The coronavirus pandemic has changed the world forever. Everything from industry to the economy and even globalization has been impacted. A big shift brought about by COVID-19 has been the number of people working from home. The pandemic also caused a shift in the education system. Schools, institutes, and universities moved their classes online for a semester while others have gone online for the remainder of 2020.
With these changes come new opportunities.
Remote Working and Remote Learning
Remote working has numerous benefits. These include an increase in overall productivity, lower costs, higher employee autonomy, better employee retention, increased flexibility, and less time spent commuting. Despite this, remote learning has not been widely adopted by many companies. A survey conducted in 2019 by the Federal Bureau of Labor Statistics found that in the US, only 7% of workers were allowed a ‘flexible workplace’ arrangement. They were mostly highly paid managers and affluent workers.
It also varies by industry, generally speaking, remote working is more prevalent in industries where the bulk of the work is done on computers. In the U.S, workers in the management, business, and financial sectors tend to have a higher chance of being able to work from home, after all, if the work can be done from home remotely then there is little reason why employees shouldn’t be allowed to do it. Adding to this, the money companies save on office time and space is also a big reason why companies are steadily adopting remote working.
Remote learning has many upsides especially for adults pursuing higher education while working full-time jobs. The stress of commuting to classes after work and then back home as well as the expenses have stopped many from taking classes. Remote learning alleviates this, among its numerous benefits, are the ability to learn at your own pace and leisure, the peace of mind inherent in working from home, as well as the significant amount of time and expenses saved.
Jobs that will be in High Demand in the New World
Cybersecurity – Going forward further into the digital age, it is no surprise that those in the information technology industry will play a vital role. The importance of maintaining a global technological infrastructure means that jobs in cybersecurity will be in high demand. This includes cybersecurity engineers, analysts, architects, and risk management jobs. Companies will be looking for workers in this sector to help them stay online and ensure their business data is safe from hackers.
Cloud Computing – The ongoing global pandemic has led to entire cities being shut down however many companies are still conducting business online and digital services are still a mainstay for many of us. It is important then that this IT framework is maintained. Cloud computing’s importance only continues to grow, and the people needed to maintain it will be in high demand after the pandemic. Right now, cloud computing is helping the fight against COVID-19 with many businesses including healthcare relying on it.
Digital Marketing – Marketing will play a pivotal role after COVID-19 as businesses attempt to communicate their messages to consumers both online and offline. The number of people working remotely from home means that brands and companies will now have to focus their efforts on marketing to people digitally. This means creating engaging content that keeps people occupied through social media, on websites, and on search engines. Those with a degree in communications, English, or even PR should look into taking the dive into digital marketing, it only has room to grow.
Content Writing – Great content is the driving force behind the success of many brands. It plays a key role in driving clicks to websites and making people stick around. Generally, the better the content, the better the website, and advertising performance.
Web Development – The reliance on web stores could mean an increased demand for web designers now that several businesses have had to move online. Many of you surely have a passion for coding and there is no better time to leverage that into a career you’ll love.
Online Teachers/ Instructors – The rise of remote learning has led to many taking classes entirely from home. Courses of almost any kind are available online with many sites offering lessons from skilled instructors. It is no secret then that becoming an online instructor is seen as an extra source of income for many. The future of remote learning shows no signs of slowing and many adults will soon prefer online classrooms, making this profession a viable one for many.
Machine Learning – There has been increased usage of A.I programs to curb the spread of misinformation. After all, there is only so much information human beings can go through, these programs do the job much more efficiently. There does need to be skilled technologists behind these A.I to ensure that all the core processes run smoothly.
Data Analytics – The job market for data analyst jobs is growing. The pandemic has caused people to rely on simulations to assess the possible damage. This is where data analyst teams come into play, they are tasked with creating simulations so that companies have a clear picture of the overall impact. Fancy a data job, well the market for it can only grow upwards.
UX (User Experience) – A UX designer is responsible for the entire design process behind the meaningful experience’s products provided to consumers. Essentially, they are responsible for various aspects of the product such as branding, design, packaging, and function. There is a focus on the reasoning behind why people purchase something as well as how they use it. The experience of acquiring and using a product is thereby a fluid, peaceful one. UX designers come from a wide variety of backgrounds so anyone with an interest or background in visual arts and design, programming, and psychology should try for a career in UX design.
How to prepare for the new workforce after the virus?
No one can foresee the effects of COVID-19 going forward. Many experts proclaim a permanent reliance on remote working with many employees expected to work from home while companies search for news to restructure themselves and save costs. Teleworking could be the future since it is a flexible system that lets many workers be more at peace and yields greater productivity.
The pandemic’s effect on the job market has been unfortunate with many becoming unemployed. This has led many to question what can be done to surmount this. Some industries will boom following the end of the crisis while many will see a decline. The course for many remains clear however, they will attempt to obtain new certifications that will enable them to move into a new career, one that will benefit in a post COVID-19 world.
You too can start learning new skills online, one small step is all it takes. The state of the world following the end of the crisis remains to be seen but rest assured, our world will not be the same.
Andrie Steliou
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