W3: The Future of Work - Jobs of 2050

"POV: Its 2050 and you're job hunting " - What's in store for work all around the globe?

Once upon a time and maybe even now, people might think that we've got a long way to go before the year 2050. However it's not too far; as of 2024, about 26 more years to go! And in that timeframe, many things can change, especially in terms of technology and society. From the year 2000 to the present day, we can already see many changes that have proved this point: self-checkout kiosks rendering cashiers almost useless, the rise of AI helpers and many more. So how would the future of work look like in the next 26 years?

AI and robotic specialists

In the field of information technology and computers, there are many options as the need for artificial intelligence and robots grow. People who specialize in these fields to help create, design and maintain such creations are becoming more and more sought after. This would call for AI and robotic specialists of a higher level and skill than now. The need for more creations and programs to help make daily tasks easier will definitely increase as time goes on. The skills needed for this job would be studies and knowledge in both robotics and artificial intelligence, programming, problem solving and ability to master many computer languages. 

Vertical farming specialists

A mix of both technology and agriculture already exists, known as vertical farming and it will definitely continue to become more advanced which will encourage new roles for urban farmers to specialize and manage these areas in the future. There can also be those who can help to regulate the systems and make sure that everything is working smoothly and to help take care of any mishaps that could occur. The skillset needed for this job role will likely be agricultural knowledge, hydroponics expertise, data analysis and problem solving. 

Space tour guide

Space tourism might also be closer to us than we realize and perhaps in 2050, it will become an option to stay or visit outer space more regularly. And if there's tourism, there'll be a need for tour guides. It might not sound like the most important job, but it's certainly one of the future. Space tour guides would have to be knowledgeable on space and astronomy, customer service, multilingual proficiency and flexibility to adapt to any challenges that may suddenly occur.

Influence on daily life and economy

These jobs will definitely influence our daily life and economy in many different ways. It will impact the economy in a more positive way as there'll be a lot more efficiency and the market for many products and services will get widened for more opportunities. In our daily life, we'll depend more on technology and the people who can specialize in such jobs. In some sense it's a lot more productive and efficient but it also replaces people who have dedicated their education, time, money and effort for the specific job. Maybe not all jobs will get replaced, and there is still hope for some, but maybe there will also be a rise of new job opportunities that weren't available before.

We can only try to be optimistic and adapt to the inevitable societal changes and technological advancements, and hope that the future still has a place for us and our work to be significant enough to stay. 26 years is not far away, but it's also a long way ahead for growth and adaptation, and we'll never know what even happens in the next year most of the time. So all we can do for now is make educated guesses, wait and adapt with the changes that will occur ahead.

References used:

1. Park W. (2023, 12 January) How far can vertical farming go? BBC. https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20230106-what-if-all-our-food-was-grown-in-indoor-vertical-farms

2. Free-Work. (2017, 18 July) The role of an Artificial Intelligence Specialist. https://www.free-work.com/en-gb/tech-it/blog/it-skills/the-role-of-an-artificial-intelligence-specialist?welcome_tj=1