There’s no time like the present for taking stock of your career and reviewing your options. Do you enjoy your job? Is it time to start your own business? What kind of setup are you looking for? Or is it time for that big career move? And if so, what careers are in demand and worth considering?
Top 10 In-Demand Careers in 2024
Popular careers currently are those in the healthcare, finance, and technology sectors where innovation and necessity are proving to be the mother of invention. The rapid growth of artificial intelligence and its potential for impacting everything from medicine to life on Mars means the tech sector should recover from the recent slump. Finance used to mean trading in stocks and shares but cryptocurrencies appear to be here to stay and add a whole new dimension to saving for a rainy day. According to PwC’s Workforce of the Future Report, which predicts trends up to 2030, a forward-thinking 74% of us are prepared to retrain or reskill to remain work-ready. Away from futuristic work scenarios, 73% of people do not believe that robots will ever replace the human mind. This is borne out by evidence that the demand for nurses has never been higher while logistical logjams across continents means lorry drivers can now command salaries on a par with university graduates! Read on for our predictions for in-demand careers in the current climate.
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Network Security Engineer
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Cybercrime is on the rise and costs individuals and businesses millions annually. Much of our lives has moved online and this creates endless potential targets for criminals wanting to steal money or cause chaos and disruption to organisations.
Role: Network security specialists endeavour to keep all company data secure. Your work will involve analysing threats or potential areas of weakness, pinpointing gaps in system security, establish best practice for business, design and configure network systems and ensure all protocols are proficient and efficient against attacks.
Qualifications: A degree in network engineering or cybersecurity is a good starting point. Courses that have advanced knowledge of computer network security, database security and control, engineering, programming, and information security offer in-depth training to operate in this field. You must stay ahead of hackers and remain up to date with new tools, systems, protocols, procedures, and security to excel in this role. -
Registered Nurse
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Role: Registered Nurses (RNs) form the bedrock of healthcare in many countries worldwide. In this role you will provide medical care, health education, emotional support and many other services in your daily tasks and responsibilities. It’s a demanding and stressful job but you will touch, change, and save lives.
Qualifications: To work as a registered nurse, you should have a degree or diploma and be licensed by your country’s health professional council. You must also undertake continued professional development to ensure your training remains up to date. Additional nursing courses you can take include Diploma in Nursing and Patient Care, Safe Handling and Administration of Medication, and Nursing Studies – Patient Care and Hygiene. -
Veterinarian (Vet)
Go anywhere in the world and you’ll find people who love their cats, dogs, horses, or whatever pets they have. Factor in farm animals and wildlife and it’s no wonder vets are in demand.
Role: As a vet, you will be responsible for the health of animals brought into your practice. This includes examining, diagnosing, and treating medical conditions, performing surgery, offering pet owners medical advice or general advice on animal care and more.
Qualifications: To practice Veterinary medicine you must have a relevant degree before completing a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM or VMD) at an accredited veterinary college. You must also meet the licensing requirements in your country before you’re allowed to practice legally. -
Financial Analyst
The markets may shift, and economies may go through peaks and valleys but a financial analyst has timeless appeal when it comes to money and investments.
Role: As a financial analyst, you will work with finance teams to analyse business performance and guide business executives on strategy and decisions based on your insights and research.
Qualifications: The most common degrees are in business, accounting, mathematics, finance, statistics, and economics. An accounting degree, however, provides you an extra edge in this field because it gives you a strong foundation for analysing financial statements. -
Data Scientist
Data science is a broad field in which analytical skills are used to process and interpret data.
Role: This job involves collecting raw data and information and turning it into information that others can read and understand. You can work in a range of industries and use mathematics and processing tools to help companies make key decisions.
Qualifications: You will need a bachelor’s degree in computer science, data science, statistics, applied mathematics, computer engineering, or related subjects. Most companies also require you to pursue a master’s degree in data science or business analytics.
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Machine Learning Engineer
Machine Learning Engineers are also known as AI developers, AI professionals, or Machine Learning Developers. Companies and organisations are looking for these skilled professionals to help them protect their businesses against disruptions.
Role: Your job as a ML engineer is to improve systems and build and manage data pipelines to test algorithms on built models to seek out patterns and make predictions. You will also work with others in the data fields to design, develop, deploy, and monitor various systems and infrastructure.
Qualifications: Because it is still a new field, there aren’t many degrees with a specialised focus on machine learning. A degree in the computer sciences, software engineering, IT, physics, stats, computer programming, and courses in a related field are a good place to start. Additional courses and certifications can be acquired in Python, and cloud computing. -
IT Specialist
Role: This career is ideal for individuals who love problem-solving and computers. As an IT specialist, you will be responsible for helping organisations secure their data and prevent cyber-attacks. Creativity and logic work well together to help you assess threats, provide support, create awareness, and develop data encryption programs and technologies for different business models.
Qualifications: Some companies seek candidates with a degree in computer science or related field. However, you can take courses like Understanding Information Control for IT Managers to ensure safe operations. -
Software Developer
Role: As a software developer, you are at the core of creating a software program. You will run software tests to look for problems as well as analysing security requirements and work with a programmer who will write this code for the set requirements.
Qualifications: Software development is a technical role and a degree in computer science, information systems, mathematics, and software engineering are ideal. You need to be able to showcase your technical ability, have the right certifications, and be proficient in C/C++ programming. -
Physician’s Assistant
Role: This career differs from a registered nurse in that it has its own programme with a large focus on science. A physician’s assistant works closely with a medical doctor or someone in the medical field like a psychiatrist. They are medically trained to provide care to patients, can carry out administrative duties, and order tests. Furthermore, they can develop treatment plans to manage patient recovery and evaluate the effectiveness of the plans.
Qualifications: A degree in life or health sciences or an allied health degree is a minimum requirement to work as a physician assistant. Experience within the health services will give you entry into specialised programmes to test and begin working in this role.
Photo by Michael SKOPAL on Unsplash
- Truck Driver
- Truck drivers drive the economy and keep the supply chain moving.
Role: As a lorry driver, you will make up a core part of the transportation industry, ensuring the safe delivery of goods and materials from farms to factories, warehouses, manufacturing plants, shops, and many other locations. Your route is determined by a set schedule and you’re also responsible for making delivery notes, recording driving and rest hours, discrepancies, or complaints from customers. As a driver, you are also tasked with vehicle inspections and maintaining safety procedures at all delivery and collection points.
Qualifications: All truck drivers need a valid driver’s licence to work and those who drive large trucks transporting hazardous material need a commercial driver’s licence (CDL).
- Truck drivers drive the economy and keep the supply chain moving.
Get Help With Choosing a Career
It’s natural to become excited about the thought of embarking in a new direction and Alison has lots of resources to help you find the right path. You can find information about hundreds of options in our free Career Guide.
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If you’re not sure where your strengths lie, or what skills you have or need, our Workplace Personality Assessment will provide you with these answers. Upon completion, we’ll recommend to you a list of courses you can take to get you the necessary knowledge and skills to put you on the right path.
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