session, reliable payment platform, driverless cars, automated production lines, and robot-body-guards.

WHAT CHANGES ARE TO BE EXPECTED IN WORK?

1. Blue-collar or high energy-consuming works will be taken over by robots with a high level of reliability and precision.
2. Manual work will gradually give way to automated platforms such as automated fuel-dispensing, self-serving air-port procedures; digital controlled traffic lights, and automated production management, etc.
3. Lean management, lean production, and automated production lines that minimize downtime, material wastages with emphasis on just-in-time and electronics material planning.
4. Downsizing, right-sizing, collapsed structures and delayering thereby, reducing headcount and manpower requirements for businesses
5. Flexible employment, part-time job, and off-shoring. Organizations will go lean and prefer people that could work from remote locations at a reduced cost.
6. Life-long employment will gradually be phased out except in public sectors, job security will only depend on productivity, it will be knowledge-based, and value creation.
7. Some courses in our universities and colleges will become obsolete and irrelevant to future businesses and societal needs. 

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