The jobs of the future will likely not look like the jobs of today. But what will they look like?
A new project spearheaded by Ford Australia, Deakin University, and Griffith University has brainstormed possibilities to that very question. Of course, these answers are just a fun play at what could happen in the future and are not peer-reviewed papers. Still, some of the professions are thought-provoking ideas that try to address real-world problems.
The projections are based on research and reports around work futures to identify trends in the next few decades. The team interviewed 11 experts in key fields “familiar with cutting edge developments in these domains, who could tell us about trends, and future jobs.”
“These 100 jobs of course do not presume to cover the totality of global work in the future,” they note. “Jobs that will not change at all (we suspect there will be few of those) are not included in this list. Nor do they have a time stamp on them, although we can surmise that the futures our experts are describing will represent the realities of the next 20 years or so.”
Some are not too far-reaching:
De-extinction geneticist
These professionals would reanimate extinct animal and plant species to restore balance to damaged ecosystems. A select few scientists are already working towards reviving the woolly mammoth, so this idea isn’t completely bizarre. The team notes that some of these de-extinction geneticists may even (for better or worse) end up bringing back “novelty” creatures from the dead – such as dinosaurs, aurochs, and Tasmanian tigers – for wealthy clients to own as pets.
AI educator
This career would see educators teaching clients how to use and interact with artificial intelligence (AI) technology, including how to feed it the right data to ensure it learns and adapts correctly.
Cricket farmer
There are already people attempting this career now, not just in the future. Insects, including crickets and grasshoppers, are a great source of protein and antioxidants. They are also a more sustainable option than livestock to feed an ever-growing population. If eating crickets raw makes you squeamish, the team also foresee high protein flour and cricket protein bars as a food of the future.
Other professions were recommended to try to solve key problems of today:
Weather control engineer
These individuals would maintain the planet’s climate to support ecosystems and healthy living. Possibilities they suggest for making this happen include carbon capture and storage technology to cool the planet and chemical filters in the atmosphere to deter too much sunlight
In this vision, “They can create rain by seeding clouds using drone technology, control lightning with lasers, and drain energy out of hurricanes and cyclones to reuse for other purposes.”
Entomicrobiotech cleaners
Entomicrobiotech cleaners would use bacteria and insects to clean up pollution and waste. With so much plastic in our world, it’s an issue that certainly needs a resolution.
Others are a bit quirkier:
Freelance virtual clutter organizer
These people would help others manage their virtual lives by helping to Marie Kondo their intangible world.
Child assistant bot programmer
In this position, programmers would design robots to act as babysitters, providing children with supervision and education while their parents are busy at work.
Drone experience designer
With drones becoming an ever-increasing part of our lives, one expert suggested an experience designer would be needed to control how we interact with the electronic flyers.
For more, take a look at their extensive list of 100 jobs of the future.
