University academics have predicted the 100 professions of the future and the skills we could need to take on a job like a cyborg psychologist or smart dust wrangler

You’d have been hard pressed to find the position of mobile app developer or social influencer on a jobs board 15 years ago and with the rate of disruption increasing, it’s hard to predict what the next wave of future professions will be.

This hasn’t stopped academics from trying to predict 100 jobs of the future.

Researchers from Deakin and Griffiths universities, both based in Australia, and car manufacturer Ford consulted 11 experts on the major workplace trends and future skills required to work in their fields.

They included Megan Brownlow, of PwC; Mark Harvey-Sutton, of the National Farmers Federation; David Ramadge, of eBay; and Sally Ann Williams, from Google Australia.

The researchers wrote: “There have been few times in history when the future of work has been less like the past.

“In the past, people were defined by their job title. In the future, they will be defined and redefined by the skills they have and how they go about marketing those skills.

“The jobs of the future look to be much more dynamic, interesting and rewarding.

“And today, for those who engage with this project of lifelong learning, that future is within reach.”

What skills do the professions of the future need?

Many industries are being transformed by technology and automation, making some jobs redundant while simultaneously creating new ones.

The World Economic Forum estimates that up to 65% of children entering primary school today are likely to work in jobs that do not yet exist.

Employees will have to become competent in a new range of skills to be considered for these future roles.

The researchers concluded that the six key skills would be problem-solving, digital, STEM, creativity, interpersonal and entrepreneurial.

It also predicts that freelance and portfolio work will be much more commonplace in the future labour market, as the majority of people will have more than one job.

Profiling eight professions of the future

Ethical hackers

The report predicts that ethical hackers will be employed by large companies and governments to probe systems for weaknesses that could be exploited by cyber-criminals.

It claims the best ethical hackers will have great analytical skills, and enjoy finding and solving problems.

Robot mechanic

The mechanics of the future will be just as likely to be called out to fix a household robot as a car, according to the report.

It claims: “Robot mechanics will maintain robots and autonomous vehicles to keep them running smoothly.

“Their work will include hardware maintenance and fixes, but will also extend to electrical components, firmware and software updates, and patches.”

Smart dust wrangler

The researchers predict that environmental data will be constantly collected by so-called smart dust – microscopic sensors that fly in swarms and send information to the cloud to be analysed.

The prevalence of smart dust will therefore require smart dust wranglers to programme the sensors for the right tasks and conduct data collection.

It suggests the information they gather could be used to monitor the natural environment for toxins and in police surveillance to help locate and track criminals.

Cyborg psychologist

A new area of psychology may also be required to aid the growing number of those who use robotic limbs, synthetic implants or artificial organs.

Cyborg psychologists would also help those suffering with digital addictions and will require high levels of empathy and communication skills.

Drone airspace regulator

As airspace becomes more crowded with drone delivery services, drone regulators will need to manage the area.

The drone airspace regulators will be tasked with creating rules for the sky – similar to the Highway Code that currently governs our roads.

They could restrict the areas drones can fly in, the proximity they can fly to buildings and which services get to travel in priority flying lanes, such as emergency services drones.

Nostalgists

As human life expectancy continues to increase, a new type of counsellor could be needed to help those entering their final stage of life.

Nostalgists would work with the elderly to help recreate experiences they remember from their younger years.

The job will combine design, interpersonal and digital skills, to develop virtual reality experiences to help the elderly and those suffering with dementia return to familiar environments from their past.

De-extinction and conservation geneticist

The researchers predict that ecology restoration and ecosystem preservation will become a priority for governments.

A de-extinction and conservation geneticist will mostly be employed in the agricultural industry, restoring plant life that has gone extinct.

However, the report also suggests a Jurassic Park-style scenario where these future professionals are hired by wealthy people to bring dinosaurs and other extinct animals back to life as pets.

Off-world habitat designer

As humans continue to explore the further reaches of space, off-world habitat designers will be tasked with making new planets inhabitable.

Their jobs will be tied closely to other scientific professionals design and prepare moons and planets for human colonisation.

100 Jobs of the Future list

Technology jobs

Additive manufacturing engineer

Automation anomaly analyst

Biomimicry innovator

Bioprinting engineer

Chief digital augmentation officer

Child assistant bot programmer

Digital implant designer

DigiTech troubleshooter

Energy and data systems installer

Ethical hacker

Gamification designer

Integrated home technology brokers

Machine-learning developer

Mechatronics engineer

New materials engineer

Quantum computer programmer

Robot ethicist

Robot mechanic

Satellite network maintenance engineer

Shadowtech manager

Smart dust wrangler

People jobs

100-year counsellor

Aesthetician

Aged health carer of the future

AI educator

Community support worker

Cross-cultural capability facilitators

Cyborg psychologist

Decision support worker

Digital memorialists and archivists

Displaced persons re-integrator

Drone experience designer

Early childhood teacher

Lifelong education advisor

Local community co-ordinator

Nostalgist

Personal brand manager & content curator

Business and Law jobs

AI intellectual property negotiator

Blockchain talent analyst

Chief ethics officer

Community farm finance broker

Drone airspace regulator

Fusionist

Innovation manager

Personalised marketer

Real-virtual transfer shop manager

Sharing auditors

Trendwatcher

Environmental jobs

Aged persons climate solutions consultant

De-extinction geneticist Digital apiarist

Entomicrobiotech cleaners

Flood control engineer

Integrated ecology restoration worker

Waste reclamation and upcycling specialist

Water management specialist

Weather control engineer

Urban jobs

Automated transit system troubleshooter

Autonomous vehicle profile designer

Biofilm plumber

Biometric security solutions engineer

Human habitat designer

Integrated energy systems strategist

Massive 3D printed building designer

Net positive architect

Regional community growth co-ordinator

Sustainable energy solutions engineer

Agricultural jobs

Agroecological farmer

Bio-jacker

Cricket farmer

Farm safety advisor

Space jobs

Off-world habitat designer

Terraforming microbiologist

Health jobs

Data-based medical diagnostician

Genetics coach

Health shaper

Memory optimiser

Nanomedical engineer

Nutri-gutome consultant

Virtual surgeon

Data jobs

Algorithm interpreter

Behaviour prediction analyst

Data commodities broker

Data farmer

Data privacy strategist

Data storage solutions designer

Data waste recycler

Forensic data analyst

Freelance virtual clutter organiser

Predictive regulation analyst

Experience jobs