“The future is already here – it is just unevenly distributed.”
As we stand on the cusp of technological marvels and societal shifts, it’s only natural to feel a touch of uncertainty about the future of your career.
There are studies that show employers are anticipating a structural labour market churn of 23% of jobs in the next five years. And others estimate the chance of unaided machines outperforming humans in every possible task as high as 50% by 2047.
But just as Cloud Architects, Data Scientists, and Social Media Managers were all roles barely conceivable 20 years ago, new, and exciting career opportunities are going to be on offer.
As the quote above from renowned science fiction writer, William Gibson, suggests there are in fact some companies already navigating these brave new worlds, and in this article, we will be looking at a few and how your career could grow with them.
EY | Woolworths Group | NetApp | Edinburgh Airport | Stantec
EY
Consulting & professional services | 5,001-10,000 employees
Over the past year, the advent of generative AI (GenAI) technologies has significantly influenced the skill sets we need to cultivate to address burgeoning demands in this field. As we’ve harnessed GenAI to unlock its potential, EY have intuitively recognized the need for professionals in AI ethics, Large Language Models (LLMs), and AI trainers.
These professionals work in tandem with their data professionals to help enable EY clients to effectively, and responsibly, implement their AI initiatives.
Leading their efforts to transform how they work with AI are two Partners in Australia and Korea. These women have differing backgrounds but share a passion for helping the next generation of women understand and embrace technology.
EY recognize that employing teams with diverse backgrounds and experiences is critical to reducing bias in technology and applying it responsibly.
As organizations move beyond exploration of GenAI technologies, to more advanced and sophisticated applications, the need to have robust guardrails around data quality, privacy, and governance issues will remain a priority. The need for data and solution architects will keep growing as organizations aim to link information more smoothly to maximize the value derived from AI.
Woolworths Group
Retail & fashion | 10,001+ employees
Woolworths has been using virtual reality (VR) for some time as a training tool and has continued to develop and add to the modules available as the technology and needs of the business grow. The training uses VR headsets to train store leaders and service team members.
“Virtual reality training for our store staff is not just revolutionizing how we prepare our talent for work; it’s elevating service standards and ensuring personal safety in roles that stand the test of time.
“Embracing this immersive technology enhances existing jobs, proving that innovation is not about replacing, but empowering our workforce for a safer and more customer-focused future.”
– Ella Cullen (she/ her), Employer Brand Lead.
NetApp
IT, digital & online media services | 251-500 employees
In the ever-evolving landscape of technology, the jobs of the future are becoming increasingly intertwined with data management.
NetApp, a global leader in intelligent data infrastructure, stands at the forefront of this transformative wave. As more businesses harness the power of data to drive innovation, NetApp has been expanding its Partner ecosystem to best support the needs of customers while they navigate intricate data management systems.
To support the development of NetApp’s Partner ecosystem, the company invested heavily in building a talented Partner team. To provide additional support for the team, NetApp also expanded through hiring interns and graduates, who are given the opportunity to take on cross-functional roles, such as marketing to assist in creating, managing, and executing campaigns and events. Interns and graduates are also a key part of NetApp’s sales support team, where graduates can progress into more senior roles following the completion of their graduate program.
The emergence and acceleration of the public cloud – a computing model that enables enterprises to virtually host data and apps – has also seen an evolution in the NetApp partner program. NetApp’s ecosystem now includes “cloud first” and “cloud only” organizations, driving new partner requirements, and opening roles for team members with skillsets tailored to supporting cloud migrations, data security, data privacy, and cloud infrastructure.
These partner teams collaborate extensively with NetApp’s technical specialists to help organizations better understand how technology can best support their customer’s business needs.
For those seeking a career in the jobs of the future, working in intelligent data infrastructure at NetApp provides a unique opportunity to be at the heart of technological innovation, shaping the digital landscape for years to come.
Edinburgh Airport 
Aviation & aerospace | 501 – 1,000 employees
In the last year, Edinburgh Airport has created seven paid internship opportunities across the business in areas such as Engineering, Customer Support, Digital and Communications.
The internships are aimed at students currently in college or university education. In particular, they invited applications from students who have broken down barriers and are the first in their family to embark on full-time education, are care experienced, have refugee or asylum seeker status, or identify as being from an under-represented background.
By introducing their own program, they were able to widen the talent pool and reach young people who would truly benefit and thrive in the airport environment. In 2023 they welcomed a 50/50 gender split and 50% of the cohort were the first in their family to attend higher education. Internships are an important talent pipeline for the airport and Edinburgh Airport is pleased that four interns from this year’s cohort have stayed on to develop their careers with them.
Stantec 
Engineering | 1,001 – 5,000 employees
How does that relate to jobs of the future?
Many roles that exist today would sound imaginary to people from decades past, yet that change is constantly present.
We live in an exciting time: today we work even more globally and more flexibly than ever before. Artificial intelligence (AI), climate, and personal well-being are driving the growth of new roles.
We have more time to think strategically and critically thanks to AI picking up the admin heavy load. Software automates processes and tasks that previously relied on more manual methods. And drones collect ecological data in remote areas in a fraction of the time it would take a person, fast-tracking our ability to complete what’s required.
Across the last decade, we have seen the emergence of roles in digital and innovation
climate-focused positions and personal well-being. Last century, many would not have dreamt of an organization employing an Inclusion, Diversity and Equity Manager, or appointing Mental Health Champions. But today, these are almost standard roles in every firm.”
So, what does this mean for jobs of the future?
“If I think about the impact of change and the unimaginable, I can see roles led by people with titles like Chief Happiness Officer, Chief Metaverse Officer, Chief AI & Automation Enabler, Chief Climate Officer, and Chief Collaboration Officer.
As the world evolves, so does our imagination, and our jobs!”
