A future without human workers seems out of question, at least for now.
Despite the growth of digital technologies, manual labour will still likely be in highest demand in the next five years, according to World Economic Forum research.
The highest number of new positions – over 35 million worldwide – will be created for farmworkers and other agricultural employees.
There could also be almost 10 million additional jobs for truck drivers (including delivery drivers), plus over 5 million new app and software developers, as well as building framers.
Speaking about the fastest-growing sectors however and it’s all about tech.
Big-data specialists top the chart with almost +120% jobs created, followed by FinTech engineers at nearly +100% and AI and machine learning specialists with +80%.
Which jobs are most at risk of disappearing?
Clerks of all sorts and administration roles appear among the most vulnerable.
In absolute losses, the biggest hit is expected for cashiers and ticket clerks, with a projection pointing to a drop of 15 million jobs.
Administrative assistants could also see five million positions eliminated, followed by building cleaners, housekeepers and warehouse staff facing a potential decline of 5 million each.
Similarly, the fastest disappearing positions are all clerical: Almost 40% less for postal service workers and bank tellers and around 20% for data entry assistants and cashiers.
This doesn’t mean however that all shop jobs will decline.
Salespersons and assistants place fifth on overall growth, with nearly 5 million additional jobs expected to be created.
Hire new employees or upskill existing workers?
The survey also explores how the human-technology relationship in the workplace is expected to evolve.
Currently, around 48% of tasks are performed by humans, 32% involve a mix of humans and technology, and 20% are performed solely by technology.
By 2030, this balance could shift significantly: Just 34% of tasks are expected to remain “human-only,” with another 34% shared between people and technology and 32% handled entirely by technology.
In order to achieve the best AI-worker efficiency, European employers are ready to both hire new staff as well as retrain the existing workforce.
Both options are being planned by the majority of employers, with retraining having an edge (79%) over hiring new people (65%).
Spain wants easier hiring and firing
The report claims 59% of the world’s workforce will need to be retrained by 2030.
European economies are bracing for mounting hiring challenges: 54% of employers fear that talent shortages will worsen, a rate well above the global average.
In Spain, skill gaps are perceived as a key barrier to adapting to change.
The majority of Spanish employers (60%), believe the solution lies in public policy reforms to make hiring and firing practices easier, while 49% would like more leeway in setting wages.
In France, 46% think adjustments to pensions and retirement age could help boost talent availability.
UK and German companies wary of geopolitical shocks
In general, digitalisation, climate mitigation and the rising cost of living are the top forces expected to reshape Europe’s labour market by 2030.
But geopolitical uncertainty is also looming large, especially in the UK, where 56% cite geopolitical tensions as a potential key driver of change.
The sentiment is echoed in Germany (52%), Europe’s largest economy, which recently became the world’s fourth biggest military spender.
In contrast, most Italian employers are more focused on climate change.
A striking 70% see green investments as the main force driving transformation, far above the 43% global average.
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