Guessing the future is not within the reach of human or artificial intelligence. But humans do have the capacity to glimpse trends and forecasts that set the course for a plausible better professional future, while at the same time we believe we can rule out professional options that seem to have no future, or that will have to reinvent themselves to survive, giving rise to the jobs of the future.

November 30, 2023 marks one year since the global launch of Chat GPT (Generative Pre-trained Transformer). A popular and viral phenomenon that reached the public after a few previous years of development (since 2018) and that is revolutionizing the way machines work for or with humans.

This very unique and transcendent technological disruption that is questioning the way of working and the role of many jobs and that delves into the evident concern that, for some years now, has been causing the exponential technological revolution that we are experiencing.

The jobs of the future

Technological vertigo is an increasingly common social sensation. A phenomenon not without controversy about the advantages and disadvantages of the new digital era, since, if in the past mechanization was of a factory nature and in many mechanical tasks with little human added value, now it adds an exceptional impact on cognitive tasks and , particularly, about white-collar professions.

At this crossroads regarding the jobs of the future, perhaps employees should worry less about being replaced by machines and more about being replaced by other humans who know how to take advantage of them.

The disconnection between demand and supply of employment can already be seen, with a situation of unfilled positions – many already with profiles corresponding to new trends that characterize the jobs of the future – that coexist with significant unemployment rates.

Professional projection of the new generations

And what is the projection for the future? We will see that in the coming years some jobs will be destroyed, others will be created and many will be transformed. Therefore, not having new generations prepared to meet the demand for the jobs of the future can be disastrous for the future of nations.

The World Economic Forum already proposed a series of jobs with more or less future, as can be seen in the attached table. Note that at that time our close daily collaborator Chat GPT had not yet become popular.

Jobs of the future: fields with projection

We have already internalized that a large part of the jobs of the future are usually linked to technological advances, emerging needs in society and changes in the labor market. Below are ten professional fields that will lead to jobs with a future and adequately remunerated in various parts of the world, although they cannot be generalized and must also take into account the specific conditions of each region or country:

1. Software developers; although the arrival of generative AI will have an impact, given its ability to generate programming code.
2. Cybersecurity specialists.
3. Health professionals (doctors, nurses, therapy specialists).
4. Data engineers and data scientists.
5. Specialists in Artificial Intelligence and machine learning and AI “askers” (or prompters ).
6. Specialists in renewable energies.
7. Psychologists and mental health professionals.
8. Biotechnology professionals.
9. Experts in logistics and supply chain.
10. Specialists in electronic commerce.

Essential adaptability

Now, all the jobs of the future that we mention will require continuous adaptability, maintaining a constant learning mentality and being willing to adapt to new technologies and methodologies.

In addition, having the so-called soft or “human” skills, such as good communication skills, leadership and problem solving, are increasingly relevant, particularly to be able to climb the career ladder and reach management positions.

Active presence in professional networks (participating in events, conferences and professional platforms to stay up to date with opportunities and trends in the sector) should also be added to the equation of professional success.

Add to this practical experience, obtain relevant professional or technical certifications and cultivate multidisciplinarity, combining skills from different disciplines (for example, combining knowledge in biology and computing, or in psychology and technology).

The highest paying jobs

From the point of view of how the jobs of the future are paid based on the studies of origin, we can use Spain as an example, and it is worth mentioning the study by the CYD Foundation The employability of young people in Spain: What is the insertion of college graduates? , which analyzes remuneration four years after completing your studies.

According to this study, the average annual contribution base is 28,081.65 euros, which can vary by up to 15,434.23 euros depending on the specific field of studies. Specifically, the average contribution bases for graduates after four years in the labor market would be 32,654 euros for computer engineers; 31,428 for the area of ​​health and social services; 30,293 for other engineering, industry and construction.

In the area of ​​education, the average base is 26,948; 26,806 in business, administration and law; 25,817 in the primary and veterinary sectors; 25,402 in the service sector; 25,105 in social sciences, journalism and documentation; 24,981 in arts and humanities; and 24,376 in science.

Now, for example, in the area of ​​sciences mathematics and statistics are included (with 30,964 euros) and the dispersion in health is also seen between doctors (38,273 euros) and social workers (24,534 euros).

What Infojobs says about the remuneration of the jobs of the future

The Infojobs job portal, also Spanish, has a report based on the offers received on its website that states:
“The IT and telecommunications sectors are those that accumulate the positions with the highest remuneration (average gross salary of 31,898 euros); followed by the public administration (29,834); engineering and techniques (29,391) and real estate and construction (28,965 euros).”

According to this report, the 15 jobs with the highest salary would be, in gross annual salary:

1. Design of embedded systems, 53,074 euros.
2. General Secretariat, 49 715.
3. ICT business analyst, 13 47 156.
4. Real estate agent, 45,665.
5. ICT systems architecture, 45 560.
6. Database Design, 44,558.
7. Financial management 44 207.
8. Software Architecture, 43,490.
9. Product development department management, 43 259.
10. ICT technical manager, 42 661.
11. Branch address, 42 622.
12. Operations Directorate, 42,595.
13. Asset management, 42,387.
14. Dentistry, 42 174.
15. Security consulting, 41 613.

Remuneration progression

With a view to the future, it is advisable to look at the remuneration progression; Thus, the area of ​​computer engineering allows us to go from an initial 22,000 euros to 50,000 annually in a short time. Software engineering allows you to reach 100,000 euros per year in a few years and in medicine up to 150,000 euros gross per year depending on specialty, area, and public or private sector.

The future of work is heading towards a necessary relationship of hybrid complementarity that will discover an infinite number of new jobs, in addition to enhancing and valuing the essential qualities of the human being based on their true creative, emotional, relational and interpretive intelligence.

Author Bio: Ricardo Palomo-Zurdo is Professor of Financial Economics and Dean at CEU San Pablo University