Just 15 years ago job titles like “social media influencer” or “Uber driver” would make no sense to anyone on the planet. These days, careers in Virtual Reality Design and Artificial Intelligence don’t seem to weird us out. 

Experts predict that up to 73 million jobs could be lost to automation by 2030.

On the flip side, more than 20 million of those displaced workers can be transitioned into similar occupations. Furthermore, AI will generate 2.3 million jobs just by 2020, and it won’t stop there.

Digitalization and automation will help create jobs in the fields that may seem surreal at the moment. Here are the top 7 unusual “jobs of the future” for your consideration.

1. Personal Data Broker

These days companies use our personal data as we happily give it away in exchange for free access to social media platforms and online services. In the future, more people will realize that they can make money off of all the personal data they generate.

As data security regulations advance,  companies will no longer be able re-sell personal data to third parties. It’s not easy to make a decision on who to sell your personal information to, not to mention the bidding part. That’s where personal data brokers come in. These individuals will monitors and trade clients’ personal data on data exchanges to ensure they earn their deserved profit. 

2. Drone Pilot

The global market for unmanned aerial vehicles is growing rapidly creating job opportunities on the way. Over the next 10 years, drones will most likely become the new norm. Therefore, a wide range of jobs will become available to drone enthusiasts.  This field won’t just include being a pilot or a drone operator, but also expertise in repairing drones, creating airway paths, and managing drone fleets.

If you are interested in drones and have an understanding of how to operate one, you are already ahead of the curve. Even if you aren’t ready to work as a full-time drone operator just yet, having a drone license may be useful to have on your resume for jobs in the future.

3. 3D-Printed Food Technician (or Chef?)

3D printing is rumored to be one of the technologies destined to creatively destroy how we do business. The world population is increasing at an alarming rate,scientists are looking for alternative food sources. Engineers are already creating appealing bio-meat products and cross-bred plants. 

We are able to grow meat in the lab today, and we are able to load 3-d printers with organic materials. 3-D printing Restaurants already exist, so the demand for these tech-savvy cooks will only increase. 3-D print a lab-grown steak and grill it with lasers? That may be a daily task of a future 3-D chef. 

4. Trash architect

There is plenty of trash on Earth, and there will only be more in the future. Therefore, people will have to find a way of dealing with it (or abandon Earth and trash another planet). There are plenty of concepts for floating cities built of waste, but someone would have to execute these projects.

Trash architect could be a rewarding career choice of the future, and it will likely be a sub-discipline of existing engineering degrees like Civil Engineering. If you are passionate about architecture and environmental solutions, this career opportunity is worth looking into for jobs in the future. 

5. Memory Surgeon

With recent advancements in both neuroscience and technology, we will soon enter the era of digital brain implants. That’s right, these specialized computer chips will provide benefits such as enhanced memory, paralysis and PTSD treatments and many more.

Moving further, Memory Surgeons or so-called Memory Optimisers will be able to remove or alter negative memories to treat depression and other psychological illnesses. Those currently working in neuroscience and practicing brain surgeons have the highest chances of becoming memory surgeons in the coming future.

6. Career Transitionist

Today’s education system will definitely need restructuring. Universities now cost far too much, and they take far too long. The pace of technological progress speeds up exponentially, and education needs to catch up. By the time a student acquires a degree in a technical field, half of what he or she has learned becomes irrelevant. 

To keep up with the ever-evolving tech a new wave of lifelong learning platforms and upskilling centers has begun to emerge. Short courses and micro degrees are gaining popularity, but what about those who want to change the job?  Career Transitionists will take care of those who lost their job to automation. They will also help fulfill the newly created job openings in the digital fields and beyond: Career Transitionists will evaluate candidates based on skill set and help them upskill or adapt for jobs in the future.

7. Flying Car Flight Instructor

If you think that traffic in your city is quite bad, just wait until we get flying cars.  There are plenty of companies on the market offering all sorts of flying car prototypes, so we will soon need help operating those flying vehicles. 

Flying Car Flight Instructors will most likely fit the role of today’s driving instructors: their lessons will cover the basics of operating flying cars, navigation and, of course, flight safety. This job will require expertise in physics, computer science, and experience in piloting. There are also discussions around various air traffic control jobs since autonomous flying cars are about to get released.

Start designing your future career today.

Why wait for these jobs to be created when you can embark on a new career path today? We’re here to help you take the first steps on your future journey. Explore career opportunities on the cutting edge of progress and innovation. Join GetLinks today!

About the Author: Nat Poltavets

Nat is passionate about everything digital. She writes about tech trends, lifelong learning, and emotional intelligence. She enjoys guacamole, as should all right-thinking people, and she knows how to open a PDF.