Technology
WEF identifies Big Data Specialists, FinTech Engineers, AI and Machine Learning Specialists, and Software and Applications Developers among the fastest-growing roles in percentage terms through 2030.
Career paths
Where can your career go next?
The job market is changing for many reasons: technology, demographics, energy investment, globalization, regulation and changing consumer needs. Explore careers through those larger forces — not just through the question of whether AI will replace them.
Start here
Don't search for an "AI-proof" career.
No serious labor-market research can guarantee that a specific occupation will remain unchanged. The International Labour Organization's latest occupational analysis shows why: exposure varies substantially between tasks inside the same occupation.
Its 2025 global index estimates that one in four workers is in an occupation with some GenAI exposure, while emphasizing that most jobs are more likely to be transformed than completely eliminated.
So instead of asking "Which job can never be automated?", ask:
"Which career fits my skills, has real demand, and gives me room to keep adapting?"
Explore career groups
The future of work is bigger than the technology sector.
Different sectors are being reshaped by different forces. Use these groups as starting points for researching a possible transition.
Technology & digital work
Software, data, cybersecurity, IT infrastructure, product development and technical operations continue to evolve as digital systems become embedded across industries.
Software developersData specialistsCybersecurityIT infrastructureProduct rolesTechnical operations
Explore careers →Healthcare & care
Healthcare combines demographic demand with work that often requires physical presence, professional judgment, trust and direct interaction with people.
NursingAllied healthHealthcare managementMedical technologyMental health servicesElder care
Explore careers →Skilled trades & infrastructure
Construction, maintenance, electrical systems, industrial equipment and infrastructure require practical expertise in physical environments.
ElectriciansHVACConstructionIndustrial maintenanceWeldingEquipment technicians
Explore careers →Energy & environment
The energy transition is creating demand across renewable generation, electrical infrastructure, environmental engineering and related technical work.
Renewable energyEnvironmental engineeringEnergy systemsGrid infrastructureSustainabilityEnergy technicians
Explore careers →Security & resilience
Organizations increasingly need people who can protect systems, infrastructure, information and operations from physical and digital risks.
CybersecurityInformation securityRisk managementEmergency managementPhysical securityCompliance
Explore careers →Business & professional services
Companies still need people who can understand customers, make decisions, manage operations, negotiate, coordinate teams and solve complex business problems.
ManagementConsultingSalesOperationsProject managementBusiness analysis
Explore careers →Education & human development
Teaching, training, coaching and other development-oriented work remain important as organizations and societies adapt to changing technologies and skills.
TeachersCorporate trainingInstructional designCareer servicesCoachingEducation management
Explore careers →Logistics & physical operations
Supply chains, transportation, warehousing and physical operations are changing through automation while continuing to require people who manage real-world systems.
Supply chainLogisticsFleet operationsWarehouse operationsProcurementTransportation
Explore careers →Creative & communication work
AI is changing how creative work is produced, but organizations still need people who understand audiences, brands, narratives, design and communication.
DesignBrand strategyContent strategyCommunicationsMediaCreative direction
Explore careers →2030 signals
Where employers expect demand to move
The World Economic Forum's 2025 employer survey provides one useful forward-looking signal. It should be read as an employer outlook rather than a guarantee of future hiring.
Security
Security Management Specialists and Information Security Analysts also appear among the faster-growing roles in the WEF employer outlook.
Energy transition
Renewable Energy Engineers, Environmental Engineers, and Autonomous and Electric Vehicle Specialists appear among the fastest-growing roles identified by employers.
Care work
Demographic change is expected to increase demand for healthcare and care-related occupations, making this an important part of the longer-term labor-market picture.
Construction
Construction-related roles are also among occupations expected to see substantial growth in absolute terms in the WEF outlook.
Career transitions
You don't always need to start over.
A transition can sometimes be an adjacent move: taking the knowledge you've already built and applying it to a different responsibility, industry or environment.
Starting point
Administrative work
Possible adjacent directions
OperationsProject coordinationCustomer operationsProcurement
Build on organizational knowledge while moving away from highly repetitive administrative tasks.
Starting point
Software development
Possible adjacent directions
Product engineeringSecurityTechnical product managementSystems architecture
Move toward broader system ownership, product decisions, reliability, security or domain expertise.
Starting point
Marketing
Possible adjacent directions
GrowthMarketing analyticsProduct marketingCustomer strategy
Combine communication skills with customer understanding, measurement and commercial decision-making.
Starting point
Finance & accounting
Possible adjacent directions
Financial analysisRiskFP&ABusiness operations
Move from routine processing toward interpretation, planning, risk and decision support.
Starting point
Customer support
Possible adjacent directions
Customer successImplementationAccount managementOperations
Use customer knowledge and communication skills in roles involving deeper relationships and problem solving.
Starting point
Technical professional
Possible adjacent directions
Technical salesSolutions engineeringProductConsulting
Combine technical knowledge with customer-facing, commercial or strategic responsibilities.
These are examples of possible transition directions, not predictions that every person can make the move or that every destination occupation will grow.
A changing hiring market
Your career history may matter more than your job title.
The OECD's 2026 research on skills-first labor markets describes a shift toward recognizing specific skills rather than relying exclusively on traditional credentials.
That matters for career transitions. Instead of thinking only in terms of:
"I am an accountant."
Think in terms of the capabilities behind the title:
Financial analysis
Risk assessment
Regulatory knowledge
Stakeholder communication
Data interpretation
Process improvement
Those capabilities can potentially connect to several occupations rather than one fixed job title.
Choosing a direction
Five questions before you commit to a new career.
Start with what you already know
Your existing industry knowledge, professional experience and network can reduce the distance to a new role.
Move toward demand
Look for occupations where employer demand, demographic change, infrastructure investment or technological change is creating work.
Check the task mix
A job title alone tells you little about technological exposure. Examine what people actually do during the workday.
Measure the transition cost
Consider training time, certification, tuition, income during the transition, geography and the experience employers require.
Test before committing
Talk to practitioners, build a small project, take contract work, shadow the profession or otherwise gather evidence before making a large investment.
What workers are asking
Career anxiety is often about the transition, not the job title.
Recent career discussions repeatedly ask similar questions: how to move without discarding years of experience, how to find realistic entry points, and whether a new field will still make sense several years from now.
One recent discussion from a worker considering a career change specifically described the problem as finding a path with realistic entry-level opportunities and skills that complement rather than compete directly with AI.
Community conversations are presented as lived experience and questions. They are not used here as statistical evidence or labor-market forecasts.
“What career can I move into without throwing away 10 years of experience?”
“Is it better to switch industries or become better at using new technology?”
“What careers still have realistic entry-level opportunities?”
“How can someone change careers without taking on years of expensive education?”
“What should an older worker do when their industry is changing?”
“Should I choose a trade, healthcare, technology or something completely different?”
“How do I know whether a career transition is actually worth the risk?”
Read the evidence carefully
Exposure is not the same thing as job loss.
This distinction will be central to the way we publish on layoffs.online. The ILO specifically warns that AI exposure indicators should not be interpreted by themselves as forecasts of employment losses.
The ILO's 2026 review of empirical evidence also finds that productivity gains from GenAI are real but uneven, while large-scale displacement remains limited in the evidence reviewed so far. The more immediate questions include how work is reorganized, who captures productivity gains, how opportunities change for younger workers and how job quality evolves.
Read the ILO empirical evidence review ↗Continue exploring
From career research to your next move.
FAQ
Career paths FAQ
What careers are expected to grow in the future?+
Current employer research points to growth across several areas rather than one single sector. Examples include technology and data roles, cybersecurity, renewable energy and environmental roles, healthcare and care work, construction and other occupations shaped by demographic, technological and economic changes.
What career is safest from AI?+
There is no reliable way to guarantee that a career is AI-proof. The ILO's research emphasizes that exposure is measured at the task level and that most occupations contain a mixture of tasks with different levels of potential exposure.
Should I change careers because AI is changing my job?+
Not necessarily. First examine which tasks are changing, how your employer or industry is responding, and whether you can move toward higher-value responsibilities. A career transition makes more sense when the structure of your occupation is changing in a way that conflicts with your goals or opportunities.
Can I change careers without getting another degree?+
Sometimes. Some occupations require formal degrees, licenses or certifications, while others place more emphasis on demonstrated skills and experience. Skills-first hiring is receiving increasing attention in labor-market research and policy.
Should I move into technology because AI is growing?+
Technology is one area with strong projected growth, but it is not the only option. Healthcare, energy, security, construction, logistics, professional services and other sectors also have important growth drivers.
How do I choose a new career after a layoff?+
Start by mapping your transferable skills, financial constraints and industry knowledge. Then compare several occupations based on demand, training requirements, location, compensation, task structure and your own interests.
Are skilled trades a good career transition?+
Skilled trades can be a meaningful transition for some people because many roles involve physical environments, installation, maintenance, troubleshooting and on-site work. The economics and training requirements vary substantially by trade and location.
What should I consider before changing careers?+
Consider demand, entry requirements, training time, cost, expected earnings, geography, working conditions, career progression and how technology may change the occupation. Speak with people already working in the field before making a major commitment.
Your next career does not have to start from zero.
Start with the experience you already have. Understand where demand is moving, identify transferable skills, and test your next direction before making a major commitment.