‘Increased geopolitical fragmentation’ will see a rise in ‘security management specialist’ jobs, according to a ‘Future of Jobs’ report by the World Economic Forum.
The WEF released the report ahead of its annual meeting of the rich and powerful in Davos, Switzerland.
The report does see a net growth of 7pc of total employment, or 78 million jobs, in the next five years – a total due to the creation of 170 million jobs, equivalent to 14pc of today’s total employment, partly offset by the displacement of 92 million of current jobs. Among the notable losers in job terms are loss adjusters and investigators, whose work will be done by machines and algorithms. The WEF also regards security guards as losing in terms of number of jobs still around by 2030; but not so heavily as cleaners and caretakers. Overall, as the report puts it: “The interplay between humans, machines and algorithms is redefining job roles across industries.” While the report sees ‘a continuing decrease in the rate of skills obsolescence’, it also sees skills gaps; and hence the need for reskilling, and upskilling.
Tech effect
Tech such as robotics and artificial intelligence are expected to have a divergent effect on jobs, according to the report, ‘driving both the fastest-growing and fastest-declining roles, and fuelling demand for technology-related skills, including AI and big data, networks and cybersecurity and technological literacy, which are anticipated to be the top three fastest growing skills’.
Demographic shifts
The report points to two demographic shifts that ‘are increasingly seen to be transforming global economies and labour markets’: an aging and declining working age population, while workers are having to work into old age. As for geopolitics, businesses may look to ‘re-shore’, ‘nearshore’, or ‘friendshore’ their operations; that is, bring work back to home countries or places easily traded with, rather than outsource to unstable or hostile countries.
Skills
The report adds: “These trends are driving demand for security related job roles and increasing demand for network and cybersecurity skills. They are also increasing demand for other human-centred skills such as resilience, flexibility and agility skills, and leadership and social influence.” Talking of skills, the report talks of ‘skill instability’; on average, workers can expect that two-fifths (39 per cent) of their existing skill sets will be transformed or become outdated over the 2025 to 2030 period. The report stresses creative thinking, resilience, flexibility and agility, curiosity and lifelong learning as required skills for jobs; while manual skills such as dexterity, endurance and precision won’t be as called for. Sensory-processing abilities; reading, writing and mathematics; dependability and attention to detail; quality control; and global citizenship are describe as among the most stable skills. To sum up, then; security (above all in the cyber domain) will remain a job for humans, because of what the report terms ‘the increasing complexity of decision-making and the need for critical problem solving in a data-driven world’.
The report addresses countries; for the UK, it says that a majority, 56 per cent of employers expect ‘geoeconomic fragmentation to impact their business strategy, compared to 34 per cent globally. As a result of these perceived trends, respondents expect rising demand for skills such as technological literacy, AI, big data and resilience, flexibility and agility. Key job roles anticipated to see significant growth by 2030 include Big Data Specialists, FinTech Engineers, and AI and Machine Learning Specialists.’
For the full, 290-page report, visit https://www.weforum.org/publications/the-future-of-jobs-report-2025/.
What they say
Till Leopold, Head of Work, Wages and Job Creation at the World Economic Forum, said: “Trends such as generative AI and rapid technological shifts are upending industries and labour markets, creating both unprecedented opportunities and profound risks. The time is now for businesses and governments to work together, invest in skills and build an equitable and resilient global workforce.”
