The 21st century has seen unparalleled technological advancement and with that comes a need to consistently upskill, not only to stay up to date on industry trends, but to progress in your career.
Careers in the STEM sector have been subject to an unprecedented degree of change, as mass digitalisation and advancement have transformed professional expectations. A few years ago, a report from Dell Technologies and the Institute for the Future predicted that roughly 85pc of the jobs that will exist in 2030 have yet to be created. And then generative AI burst onto the scene causing further upheaval.
Future-proofing, that is, upskilling in areas that will give you the best career options down the line is a strategic way to prepare for future transformations. So, what skills could give current STEM professionals a future advantage?
Quantum
It would appear that the future is quantum. Certainly it is an area that is going to greatly impact the future of STEM careers as advancements are made, particularly in computing and healthcare. Understanding classical computing and programming, mathematics and basic quantum mechanics is going to be vital if you aim to move into a quantum career in the future, so why not upskill via online courses?
With careers in dynamic areas, such as research, cryptography, cybersecurity and software development, quantum is an ideal topic to study and upskill in, for anyone eager to advance and achieve some career stability.
Climate and sustainability
We all have a responsibility to tackle the climate crisis, not just for the current human and animal populations, but for everyone who comes after us. As we work towards a greener future, more emphasis is being placed on renewable sources of energy and alternatives to environmentally harmful business practices.
To get in line with global targets but also to appeal to stakeholders who have a vested interest in going green, businesses are going to have to recruit employees skilled in a diverse range of climate-focused topics, for example, the intersection of technology and sustainability, green engineering and climate action. There is no future without a significant personal and professional investment in sustainability, so as far as future-proofing your career goes, this is about as job secure as you could hope to get.
Robotics
In the not so distant past, when asked to conceptualise a robot, many of us would likely have envisioned something akin to the Iron Giant, or Wall-E, a clunky, rustic design with limited capabilities and no finesse. Nowadays robots are performing surgery with an almost shocking level of dexterity.
The hope for the robots of the future is that they can tackle tasks too challenging, mundane or dangerous for a human to attempt, exhibiting intelligence and decision-making based on analytics and real-time data.
Think mining, space and deep-sea exploration. This will require employees skilled in a broad range of areas across the STEM sector, for example advanced maths, programming and mechanical and industrial engineering.
AI and machine learning
Whenever I hear people talking about the future of work in the same sentence as AI or machine learning, it makes me think of that ad from years ago about how you either love marmite or hate it (I’ve actually never tried it).
AI, whether you are a fan or not, is here to stay and while there is an argument to be made about the risk of mass job loss as a result of automation, there is also an argument to be made about making yourself indispensable, in the face of impending change.
AI and machine learning are continuously evolving and keeping up to date with your abilities in this area will very likely stand to you in the future.
Cybersecurity
Like one or two others on this list, the cybersecurity career route is not new, it simply requires increasing levels of investment, attention and action, as it becomes ever more complex. With this in mind, as we move into the fourth industrial revolution, professionals skilled in emerging cybersecurity threats will likely find their careers are moving at a rapid pace.
It is virtually impossible to imagine a world in which there is no need for cyber experts, therefore upskilling and educating yourself in relation to quantum, potential future technologies, cyber protocols and innovations, will to a certain extent, future-proof your career.
So there you have it, five STEM skills you should upskill in now, to pave the way for your future.
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