For the past number of years, underpinned by reports that by 2030, 85% of the most in-demand roles will be in specialties that don’t currently exist, engineering professionals have been looking to future-proof their careers.
Upskilling in AI, robotics, and cybersecurity is now common and while opinions constantly change about which specialties are expected to grow, one thing all predictions hold in common is that AI, machine learning, security, and management will continue to be in high demand.
Looking to the future
Additionally, Cognizant's Future of Work report shows that those with skills in translating machine learning into human practices will remain in high demand as we enter the 2030s.
Elsewhere, the American Society of Mechanical Engineers cites space engineering as an area expected to grow in demand while the Institute for the Future’s Ten Year Forecast places the highest amount of opportunities for engineers among those with strong AI skills.
Similarly, within technology adoption, big data, cloud computing, and AI feature prominently, with more than 75% of companies looking to adopt these technologies in the next five years, thus raising the demand for engineering specialists.
However, The Future of Work Report from the World Economic Forum shows that while the demand for strong engineering and practical skills remains, the demand for soft skills such as communication and teamwork is growing in popularity among hiring managers.
According to the report, analytical thinking and creative thinking remain the most important skills for workers in 2023, with soft skills remaining more important than technical skill-based attributes.
The same report also states that 44% of workers’ skills will be disrupted in the next five years, which means as the demand for tech capabilities continues to grow, so too will the number of engineering professionals with exceptional technical skills.
However, what hasn’t grown at the same rate, is the amount of engineering professionals with management or strict business experience and it’s this gap that is responsible for the growing demand for soft skills.
A total of 53% of employers are worried about the lack of engineering managers – with it becoming increasingly more difficult to manage a team of industry specialists – meaning that those who can straddle both worlds and impress with a strong mix of hard and soft skills are set to remain in high demand as we approach 2030.