“What Direction Will Jobs Take by 2030?

The World Economic Forum recently released its Jobs Report 2025, offering a comprehensive analysis of the global labor market. Published every two years, this report forecasts major trends and transformations expected over the next five years. It is based on a survey of 1,000 employers worldwide, collectively representing 14 million workers across 22 different industries.

◀️ Five Major Trends Shaping the Future of Work

The shifts in the labor market are driven by five major global trends, listed below in order of importance:

▪️ Technological Change Employers expect technological transformation to have the greatest impact on the labor market—especially artificial intelligence and automation, which are driving this major shift.

▪️ Economic Uncertainty Although global inflation declined in 2024 and the economy showed resilience, half of employers expect rising living costs to trigger organizational changes. Additionally, 42% believe slower economic growth will affect their operations. These economic variables have created a cautious hiring outlook.

▪️ Geoeconomic Fragmentation Global tensions have led to fragmented and regionalized trade. With the new U.S. administration, such restrictions have increased even further. Industries heavily dependent on global supply chains—such as automotive and mining—will be significantly affected, while more localized and self‑sufficient industries will experience less disruption.

▪️ The Green Transition The shift toward a cleaner economy remains a priority for many organizations worldwide. Nearly half of surveyed employers believe that efforts to reduce carbon emissions will lead to major changes in business operations. This trend is especially visible in high‑emission industries like automotive, aerospace, and mining, where decarbonization requires workforce upskilling and reskilling.

▪️ Demographic Shifts The report highlights two simultaneous demographic trends: aging populations in high‑income countries and growing working‑age populations in lower‑income nations. These shifts will significantly influence the global labor supply.

◀️ Job Growth and Decline by 2030

The report estimates that by 2030, the number of formal jobs worldwide will increase by 7%. While 92 million current jobs are expected to disappear, 170 million new positions will be created.

◀️ High‑Growth Job Categories

The job with the highest expected growth is big data specialist. Following that are fintech engineers and AI and machine learning specialists. Other high‑demand roles in the coming years include:

• Software and app developers
• Data collection and data management specialists
• Electric and autonomous vehicle experts
• UI/UX designers
• Light truck drivers and delivery services
• Internet of Things (IoT) specialists
• Data analysts
• Environmental engineers
• DevOps specialists
• Renewable energy engineers

◀️ Fastest‑Growing and Fastest‑Declining Jobs

The report also notes that frontline jobs (such as agricultural workers, delivery drivers, and construction laborers) and care/service roles (such as nursing professionals and educators) will experience the fastest growth. Meanwhile, although technical jobs will be in high demand, manual and physical roles will decline. Postal clerks, bank tellers, and data entry clerks are all expected to face a 20% reduction in job numbers.

◀️ Most In‑Demand Skills of the Future

Unsurprisingly, demand for technology‑related and AI‑related skills is projected to rise sharply, with the top three skills falling into this category. Creative and abstract thinking ranks fourth. Creative thinking, resilience, flexibility, and agility form the fifth group of essential skills. Finally, curiosity and lifelong learning rank sixth among the most in‑demand skills for the next five years.

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