Dear reader, World Economic Forum Future of Jobs Report (2025) projects that by 2030, onwards; some of the careers will die or decline. Withal, the report also identifies some of the fastest-growing or new careers. Meaning, students in high school (Forms 3 and 4) and pioneers of CBE (Grade 10) should take note of such trends and emerging issues as they embark on career choices and preferences for professional paths. Parents, too, should know that this evolution in the world of work should lead to a seismic mind-shift on what they want their children to become.
Ideally, there are diverse drivers of change that will cause some careers to die, decline, disappear or shrink. The same real reasons will cause copious careers to bloom. Some of the fascinating factors worth mentioning include: Digitalisation and technological transformation, green transition and climate sustainability, geopolitical and economic shifts, demographic and trade trends, youth bulge, proliferation of urban centres, global talent competition, realities and rhapsodies of generation gaps, machine learning (ML) and artificial intelligence (AI), and skills-mismatch.
Somehow, many meetings have been scheduled for me to address Grade 10 learners at Senior Schools across the country. Just to cite a few, as a peripatetic speaker and career educator, I have received cordial invitations to guide Grade 10 newbies at Nairobi School, State House Girls School, and St. George’s Girls School in Nairobi City County. Mang’u High School, St. Francis Girls School-Mang’u, Chania Girls School and Thika Girls School-Karibaribi in Kiambu County. Moi High School, Kabarak in Nakuru County. Moi Girls School, Eldoret in Uasin-Gishu County. Machakos Girls School, Mumbuni Girls School and St. Christopher’s Girls School in Machakos County. Makuri Girls School in Tharaka-Nithi County. Kenyatta High School-Mwatate in Taita-Taveta County. Muthale Girls School in Kitui County. Metkei Girls School in Elgeyo-Marakwet County, et cetera. The list is long like an endless rope. Now, I am about to make a beeline for Murray Girls School in Taita-Taveta County.
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Splendid indeed, in most of my Grade 10 Plug-in Programmes, I endeavour to make the new kids in the block to know in their nous; that they are privileged to be in school when there is a change of curriculum, in content and form, which haply intends to churn out graduates who are in line with climes and times — and ripe for market trends here and there. For instance, an in-depth study of the cogent content of Competency-Based Education (CBE) depicts that its smart architects envisioned: Producing a globally competitive talent, increasing chances of employability, enhancing innovation, improving technical proficiency and ensuring there is an alignment with emerging jobs.
So, harbingers in high places of policy formulation and implantation, project that there are plenty of professions that will possibly die, decline, disappear or shrink in 2030, onwards. They will fade like a festoon of flowers. Or they will wither like blades of green grass. Conversely, are budding hence they will bloom and blossom.
Sadly, some careers that may die, decline, disappear, or shrink include the cashier and ticket clerk sector. Clerical and secretarial work is highly exposed to automation. Material recording, stock-keeping clerks, inventory tracking, and record-keeping will also be automated. Administrative assistants and executive secretaries are also projected to decrease drastically as routine administrative tasks become more automated. Postal service clerks or mail and postal services are shrinking due to digitalisation. Bank tellers, related clerks, and traditional bank clerical roles are being replaced by digital banking processes.
Likewise, accounting, bookkeeping, and payroll clerks will be reduced because most of their tasks can be automated using artificial intelligence (AI), accounting software, and blockchain technology. The data entry clerks also face automation since data processing is increasing, done by machines or certain software. Transportation attendants and conductors will also dwindle as some roles in transport or ticketing align with technology. Then, door-to-door sales workers, street vendors and certain sales roles tied to the traditional roles may fizzle out. In an actual sense, printing and related trade workers face extinction due to the digitalisation of books and other forms of printed work.
Conversely, some of the professions projected to grow in leaps and bounds include Data specialists, who will be in high demand as data expertise continues to grow as they collect, collate, and analyse large volumes of data. More artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) will be in high demand due to the manifold roles in AI and ML development plus the related fields. Fintech engineers will be on the rise because engineers specialising in financial technology, blockchain, and related domains are relevant in the digital dispensation. Software and application developers will be in high demand due to leaps in technological.
Consequently, there will be an increase in environmental as sustainability and climate change become more central. Based on prevailing circumstances, renewable energy engineers are needed. Specifically, engineers working in the sectors of solar and wind renewable energy. More nursing professionals made and moulded in the over 90 Kenya Medical Training Colleges (KMTCs) are needed in Kenya and beyond: to take up government or private healthcare jobs in hospitals and hospices.
In retrospect, from 2020, when COVID-19 hit the world hard, mental health illnesses started to rise. Therefore, there is the need for more professionals to pursue Counselling Psychology and Clinical Psychology. Clinical and Counselling Psychologists are needed to prop up people and assist them understand self-care quite rare among people with paucity of knowledge on mental health issues. People need hope on how to cope when weighed down by acute levels of stressors of life, depression and suicidal ideation.
Finally, the CBC looks big and broad. It has more subjects than the 8-4-4 that is becoming moribund in 2027. As I sit to write this 40th treatise on CBE, there are subjects Senior Schools are struggling to offer due to the sheer shortage of teachers. Therefore, as students think of what to become in future, they can opt to pick teaching jobs. More so, in subject combinations that lack enough teachers such as Home Science, Aviation, Building Construction, Electricity, Metalwork, Woodwork, Power Mechanics, Media Technology, Marine and Fisheries Technology, Kenya Sign Language (KSL), Arabic, German, French, Mandarin Chinese, Indigenous Languages, Sports and Recreation, Physical Education (PE), Music and Dance, Theatre and Film, and Fine Arts.
By Victor Ochieng’
Victor Ochieng’ is a career educator. He visits schools to Guide Grade 10 newbies on Pathways, Subject-Combinations and Career Choices. He addresses parents during Orientation & Induction Meetings. He speaks during Career Days or Fairs.
vochieng.90@gmail.com. 0704420232.
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