What’s next? Experts can identify numerous future jobs and occupations. More employment possibilities still are what ifs?
Here are two industries expected to bring new jobs, according to Patty Silverstein, president and chief economist, with Development Research Partners, Littleton:
• *Renewable energy* – Positions for all skill levels, from researcher to high-tech manufacturing worker, have a foundation in math and science education.
• *Technology* – Powering new products and services in medicine, communications, agriculture, aerospace, energy, sciences, transportation and other sectors, employment growth is guaranteed.
“We can’t even imagine the next new technology wave. But, it’s out there,” Silverstein said.
Here are additional predictions for careers, industries and directions in our new knowledge-based economy:
• *Graduate to trendy fields* – *Design a game* for iPhone or other mobile tools. That’s job No. 1 on a list of 10 hot careers for college graduates from CBS Moneywatch.com.
The other nine are: *Web feature writing, geriatric health care, occupational health and safety (emergency preparedness experts), specialized Spanish/English translators in law, business and medicine, data mining (sifting for usable information), business “sustainability” specialists, mobile media graphic designers, and oncology clinical trial designers and managers.*
*Teach, heal, audit, plan an event*
• *Science, science, science* – Head for health care, education and technology for future employment, also according to CBS Moneywatch.com forecasters.
There are about 4,500 openings for *nurse practitioners* to stand in for physicians and write prescriptions. Nationwide, schools need math, science and special education teachers among 200,000 teaching openings expected annually for the next 10 years. These are occupations that engineers, chemists, scientists and physicians can move into.
Among other upcoming in-demand employees are *search engine optimization strategists*. They will generate e-commerce using search engines, Web pages and online strategies. *Commissioning agents* are engineers needed to transform old buildings and systems to energy-saving green. The U.S. has about 4,000 job openings now for these specialists
Money is the focus for *financial restructuring specialists* needed to help firms avoid or rise from bankruptcy. They have auditing and banking expertise, and modeling and financial statement know-how. Lawyers, bankers and accountants are good candidates.
• *Emerging jobs in publishing* – Businesses will need an *audience recruitment director.* This is a media rainmaker who identifies multimedia revenue, business, services and customers, according to Folio Magazine.
There also are jobs for *directors of international conferences.* They know languages, protocol and can produce events around the globe. *Web site producer and Web product director* will create and edit online content, as well as build article, video, audio, slide shows and more for use online.
Add a *director of technology innovation* to develop and use existing IT systems to improve and simplify business technology. Another person keeping burgeoning content and advertising organized is a *data quality expert* who maps content that is reused in multiple markets.
*I got my job on LinkedIn*
• *Did I really say that?* – *Increasingly, employers and job-hunters will use social networking sites and online search engines.* Recruiters will use them to research potential hires by visiting their Facebook, LinkedIn, MySpace and Twitter sites. Job-hunters will use them to make profitable contacts. These sites rank second behind networking in effectiveness in a job search, according to Challenger, Gray & Christmas Inc.
• *Mom is my landlord* – *More unemployed college graduates are moving in with their parents.* Only 20 percent of 2009 college graduates who applied for a job actually have one. It will take time for this year’s approximately 2.3 million graduates to fill jobs now held by more experienced workers – their parents? – who can’t afford to retire.
• *Wear pajamas to work* – Some trends are being initiated by employers. These include *increased flex hours,* offered by an estimated 48 percent of employers in May, up from 26 percent last year. More businesses also are *letting employees work from home,* with 35 percent authorizing that in 2009, 18 percent in 2008, according to Denver Business Journal.
• *10 hours is the new 8 hours* – *Managers and executives will work more hours.* NFI Research reports that 77 percent of executives and managers work 41 to 60 hours a week; 20 percent said they work 11 hours or more daily. The data also are from DBJ.
• *33.2 hours is the new 40 hours* – *Watch for an increase in the number of part-time workers and a decrease in the length of the average workweek* for hourly staffers. Full-time hourly workers average 33.2 hours a week, according to CBS Moneywatch.com.
_Linda Gaber is Design Department copywriter and coordinator of JobsWeekly with the Denver Newspaper Agency._