Emerging Careers in Technology - Essay Example

Emerging Careers in Technology Introduction The 1960s brought along an age in advancement in Science and Technology due to advancement in space exploration. This opened up career developments in not only technological fields alone, but in other industries as well, (Reese, 19). As Hancock and Tawler, P3 state, Science and Technology today is seen to be the driving force behind rising increase in sustainable development as it enables economies solve numerous challenges including environmental issues in human health, clean water, climate change as well as poverty to mention but a few. It goes without saying that Science and Technology has spurred innovation tremendously, thus transforming industries and creating new models in the business world for both developed and developing economies such as never imagined before. Rapid growth in Information Technology has brought with it a whole new world of emerging careers, (Reese, 19). Among the fields in which career change impact is most felt include careers in health care, financial industry, energy and in information technology. This paper strives to point out strides in career development that have emerged as a result of technological developments, thus illustrating some aspects of the potential impact that technology has had in our lives today and in the near future. New Business Practices New business practices, legislation and regulations as well as changing demographics result in specific unique areas of occupation causing career changes at a very high speed, Reese, 19. A trend in demography demanding a change of skills from employees exists which includes changes in consumer needs and tastes, high and varied educational levels, aging among others. Consumer Needs and Tastes Technology has greatly influenced the changes evident in consumer needs and tastes thus demanding more skills from employees, (Jacowski, p6). There is a worldwide over reliance of technology in our lives today than has been experienced ever before. This has resulted in a change of thinking styles which often clash with traditional and orthodox ones as for a long time people were used to working robotically in careers that brought home the bread. Not so at this day and age. It is becoming increasingly easier to find people in career paths that match their talents and passions, that pay well and that have high growth prospects. These lucrative job prospects come with very good working environment conditions with flexi hours. High and varied educational levels The new breed of emerging career development has seen a rise in colleges and universities offering various courses relevant to the careers, (Jacowski, P1). This is due to the fact that some of the careers demand high educational qualifications and skills. Several community colleges are partnering with universities to develop curriculums that incorporate unique disciplines that touch on new energy, environmental engineering, green jobs as well as storm water management, Reese, 20-23. Aging Although the baby boomer generation is demographically big, it is vital to note that they are growing older but are staying active for longer. Many of today’s jobs were non-existent when the baby boomers were getting employed, (Reese, 19) and yet due to today’s uncertainity in the job market, the baby boomers, some of whom are remarkably skilled, are fitting in well in the shift in emerging careers. It is vital to note though that traditional employers in the new energy field are finding it increasingly challenging in finding workers with suitable skills and yet they have an aging workforce, (Reese, 22). Emerging Career Trends Technology has played a major role in bringing into existence new career fields beyond man’s imagination. Major industries where this has an effect include in the geospatial technology, biotechnology, nanotechnology, health care, new energy, environmental engineering among others, (Reese, 20-23). Geospatial Technology Geospatial Technology is emerging industry that uses Geospatial information system programs. Geospatial Technology refers to technology used for visualizing, measuring and analysing the topographic features of the earth. It uses three technology systems in GPS (Global Positioning System), GIS (Global Information System), RS (Remote Sensoring) and Web mapping. The Geospatial Information System programs are evolving and being created from mapping and surveying programs, (Reese, 20). Biotechnology Careers in Biotechnology are emerging at a fast rate such that it is currently being included in the agricultural class. Biotechnology involves using living organisms to develop products useful agricultural advancements. It is usually used in food production, agriculture and even in medicinal production. One of the careers being affected in this field is the agricultural technician who sometimes is required to use Geospatial technology to manage activities such as searching for pests, irrigation and mapping of yield, (Reese, 21). Nanotechnology Nanotechnology field is a sector that has shown potential for tremendous growth in terms of change of career advancement, (Reese, 20). Nanotechnology uses the notion that any substance existing can be tampered with and broken down into molecules and produce a different property with different abilities. It therefore involves the manipulation of atoms and or molecules to produce materials, devices and machines. A steady increase of nanotechnology within the community colleges and in schools has been noted to the extent that universities now offer degree courses in it. It is estimated that by 2015, the worldwide workforce that will be needed in the nanotechnology field will have reached the two million mark. Health Care Health care has seen revolutionary technological changes thus raising the emergence of new career trends especially in biomedical equipment. Colleges run programs in biomedical science and volumetric medical imaging. Employment creation is increased as traditional 2D slices used to obtain data from CT or MI is being replaced with 3D volumes, (Reese, 21). This is due to increased information required as the 3D volumes storage represents a patients internal anatomy. Staffs working in this field need previous knowledge of Radiology. New Energy Careers Emerging careers in new energy include careers in the field of renewable energy as well as in traditional energy industries. Colleges and universities are beginning to offer degree programs in biofuels technology, wind turbine maintenance, solar energy assessment, wind energy among others, (Reese, 22 ). New programs are being introduced into the Engineering Technology programs. These programs include such programs as the ‘Smart Grid technology’ which involves how households and factories use electric power. The same is true just as Mark Wyatt is quoted in saying “technology may change the face of every industry just as wireless changed the telephone business” Thus youth in energy professions need to equip themselves in order to meet upcoming future demand. Environmental Engineering Wikipedia.org defines Environmental Engineering as the application of science and engineering principles to improve the natural environment, these being, water, air, or land resources to provide healthy water, air and land for not only human habitation but also for other organisms and to remediate polluted sites. It is vital to note that under environmental engineering, certain courses are coming up on in special fields such as watershed management, environmental mapping and storm water management. Storm water management is increasingly becoming a priority in reducing adverse effects of storms on the water systems. In recent years, severe storms have resulted in sewage water mixing with the waterways through the valves. If this situation is not curbed in time, it could have adverse effects on community health. Other Emerging Careers Other emerging careers include career jobs such as Home stager, Health informatics, Simulation developer, Green job careers, Emergency management, Career counsellor, Patient Advocate among others, (Reese,20, (cited careerbuilder.com). Home Stager Home or house stagers are people who work in conjunction with real-estate agents and their potential buyers by ensuring a house appears more appealing to their would be customers thus boosting real-estate sales. The home stager will then enhance the imagination of the prospective buyer by ensuring the homes have attractive furnishings and décor thus enabling the would be buyer to picture their own possessions inside the house. Most home stagers set their own prices as they are self-employed, (Reese, 20, (cited careerbuilder.com). Health Informatics Technician These are people who summarise information by the use of computers thus assisting the doctor diagnose, analyse and treat patients effectively. They also transition the files thus improving on care, cost controls and provision of legal documentation where need be, (Reese, 20, (cited careerbuilder.com). Simulation Developer These are people who develop programs that can be used in high risk circumstances. They practice, train and prepare people for potentially unsafe yet exciting situations in life before they actually happen. They are usually software engineers, (Reese, 20, (cited careerbuilder.com).. Green Jobs or Careers Green careers are jobs that are done in agricultural manufacturing, research and development. These are activities that contribute substantially to preserving or restoring environmental quality. Examples of such jobs include those that reduce energy and water consumption, they involve ecosystem protection, and enhance reduction of waste and pollution, (Reese, 20, (cited careerbuilder.com). Universities and colleges are aligning their training programs such that they can partner with other universities to offer degree course including Geoexchange technology. Geoexchange technology is the use of renewable energy beneath the earth’s surface to cool or heat domestic hot water and buildings. Green careers are viewed as careers that work towards the improvement of not only the environment but those that also meet the needs of the community at large, (Reese, 20, (cited careerbuilder.com). Emergency Management Emergency management involves planning and preparing for responses and procedures for disasters such terrorist attacks, floods, fires and other unexpected pandemics. The emergency planners prepare and train for these disasters, (Reese, 20, (cited careerbuilder.com). Career Counsellor Career counsellors are required in organisations as they advise and assist job seekers on how they can improve their selection process and overall well-being as workers. They try to enhance an overall balanced mental health, (Reese, 20, (cited careerbuilder.com). Patience Advocate Patient Advocates are health care workers who assist patients in a health care clinic or hospital. They make sure the patient is well informed of processes, that they are seeing the right specialists and taking the right prescribed drugs. Due to the rising population of the aged and worsening health care trends among people, Patient Advocates will go about educating family members on how to care for their sick relatives. They will also go through medical bills, sort them out and negotiate fees with insurance organisations and health care providers, (Reese, 20, (cited careerbuilder.com). Other emerging careers especially evident in the computer and wireless industry in general include Mobile Phone Application Developers, Social Media Strategist, Content Writer, Blogger, User Experience Analyst, Video Journalist and Online learning Coordinator, Allyhunt, 1) Mobile Phone Application Developer It goes without saying that the mobile media industry is thriving and development of SMART phones such as the Android, Blackberry and iPhones are increasing daily. This makes a demand for developers of applications to emerge and address compatibility and security issues. Most of them are hired in the Research and Development sections or in e-commerce bidding engines, (Allyhunt, P1). Social Media Strategist Social Media Strategist are people employed to administer and supervise activities in the social media such as Facebook, twitter and lknkedln. There work involves interacting with online clients in order to enhance brand awareness. Social media has played a big role in revolutionizing the way people work and live today, (Allyhunt, P2). Content Writer Content Writers work for websites by providing information that focuses on marketing products and services sold or offered in these sites, (Allyhunt, P3). Blogger A blogger is a person who writes blog content having researched on certain topics that make news items or with the aim of promoting a certain brand. They usually write for corporations, governments, websites and so forth, (Allyhunt, P 4). Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Specialist Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Specialist are people who identify key words in websites and edit content such that the relevance of the specific keywords is increased in organic search results, (Allyhunt, P5). User Experience Analyst These are people who analyse websites making it easily approachable, appealing and navigable, (Allyhunt, P6). Video Journalist These are people who design online videos having captured and edited documentary information, news items and events, (Allyhunt, P7). Online learning Coordinator These are people who usually have a training background and coordinate and schedule training courses and long distance learning, (Allyhunt, P8). Potential Emerging Careers to watch out for Potential careers to watch out for include Cyber Security Specialist, who protect websites from hackers and expose them, Genetic Counsellors who will be expected to educate families about genetic technologies and options available as the genetic field is advancing very fast. Another field to experience emerging careers is in the organic farming industry as families are embracing organic foods more than ever before. The Organic Food Farmer’s work will be to advice producers and farmers alike on ways of improving the growth of their yield and also on organic farming techniques, (Allyhunt, P11). Other fields include in the medical sector for instance the Medical Records Administrator, who will be expected to research and digitize medical records from paper to digital. This will enable easy navigation of medical records for patients. Today, Simulators are found in almost every field, from flying to surgeries, driving and drinking. Engineers will not be left out and Simulation Engineers will be expected to work on the ever increasing simulation-based technologies. As Environmental issues take centre stage, Environmental Economists will be expected to measure the potential drawbacks and benefits of renewable energy as well as other environmental alternatives. Another emerging career that may grow in popularity is the Biofuels/ Biodiesel Product Development Manager. These are people who research programs that assess alternative biofuels/biodiesel technologies. Considering the implications In assessing the implications of these findings, it is notable that certain fields drive significant career advancement as well as certain job creation, (Hancock and Tawler, 5). These include fields such as those calling for reduction of carbon economy, artificial intelligence, social media, personalization and the opening up of space as a chance to commercialise. As (Hancock and Tawler, 5) states, commercial viability has played a big role in the areas where technology progressed as well as an equally vital role in the career growth of certain fields. This then calls for a shift in mind-set and a deliberate change of thinking in people, especially so for those manning the education system, (Hancock and Tawler, 5). It will be only through this that the new roles will be encouraged to surface to an enabling environment for them to thrive. Conclusion It is vital to note that development in technology, health care, environmentalism and globalization as a whole as well as current economic trends are helping certain careers to surface. This is a fact that cannot be ignored and many more changes are expected due to the dynamic nature of technology, (Hancock and Tawler, 5). It is hoped that this report will act as a useful stimulus for raising public awareness and interest thus evoke a forum for discussion and action on the key role technology is playing in shaping the world around us as it creates new jobs and career opportunities over the next few decades, (Hancock and Tawler, 5). This then should encourage the youth to explore forthcoming technological developments, visualise what jobs could be created and be prepared to align themselves with these developments as they emerge, (Hancock and Tawler, 5). References Allyhunt, 2011, List of New and Emerging Careers, retrieved on 26th July, 2012, from http://www.allyhunt.com/cms/update /list of newandemergingcareers. Hancock T. and Talwar R., 2010, Fast Future, the Shape of Things to Come, Research Jacowski T., 2006, Some Emerging New Economy Careers, Effect of New Economy Careers Reese S., 2010, Emerging Careers Come into Focus, Techniques, Octeonline.org, retrieved on 26th July 2012 from http://www.eric.ed.gov/ERICWebPortal/recordDetail?accno=EJ909602 http://www.wikipedia.org Read More