As we anticipate that the lockdown will be lifted soon, we are also anxious about the situation that may persist in a post COVID-19 world. The time is all the more difficult for students who had their career plans in place, and were all set to begin their respective journeys at some of the best Universities in India or abroad. The world all of a sudden came to a standstill when the coronavirus pandemic broke out. Students who were graduating from college and planning for higher education or were starting out their careers were affected by this adversity as well. We need to understand that the post COVID-19 world will be a whole new era to say the least. This implies that the career and education trends are bound to change.
The past decade saw an upsurge in unconventional career domains, stereotypes being shattered, and increase in the variety of career choices. Now, we are facing a challenge to survive, the time has come to understand the cluster of ‘Future-proof’ careers. In the last couple of months, unfortunately we got to witness industries being shut, corporations filing for bankruptcy, unemployment on an all-time high, and if we take the word of the Economic Analysts the worst is yet to come. This is the time for students to think in retrospect, and understand the gravity of the situation, vouching for a backup was never as imperative.
The career trends in a post COVID-19 era are bound to change, it would be wise to comprehend the reality and prepare ourselves for the same. To help you understand the kind of career trends to look out for, a list is compiled below:
- Research:
Right from the advent of COVID-19 in China, when the health authorities around the world were contemplating the extent of this virus, research has taken the centre stage. Be it doctors, scientists, pharmacists, analysts, economists, policy professionals, or journalists, each of them along with several other professionals had to rely on research. Considering the scenario, it can be anticipated that the importance of a research based career will see a significant rise in a post COVID-19 world.
- Journalism:
If it weren’t for News Anchors/Reporters, Journalists, Mass Media Professionals, Magazines, Newspapers, can you imagine getting any relevant information at all about the COVID-19 updates from around the world. This is the new dawn of Journalism that we are witnessing at present, these diligent professionals have been at the front line, risking their lives for the news coverage, just to keep us all informed. The career opportunities in this domain are expected to rise, as some of the major Broadcasting and Media Houses, are already hiring professionals globally in order to expand their virtual reach.
- Digital Payment:
As we all continue to stay at home through the lockdown, we still need to pay for the necessities, such as groceries, food, electricity, etc., the last couple of months have witnessed a significant increase in Digital Payments. People are more careful and exchanging currency for a transaction does not comply with the norms of social distancing. The Government as well is encouraging people to use digital methods of payment, and is also supporting the retailers to transition to digital payment mechanisms. Thus, employment opportunities will see a significant increase in the mobile payment technology domain.
- Cloud Computing:
Who would have imagined that Cloud Computing will be the foundation for each and every corporation in the future? I am certain Satya Nadella would be proud today.
As cloud computing is affordable and convenient a post COVID-19-era can witness a considerable growth when it comes to scaling a business. Working from home has been successful only because of successful cloud computing technology. With organisations like Google and Microsoft working religiously to further improvise their respective Cloud Computing Network, it can be ascertained that cloud will move beyond the foundational infrastructure and also cover other areas of the organizations like operations, marketing and sales.
- Content Creation:
From Marketing to Movies, content is what has prevailed even during these times of uncertainty. With several businesses surviving because of posting relevant content on social media and other platforms, to production houses, releasing their movies on streaming platforms, we can safely assume that the industry will welcome creative and diligent minds in the future. The most intriguing aspect is the diverse nature of content creation. You can start your blog tomorrow if you have the right ideation and agenda, and a touch of creative aspect, as all of us have transitioned to a virtual network, the chances of your blog or work gaining the due appreciation is highly likely. A creative mind can never be at rest, and it certainly can never be contained!
- Healthcare:
Doctors, Nurses, Pharmacists, Pharmacologists, and other related professions in the Medicine field will thrive. Not only have they been working day in day out, to help the affected patients, but also a number of them have sacrificed their lives to serve the community.
Allied medicine, and associated industries that manufacture medical equipment, and machinery will see a progressive growth as well. A huge influx of capital is expected to be invested on a global level, for the advancement in Medicine. Careers like Immunology, Virology, and Genomics, will see a positive growth as well.
- Education Technology:
The schools and Universities around the world closed their gates for students in consideration of the COVID-19 pandemic. But the show must go on, a student’s education should never be compromised, a belief shared by each and every Educator in the world. Online platforms and virtual classrooms, have never been so relevant.
The Universities and schools around the globe have comfortably adapted to the new normal. With Platforms like Coursera, edX, class Central and many others providing online courses for credits to University students has been really convenient, and viable. Similarly, schools have been using Zoom, google Meet and other platforms to conduct the regular classes with students. It would be right to acknowledge that the educational institutions have come of age, and traditional teaching standards will become a thing of the past. This transition is pervasive and will be observed right from pre-school to Universities. Teachers, administrators, and other education providers, will lead this wave of change in a post COVID-19 world.
There are several other careers that will observe a positive trend in a post COVID-19 era such as: Automation, Insurance, Cyber security, Robotics, and certain industries will scale further such as E-Commerce. These are some of the careers that will attract talent and witness significant hiring, amid and after the pandemic has subsided.
Tags: Automation, COVID-19 era, Cyber security, E-Commerce, Insurance, Robotics