Grade 9 guide on the decline and emergence of courses

Dear reader, World Economic Forum Future of Jobs Report (2025) projects that by 2030, onwards, some courses will decline. On the contrary, the report also identifies some of the fastest-growing or new careers. Meaning, Grade 9 learners should take note of such trends and emerging issues as they pick pathways, and more so, as they embark on career choices. Parents, too, should know that this evolution in the world of work will lead to a seismic mind-shift in what they want their children to become. 

Ideally, there are diverse drivers of change that are causing some careers to die, decline, disappear or shrink. Same real reasons are causing some careers to bloom and blossom. Some of the factors worth mentioning include: Digitalisation and technological transformation, green transition and climate sustainability, geo-political and economic shifts, demographic and trade trends, youth bulge, growth of urban centres, global talent competition, realities of generation gaps, machine learning (ML), and artificial intelligence (AI), and skills mismatch. This is in the bid to produce globally competitive talent, increase chances of employability, enhance innovation, improve technical proficiency and ensure there is an alignment with emerging jobs. 

Actually, some of the careers that may die, decline, disappear or shrink include: the sector of cashiers and ticket clerks. Clerical and secretarial work is highly exposed to automation. Material recording, stock-keeping, inventory tracking, and record-keeping will also be automated. Administrative assistants and executive secretaries are also projected to be reduced drastically due to the routine administrative tasks prone to automation. Postal service clerks and mail and postal services are shrinking due to the digitalisation of the said sector. Bank tellers, related clerks and traditional bank clerical roles are being replaced by the digital banking process. (Education News Kenya — https://educationnews.co.ke/news/grade-9-guide-on-the-decline-and-emergence-of-courses)

Likewise, accounting, bookkeepers, and payroll clerks will be reduced because most of their tasks can be automated through artificial intelligence (AI), accounting software and blockchain technology. Data entry clerks also face automation since data processing is increasingly done by machines or certain software. Transportation attendants and conductors will also dwindle due to some roles in transport or ticketing aligning with technology. Then, door-to-door sales workers, street vendors and certain sales roles tied to traditional roles may fizzle out. As well as printing and related trade workers face extinction due to digitalisation of books and other forms of printed work. 

Interestingly, some of the professions projected to be grow in leaps and bounds include: Data specialists will be in high demand because data expertise keeps increasing due to the collection, collation and analysis of a lot of data. More artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) specialists 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 technology. 

Consequently, there will be an increase in environmental experts 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. 

Finally, from 2020, when Covid-19 hit the world hard, mental health illnesses started to rise. Therefore, there is a 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.