Wondering what the top projected jobs of the future are?
New studies show the careers of the next decade are expected to shift from labor and management to more specialized, technological fields requiring higher levels of education.
In short, the best job opportunities will be in science, health care and computing. According to Malcolm Cohen, University socio-researcher and former director of the Institute of Labor and Industrial Relations, the likely impact of this shift will be a wider gap between educated workers and everyone else.
"We anticipate by the end of the century to see a rise in the unemployment rate of people who are lacking in technical skills to fill the most plentiful jobs," Cohen said. "We also could face the possibility of a labor shortage at the same time.
"Especially with the new plans of national welfare reform, we should expect to see an abundance of people who will need jobs that are simply no longer available," Cohen said.
The driving force behind the changes is mostly technology, he argued.
"Typists, for example, may be replaced by word processors and spreadsheet analysts as computers continue to take over functions once done manually," Cohen said.
It is difficult to break down the wide spectrum of potential careers when trying to determine the specific jobs that will be in demand.
"It is easier to look at potential high-demand careers in specific categories rather than trying to approach the work world with a vague sense of direction," said Jennifer Niggemeier, assistant director of employer development at Career Planning & Placement.
Consulting is a definite up-and-coming field, Niggemeier added.
"Consulting covers a lot of breadth, offering job opportunities ranging from analytic problem-solving to human and information resources to health-care issues," Niggemeier said. "It's a field that accepts people with all different educational backgrounds, as well, not just focusing on graduates in specific concentrations."
Studies have shown other career fields that appear to offer ample chances for advancement include investment banking, advertising, public relations and global computing technology.
Niggemeier added that all of these fields were well represented at a recent career fair at the Michigan Union.
"We were pleased at the turnout of recruiting companies that came to Career Day this year," she said. "Representation increased by 30 percent from last year's fair, with businesses from all fields and areas."
She said that the abundant student interest in consulting companies and investment banking firms confirmed the demand in those fields.