Ten Job Skills That Will Be Most Sought After By 2030 According To World Economic Forum Report

The advent of major technological shifts, development in areas of artificial intelligence, expansion of access to the digital realm has lead to a rapid evolution of corporate ecosystems, particularly in terms of what skills will be relevant and required going forward. Besides this, growing climate awareness and a green switch in the corporate mindset and strategy to incorporate sustainability are also key drivers for skill evolution.

The 'Future of Jobs Report' by the World Economic Forum highlights the top 10 fastest growing skills. These include currently relevant talents and also those that will magnify in their significance and attractiveness over the coming five years:

1. AI and Big Data: The accelerated adoption of digital tools, remote work solutions, and advanced technologies such as machine learning and generative AI has led to AI and big data topping the list of skills on the rise. According to the report, the segments is predicted to see significant growth across nearly all sectors. In the top 10 industries, over 90% of respondents expect this skill to increase in use.

2. Networks and Cybersecurity: Closely following AI and big data on the list were networks and cybersecurity. While these skills are not presently considered core skills for most organisations, their importance is going to increase manifold, according to the report. They represent areas where businesses may need to anticipate growing demands and develop capabilities before they become critical.

3. Technological Literacy: With technology related skills running ahead in a scurry, having tech literacy becomes pertinent in the years to come.

4. Creative thinking: Devising ways to work in AI dominated spaces efficiently without outputs losing human touch and intelligence are some of the reasons that make creative thinking crucial for the future and for the present day as well.

5. Resilience, flexibility and agility: These soft skills and attitudes complement the fast evolving nature of the corporate universe. Moreover, they come handy in times of geo-economic fragmentation.

6. Curiosity and lifelong learning: A mind that is curious and eager to learn goes a long way even today. Employers look for talent that have a hunger to learn and know more about how things function. Needless to say, these soft skills are only going to become more important.

7. Leadership and social influence: Overall, leadership and social influence have seen a substantial increase in importance, rising 22%. Geo-economic fragmentation is also driving a need for human-centred skills such as resilience, flexibility, agility, leadership and social influence, and global citizenship, as per the report.

8. Talent management: Aging and declining working age populations, predominantly in higher income economies, and expanding working age populations, predominantly in lower-income economies are two demographic shifts majorly seen to be transforming global economies and labour markets. These trends drive an increase in demand for skills in talent management, teaching and mentoring, and motivation and self-awareness.

9. Analytical thinking: 79% of firms expect increasing the use of analytical thinking, owing to the technological evolution.

10. Environmental stewardship: Climate-change mitigation is the third-most transformative trend overall – and the top trend related to the green transition. Climate trends are also expected to drive an increased focus on environmental stewardship, which has entered the Future of Jobs Report's list of top 10 fastest growing skills for the first time.