Unemployment rates, inflation, geographic changes… The World Economic Forum in Davos (WEF) analyzes all macroeconomic data around the world as well as the responses to a large survey of more than 1,000 companies to find out their recruitment needs. The “Future of Jobs 2025” report analyzes how organizations predict the evolution of the global job market over the next five years, until 2030.
Five very important trends impacting the world labor market in 2025 stand out, according to my report: technological changes (artificial intelligence and robotization, rise of digital technology), ecological transition (energy, environmental issues), geoeconomic fragmentation (election of Donald Trump, armed conflicts and the rise of protectionism), economic uncertainty (inflation and decline in purchasing power) and demographic changes (decline in birth rates and increase in life expectancy) .
Here’s how employers are predicting the growth and decline of their occupations in response to these macrotrends.
Top 10 professions that risk disappearing by 2030
On the other hand, here is the list of professions which will most tend to disappear. Companies responding to the survey expect occupations declining within 5 years to include administrative roles, such as cashiers and ticket agents, administrative assistants and executive secretaries, workers in the the printing press, but also accountants who could partly be replaced by AI.
- Postal workers
- Bank tellers
- Data entry operators
- Cashiers and ticket agents
- Administrative assistants and executive secretaries
- Printers and printing workers
- Accountants
- Inventory manager
- Reception staff and transport controllers
- VRP (Independent sellers)
These professions could therefore be less and less in demand by companies because they are partly replaced by AI, or by digital technology in the case of printing or sales reps. Throughout the world, more and more people will have access to the Internet but also to artificial intelligence. Aging and shrinking working-age populations, as well as slower economic growth, are also contributing to the decline of administrative roles.
There will therefore be inevitable job losses. The report ultimately studies the balance between job losses and gains, and predicts that it should remain positive. The WEF expects the creation of 170 million jobs and the loss of 92 million, or a growth of 78 million jobs by 2030.
-Top 10 professions that will be the most sought after by 2030
At the top of the list of popular professions within 5 years are professions such as “Big Data Engineer” to talk about all sorts of figures and statistics, “fintech engineers” to intervene in the field of finance, banking and insurance, “specialists in artificial intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning”, as well as the classic “software and application developers” who have already been in high demand for more than ten years.
- Big Data Engineer
- Fintech engineer
- Specialists in AI and Machine Learning
- Software, site and application developers
- Cybersecurity Experts
- Computer systems engineer
- Electric and autonomous vehicle specialists
- UI and UX Designers
- Light truck drivers or delivery people
- Internet of Things (IoT) specialists
This list reflects the occupations with the greatest increase in job openings (as a % increase in demand). In absolute number of workers concerned, farmers and agricultural professions come first, followed by drivers/delivery people and application developers.
The increasing digitalization of our lives and businesses is largely reflected in this top 10 professions, as well as the need for security with the rise of geopolitical risks and the electric transition of mobility.
The WEF study finally analyzes the skills and qualities that will be most important for recruiters in 2030. Artificial intelligence (AI) and “big data”, networks and cybersecurity, technological skills, creativity, as well as Resilience, flexibility and agility are the greatest qualities that emerge from the study.
