As the world continues to adapt to the changes arising from the Covid-19 pandemic, many have questions surrounding what’s to come. Although the last several months have brought increasing unemployment, layoffs and downsizing for many sectors – disruption increases demand for new roles. Here we survey some jobs related to digitization of economic activity. These are fields in which we see demand increasing due to the economic impacts of Covid-19.
Machine learning engineers
Artificial intelligence (AI) and digitization have been driving mechanisms in the creation of new careers for quite some time now. But with the onset of the Covid-19 crisis, companies have been forced to digitally transform and move toward virtual workplaces – which has only increased the demand for machine learning and AI skills. The World Economic Forum reports that AI and related digital technologies are expected to generate a large number of jobs in the years to come – as both “digital” and “human” skills will be critical for the future of organizations around the world.
Digital marketers and UX designers
One thing that Covid-19 has surely accelerated is our time spent online. Which is why the demand for digital marketers and UX designers has spiked. The pandemic, and ensuing lockdown has triggered a rapid increase in mobile data usage – and with that, traffic to popular websites. Over the last several months, social media platforms have reported a significant increase in user activity. With many organizations taking advantage of the opportunity to provide their digital users with meaningful content to increase customer engagement. Companies all over have decided to launch new e-commerce platforms, create or update their company website and even create social media campaigns. And because of this, are in need of both digital marketers – to reach new audiences, and UX designers – to enhance the customer experience.
Cybersecurity experts
More digital platforms mean more users and ultimately more devices. Which also means an increasing number of people and devices online that can be hacked and/or breached. Cybersecurity professionals are needed in every industry to help companies protect their customers and remain compliant with government security regulations. Unfortunately, outdated and legacy software is all around us – and it’s filled with numerous security flaws. The good news is the US Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that Information Security Analyst will see a 26% increase through 2026. This rate of growth is nearly four times faster than the overall average of 7%. The unemployment rate for jobs in cybersecurity has effectively reached zero meaning that almost anyone looking for a job in cybersecurity can get one. While it’s an increasingly difficult and uncertain time for both businesses and individuals, it’s never too soon to plan for a better future.