| As another year of rapid change passes and the | | | | mangers. Also, parallel programming is a relatively new |
| shadow of recession lifts slowly, a slew of new | | | | career, likely to become popular in the years to |
| careers are waiting to be explored in the new | | | | come. |
| decade. How is it going to unfold for your children | | | | 6. Green Jobs: |
| who will stand at important crossroads in 2020? | | | | The pressure of demand on depleting resources is |
| What kind of career options will they have? As we | | | | only likely to increase manifold in the future. In such a |
| grow into an information-driven society and | | | | scenario, we will need people who can come to our |
| technology advances, Generation 2020 will find itself | | | | rescue; people who specialise in 'resource recycling' |
| caught in a brain race. The youth of the future are | | | | and 'intelligent infrastructure'. So when your children |
| likely to consider becoming space architects or | | | | grow up, you may see them working on jobs |
| genetic counsellors, careers that we can only dream | | | | involving renewable energy, biogas, solar and wind |
| of at this point in time. | | | | power systems, environmental products and services |
| Lets take a look at some careers of the future. | | | | and so on. Other areas include research and |
| 1. Healthcare: | | | | development, manufacturing, consulting, energy |
| Healthcare involves the diagnoses, treatment and | | | | generation, energy efficient buildings and construction |
| care of people, whether newly born, terminally ill or | | | | and project design and implementation. Sustainable |
| the elderly. The scope of this field has remarkably | | | | environment-related fields are expected to lure |
| evolved over the last few years due to increasing | | | | future job seekers in huge proportions, akin to what |
| investments, growing hospital chains, changing | | | | IT did a decade ago. |
| lifestyles and longer life spans. Apart from the | | | | 7. Biotechnology Jobs: |
| traditional areas of medical practice (physicians, | | | | Another sector likely to see high growth is |
| dentists, ophthalmologists, cardiologists etc.), careers | | | | biotechnology, which will also create several jobs in |
| such as hospital administrators, health technologists | | | | the fields of manufacturing, sales, research, |
| and technicians and medical research will see a surge | | | | development and so on. Careers options in this area |
| in the long term. Nursing as a profession, will also | | | | include drug discovery, cell therapy and tissue |
| evolve owing especially to rising numbers of the aged | | | | engineering, bio-informatics, clinical research, intellectual |
| population striving for a better life. The latest | | | | property, bio-analytical chemistry, plant engineering |
| additions to the series of upcoming careers in this | | | | etc. |
| field are those in brain analysis and genetic counselling. | | | | 8. Agriculture and other Agriculture-based careers: |
| 2. Wealth-care: | | | | Despite making progress in several sectors, |
| Though the finance sector was badly hit by the | | | | agriculture continues to be an important source of |
| recession, the clouds have slowly begun to shift and | | | | income in India. The advent of agricultural technology |
| make way for new vistas. Individual earnings are on | | | | is expected to foster growth in agriculture and other |
| the rise and so is their willingness to take risks with | | | | agriculture-based sectors. There is and will continue to |
| their money. That being the case, there is a need for | | | | be ample scope for making successful careers in |
| professionals who understand, explain, save and | | | | flower farming, spices processing, pharmaceutics, |
| multiply their money for them. This opens up doors | | | | dairy, fruit and vegetable, meat and fish and other |
| to careers in financial/investment advisory, risk | | | | food processing sectors. Also, several job seekers |
| management, wealth management, and corporate | | | | are expected to opt for the relatively less explored |
| finance. | | | | organic food and beverages industry. |
| 3. Engineering | | | | 9. Nanotechnology |
| With boundless innovation in technology, careers | | | | Nanotechnology is fast becoming popular and offers |
| unheard of until now are being touted as options for | | | | plenty of career options in fields as varied as |
| the new generation. Move over computers and | | | | medicine, engineering, cosmetics, computer hardware |
| telecommunication engineers, your children will | | | | and software, robotics, defence, research and |
| specialise in fields such as robotics, teleportation, | | | | development and so on. |
| simulation and space tourism. | | | | 10. Other Opportunities:a) Experimental Petrologist: |
| 4. Education: | | | | These are people who study the evolution and |
| Education is another field where investments are | | | | formation of rocks on other planets.b) Realizer: A |
| pouring in. Also, it is gradually taking a global as well as | | | | realizer creates real versions of virtual objects.c) |
| commercial avatar. As more foreign universities | | | | Weather Modification Police: These people supervise |
| collaborate with Indian educational institutes and | | | | over those who produce iodine induced rainfall from |
| organisations, the latter have begun to move | | | | passing clouds. They are responsible for controlling |
| towards organised recruitment processes. Apart from | | | | the iodine quantities used for weather modification.d) |
| the traditional positions such as chancellors and | | | | Unplugging: This is a mental health professional |
| vice-chancellors, positions such as CEO and COO are | | | | responsible to help wean people from excess |
| also making way into the system. | | | | technology dependence. |
| As teaching methods continue to reform, the 'e' | | | | These are the promises that the future holds for |
| word has already made its way into teaching | | | | children of today. It seems like a difficult path to |
| methods. Thus educational content developers will | | | | tread, but then it always is and cannot be any |
| gain increasing importance in the years to come. | | | | different. One thing is for sure though, given the |
| 5. IT: | | | | immense scope for exploring a wide array of career |
| An intelligent network has become a necessity for | | | | choices, providing your child the space for self |
| any setup. Therefore web and system analysts, | | | | exploration is imperative. |
| designers and developers will continue to remain in | | | | Also the future of your child, education and success |
| demand and will be required to undertake increasingly | | | | depends on how well you plan today. |
| complex profiles. So will software designers and | | | | Be prepared and everything will fall into place. |
| developers, web consultants and information | | | | |