Jobs of the future: the 10 profiles with the best career prospects

"6 out of 10 school children will work in jobs that don't exist yet". This assertion, made by talent coach Paz Gomez Ferrer, underscores the fact that the jobs of the future will be very different to those of today. 

Of course, the advance of technology and the fourth industrial revolution are unstoppable and with them, the most in-demand jobs will transform and adapt to that new reality. In fact, the CEO of Telefonica Digital Education, Ana Casilda, says that globally, over 75 million jobs will be carried out by machines in a not too distant future. At the same time, fortunately, technology will create more than 133 million jobs connected to these new professions. 

Technology is an ally that will allow humans to perform jobs more flexibly and efficiently, leaving the repetitive and mechanical tasks to machines. So, do you want to see which jobs are going to offer the best career prospects? In this article, we present the 10 jobs that will define the society of the future. 

Blockchain expert

It won't be long before blockchain -a distributed database currently trending thanks to the world of cryptocurrencies- is rolled out across all sectors. It is expected that, thanks to its inviolability, public traceability, flexibility and efficiency in transactions, it will find multiple applications in future. 

In this sense, according to a PWC survey, 84% of the over 600 managers interviewed have already implemented blockchain-related initiatives at their companies. Likewise, Gartner Consulting has projected this technology to generate over 3 trillion dollars by the year 2030.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) Specialist

As IDC Research Spain points out, AI will attain a market share of 12 billion euros in 2022, with an annual increase of 40%. This new paradigm, in which AI is the main player in many sectors, means that experts in this field will be highly sought-after by organisations, according to data from itReseller. 

Software Developer

In the last six months, the demand for developers has doubled, making it the 4th most sought-after profession according to InfoJobs. A figure that is only set to increase, because software developers are vital to ensuring the proper functioning of the many technological devices we use on a day-to-day basis.

Environmental Engineer

Our planet's health and the way human activities impact it are some of the major concerns of this century. That's why another job of the future will be that of environmental engineer, a role that will be responsible for striking a balance between technology and sustainability to ensure the future of our planet is green.

Content Creator

A report by the National Observatory for Telecommunications and the Information Society (ONTSI in Spanish) indicates that the consumption of digital content increased by 31% in 2020. 

Growth of platforms such as Twitch, Instagram or TikTok have made many companies look to content creators to advertise their brands, making this profile increasingly in-demand. 

Online Teacher

The Covid-19 pandemic has transformed education. In fact, 49% of the world's students have completed some form of online training in the last 12 months. 

This paradigm shift means one of the jobs of the future will be that of online teacher or trainer, because the e-learning market will reach a value of 325 billion dollars in 2025 according to a study by Research and Markets. 

Cloud Engineer

As highlighted in the Hybrid Cloud Report 2021, 93.7% of companies considers the cloud to be essential to meet current business needs. Hence adoption of the cloud is increasing and people with cloud-related IT profiles will have plenty of job opportunities in the future.

Big Data Analyst

Another major player in the fourth industrial revolution is big data. The role of Big Data analyst is steadily becoming one that companies recruit, as itTrends suggests. Experts who know how to handle and interpret the large quantities of data that are dealt with nowadays are and will be vital for companies.

Cyber Security Specialist

In a world where the digital transformation is in full swing, concerns for digital security are growing. Moreover, according to the 9th Allianz Global & Specialty Risk Barometer 2020, cyber incidents take the top spot when it comes to the most significant risks for a company. This means that, to keep data safe and tackle the new challenges, cyber security specialists are needed more than ever before.

Renewable Energy Expert

Halting climate change and limiting the planet's temperature increase to under 1.5ºC is the goal of all of the world's institutions. To achieve this, it will be essential to stop using fossil fuels and replace these with renewables. This means that experts in renewable energies will find plenty of opportunities in the future job market.

Do you have the necessary skills to do the jobs of the future?

The third edition of the Report on the Future of Work 2020 says that, within a few years, basic skills will have changed, meaning some 50% of workers will need to retrain. What it comes down to is that early and on-going training will be the only way to gain access to some of the most in-demand jobs of the future. In this sense, accepting change is the first step to achieving a better future career. 

So, to help people progress, overcome the challenges posed by the fourth industrial revolution and grow inclusively and sustainably, Banco Santander backs three key concepts to promote employability: continuous learning, retraining, and further training. To this end, it has developed the Santander Open Academy, a unique, pioneering global programme.

Do you want to develop professional skills that will help you access better job opportunities? Discover Santander Open Academy, the training space you need to keep growing.

Join our global platform for learning and professional development and access courses at zero cost, training content in a wide range of formats and scholarships from leading universities and institutions.
If, like us, you believe that we should never stop learning, sign up here and find out what we have for you!