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What Jobs Will Decline In the Next Decade?
It’s no secret that some jobs out there won’t stand the test of time. The Bureau of Labor Statistics has a full rundown of which jobs are disappearing the fastest, with a few usual suspects ranking near the top: Manufacturers, telephone operators, and so on.
And while those in tech fields might feel safer in their future job prospects than, say, a locomotive firer, tech jobs certainly aren’t immune from this decline. In some cases, they may be the first to go.
Declining Tech Jobs
Yes, the ongoing pressures of AI and automation mean that even skilled tech labor is at risk. BLS’ above data calls out several roles, in particular, most notably those who work in data entry and word processing fields.
But as a recruitment agency, we’ve noticed this decline appearing in far broader tech categories—often in fields that you might not expect. For example, network infrastructure specialists used to be essential, but thanks to the modernization of network security protocols, security systems, and ongoing monitoring, these folks just aren’t needed as often.
This also applies to systems engineers, administrators, and programmers. These sound like future-proofed roles, but with the growth of DevOps engineers (who have skillsets that eclipse numerous other roles) and outsourcing, these jobs are becoming more competitive than ever before. This isn’t to say that they’re not needed—only that they’re in decline, and opportunities will be harder and harder to find.
In fact, the Financial Times details that even those who have in-demand roles (such as data analysts or machine learning specialists) spend a lot of time looking for new opportunities. The talent is there—but when these employees’ expectations don’t match reality, retention suffers. As such, many of the data analysis roles we take for granted go unfilled, and companies compensate by changing their workflows to accommodate the talent they do have.
In other words, the tech landscape is changing fast—and few roles are immune from these advancements.
Fighting the Tech Decline
Even if you do find yourself in a declining tech job, there’s no need to be alarmed. We’re looking a full ten years into the future, here, which means you have plenty of time to plan things out.
If you’re concerned about losing your job, we suggest taking a personal inventory and seeing what options are available. Start by looking at your current job and seeing if a different position in the same industry is viable. Depending on the specific niche you’re working in, a lateral move might be easier than you think.
But if you can’t make the transition, we’d recommend building out your résumé and looking for opportunities to diversify your skills. Take on volunteer projects, training courses, and educational programs to learn new coding languages or develop your managerial skills.
You don’t have to completely redefine your professional experience, but you’ll need to make sure you’re adaptable enough to meet the challenges of the changing tech world head-on. And as always, if you need some guidance in this area, feel free to contact Urgenci and we’ll give you a hand.
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