The constant changes in the markets have caused companies, in recent years, to have the need to look for profiles that are different from those that they traditionally hired for their jobs. However, sometimes it is not so easy for companies to find the talent they require based on those needs.
An example of this is the Future Jobs Report of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB). It indicates that Latin America has one of the largest skills gaps in the world and that close to 40% of organizations in Latin America report having problems filling their vacancies. Also, almost 70% do not have the right candidates to fill those positions.
For Karla Sánchez, INCAE Business School’s Senior Regional Admissions Manager, this situation puts into perspective another specific situation in the region: the appearance of the so-called “careers or professionals of the future.”
In this sense, for the specialist, the changes in social and economic factors, as well as the need among companies to compete and prevail in the market through greater cost efficiency with the transfer of their operations to countries in the region, promote the transformation and strengthening of the academic training that is imparted to develop a highly qualified workforce.
“There are various reasons why professions evolve. One of them is the greater incorporation of technology by companies in their operations, which in turn leads to a greater digitization of their processes and functions. Another lies in the fast pace with which changes are generated in the different areas”, mentioned Sánchez.
Careers of the future
According to Sánchez, there are five careers that will become more popular among companies and professionals in the coming years:
Business administration with a vision of business development
The professional who identifies opportunities knows how to manage projects, resources, how to lead innovation and changes.
Digital marketing professionals
Specialists in establishing communication and genuine connection with potential customers, who are capable of creating experiences and generating interest at the right time and through the right means.
Engineering focused on development, programming, data analytics
Professionals who can provide key information to organizations, as well as create solutions that facilitate contact throughout the companies’ value chain.
Healthcare professionals
Boom in mental health thanks to the scope of content that has normalized talking about topics that were previously taboo in our society.
Other specialties such as artificial intelligence and cybersecurity
“Technology mastery, by itself, is not enough. For example, we have the big ‘winners’ during the pandemic. Companies like Meta (formerly Facebook) that in recent months have had to let more than 10,000 people go because their strategic leaders overestimate the need for staff during the height of the pandemic and the peak demand for the services offered by these platforms. The careers of the future, in addition, must encourage the development of skills such as curiosity, discipline, resilience, leadership capacity, as well as problem solving”, affirmed the manager.
For the development of these careers, Sánchez highlighted a challenge that currently exists and that is that universities must be attentive to their contents, current curriculum vs. relevant, and how to permeate key competencies for the current labor market in their students.
