Looking to the future and wondering where the hot jobs will be? Well, the industries of tomorrow are already booming today. The following fields are shaping our world in exciting ways and require new talents. Will one of these be the field for you?

1) Artificial Intelligence

The introduction of ChatGPT to the mainstream shows just how rapidly AI is shaping the future of humanity, and poised to transform and boost performance across functions and industries.

Ranging from self-driving cars and intelligent home assistants to advanced medical diagnostics, AI has seemingly endless applications. Today, tech giants like Google, Amazon, Microsoft, and Facebook are all making massive investments in AI, as are companies in healthcare, transportation, and many more. As AI gets more pervasive, those who have the requisite skills will find that they are transferable across industries—globally!

Here are some facts that point to the possibilities for career growth in this field:

• 21% of CEOs and senior executives who participated in ‘The 2023 Gartner CEO and Senior Business Executive Survey believed that AI will significantly impact their industry over the next three years[i]
• According to Chinese recruitment company, Liepin, the demand for AI talent in China is threefold more, than five years ago. Additionally, the AI sector offered Chinese graduates the highest salary in 2023[ii]

In Singapore, AI skills could soon become a “must”, rather than a “good-to-have”, in order to remain competitive; LinkedIn’s Future of Work Report shares that, as of June 2023, Singaporeans have added AI skills to their LinkedIn profiles 20 times more than they did in January 2016[iii].

One of the most direct ways to build a steady foundation in A is to take up a relevant degree in the discipline. Such degrees cover the core theories, algorithms, and techniques that form the basis for advanced AI applications.

Thankfully, there is a growing amount of AI degrees in Singapore!

2) Cybersecurity

The talent shortage and gap in this field is very real and anticipated; the ISC2’s 2023 Cybersecurity Workforce Study has found that the “demand for skills far exceeds the supply of available workers”[iv], despite the global cybersecurity workforce growing to an all-time high.

So long as there are computers and networks—and ever-growing technological advances happening at break neck speed—the need for cybersecurity expertise will remain.

A cybersecurity professional’s daily duties may include but not be limited to:

• Monitoring networks for threats
• Installing firewalls and data encryption programmes
• Conducting risk assessments
• Developing best practices
• Simulating cyber-attacks to identify vulnerabilities

The Asia Pacific region currently sees a shortfall of nearly 2.7 million cybersecurity professionals, with cloud computing security, risk assessment, analysis and management, security analysis, and security engineering being high-demand skills[v]. With the many branches of cybersecurity, ranging from ethical hacking to cryptography, there will surely be a field that you will find rewarding!

3) Health and Wellness

Many countries are facing a rapidly ageing population, and Singapore is no exception. With one in four citizens turning 65 by 2030[vi], there has been an increased focus nationwide on good health and well-being.

Coupled with expanding healthcare infrastructure and developing technologies, the demand for qualified healthcare professionals has risen. Nurses and radiographers are just two examples of healthcare roles seeing high demand[vii]. Singapore’s inaugural Shortage Occupation List (for Employment Pass candidates) reveals that Clinical Psychologists are also in high demand[viii].

For those interested in becoming one, you can consider starting with a bachelor’s degree in psychology and building your way up to a master’s in clinical psychology.

Well, what else?

A growing consciousness about health management may see a need for more professionals trained in nutrition. These newly-trained nutritionists may find themselves working in the thriving food manufacturing industry or niche areas such as children’s or sports nutrition!

To become a nutritionist, you’ll need at least a bachelor’s degree in nutrition, food science, or a related field. Coursework will cover topics like biology, chemistry, biochemistry, and public health. Many nutritionists also choose to become certified by the Singapore Nutritionists’ Association to demonstrate their knowledge and skills.

Has any of these fields sparked your curiosity?

If your answer is a resounding “yes”, we’re happy to share that you can explore undergraduate-level degrees for these fields locally.

MDIS, for example, offers degrees in nutrition, AI, psychology and cybersecurity, with full-time and part-time options available. Admissions are open at various times of the year, so do keep an eye on MDIS’ website and their degree catalogue for more information.

We hope that we’ve introduced you to a promising field that is actively shaping our future — and hopefully, your career too.  We wish you the very best in your choice of career!

[i] https://www.gartner.com/en/newsroom/press-releases/2023-05-17-gartner-survey-finds-ceos-cite-ai-as-the-top-disruptive-technology-impacting-industries
[ii] https://www.scmp.com/tech/policy/article/3217759/china-struggles-quench-its-thirst-ai-talent-amid-chatgpt-frenzy-nation-lags-us-top-brains
[iii] https://economicgraph.linkedin.com/research/future-of-work-report-ai
[iv] https://www.isc2.org/Insights/2023/11/ISC2-Cybersecurity-Workforce-Study-Looking-Deeper-into-the-Workforce-Gap
[v] https://www.isc2.org/research
[vi] https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/singapores-population-ageing-rapidly-184-of-citizens-are-65-years-and-older
[vii] https://www.channelnewsasia.com/singapore/allied-health-professionals-healthcare-nurses-hospitals-shortage-radiographers-pharmacists-3861226
[viii] https://www.mom.gov.sg/passes-and-permits/employment-pass/eligibility/compass-c5-skills-bonus-shortage-occupation-list-sol