icould

Fifteen years ago a web designer probably had six hairy legs and an appetite for insects. In the not too distant past, many of the jobs that we now take for granted did not exist. New occupations develop when employers need workers to do tasks that have never been done before. At the same time, ‘old jobs’ disappear because there is no longer the need for them.

All change

Photonics engineer, corporate blogger, community manager, employee wellness co-ordinator and corporate jesters are some of the new and emerging job titles that you might see advertised in the ‘Situations Vacant’ column or on recruitment websites. Adverts for short-hand secretaries, cobblers, sewing machine operators or typists are less likely!

It is difficult to accurately predict the future. When you are ready to start working, it is likely that there will be new jobs that don’t yet exist. Fixing electric and hybrid vehicles, mining on the Moon or Mars, servicing artificial organs – who knows precisely what these new jobs will be? But we do know  that changes in technology, new laws and regulations, rising energy prices, global warming, a population that is living longer, natural disasters and internet home shopping are just some of the trends which will create new occupations as well as cause current ones to disappear or reduce.

Over the next few weeks we will be highlighting some icould career stories and articles which provide some examples of new and emerging jobs.

Healthcare

A guaranteed growth sector is healthcare. We are living longer and we have increasingly high expectations of the drugs and medical care available to us.

Senior Computational Biologist and Senior Database Administrator in Bioinformatics are just two examples of new jobs which have been created as a result of the completion of the Genome Project in 2003.  Advances in technology means that it is possible to combine life and computer and information sciences in order to understand and manage massive amounts of data. Guy Coates, Group Leader of Informatics Systems works with ‘thousands of servers in the Project’s data centre.’

Although her role is not often featured in TV programmes like Casualty, Deborah Morgan, having left school at 16 with two GCSEs, is now a Biomedical Scientist. She carries out crucial laboratory tests which help doctors diagnose and treat disease.

The advances in technology affect face-to-face healthcare. For instance, Daniel Gillett is a Nuclear Medicine Technologist. He was brave enough to move from a job that didn’t interest or challenge him. He is now fulfilling a dream by completing a 4 year degree in nuclear medicine technology. He appreciates the chance to solve problems and make a difference to peoples’ lives.

Renny Talbot is a Maxillo Facial Technician. He makes ‘fingers, eyes, ears, limbs, noses and ordinary dentures.’ One of his patients is a two-year old baby who was born without any arms. Renny is making arms for her as she grows.

Green jobs

Concerns about global warming and sustainability mean that the environment is top of the global agenda. Whether it’s researching how to make green products or implementing recycling procedures, the “clean-energy economy” is creating new opportunities in sectors including, but not limited to, energy generation, transportation, agriculture, waste and wastewater, and research.

Harry Sealy is a Sustainability Advisor for the Engineering Company, Halcrow. He can save a coral reef by telling the engineers to move their project half a mile down the coast. Dan Meredith, as an Energy Policy Manager, is responsible for ensuring that E.ON keeps abreast of government policy on energy matters. Paul Talbot is a Rope Access Supervisor whose job is to swing high above the plants in the Eden Project’s biomes in order to maintain the world’s largest greenhouse. Jenna Lines is an Environmental Modeller. Currently, she is looking at the effects of electricity generation on the environment. Julia Rowlands, an Ethical Trade Manager for Boden, the clothing mail order catalogue, makes sure people who supply to Boden are treating their workforce fairly. Neil Jennings is a Director of a campaign called The Student Switch Off. He says “I came up with the idea of having a competition between halls of residence at the University of East Anglia to encourage the students to adopt small energy saving actions… we’ve just got funding to take it to 33 Universities for the academic year starting in September 2009″.

Emergency management

Since the September 11 terrorist attacks, new jobs in the anti-terrorism field have emerged. Emergency Planning Officers prepare and plan for terrorist attacks. They also train and prepare for responses and procedures for other disasters such as fires, floods, hostage situations or pandemics. Mark McLeod is a Political Risk Underwriter at Chaucer Insurance. “We insure things like the risk of terrorist attacks, or political violence in trouble spots… What we do is travel to places where there’s potential for things to go wrong.”

Technology

Successions of new jobs, across all sectors, are created as the result of every new advance in technology.  The Internet connects us all to each other. The role of Community Manager has developed in response to the massive levels of permanent, real-time support needed to manage the fan base of Multiplayer Online Gaming such as World of Warcraft or Everquest. As a Web Development and Management Consultant, Mel Gordon advises companies on how to promote them and their products online, often coming up with increasingly creative and imaginative online social media marketing campaigns.

Johnathan Lewis is a DJ Tutor. He is able to teach people how to be DJs without ever meeting them. As a Bug Abuse Manager, David Coleman sorts out problems in computer games. Heather and Jessica are professional bloggers. Their website, gofugyourself, was recently voted by the Guardian newspaper as one of the world’s top 50, most powerful websites.

Leisure, Arts and Entertainment

The sector employs in the region of two million people, accounting for 1 in 14 UK jobs. Health and general well being becomes increasingly important as we want to reap the benefits of living longer. Liz Kirk is a Staff Aromatherapist. The Eden Project created this new role as ‘a first step in taking a whole new look at getting more health benefits for the staff.’

As a Community Musician, Wendy Brown teaches and plays steelpan as well as mentoring and training young people. Leisure Consultant, Eileen Henson provides independent and objective advice to developers of new leisure facilities. Glynn MacDonald is a Movement Director at Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre. Following a degree in Tourism Management, Shona Hamner’s evening job as a Climbing Wall Supervisor is to make sure that climbers are safe. By day, she follows her passion for rock climbing.

Education and Training

Education and training is no longer just about working in a formal setting such as a school or college. We will always need teachers and lecturers but increasingly, learning takes place in all kinds of settings. Lucy Hadley’s job as a Recreation Ranger with the Forestry Commission, is to show people of all ages that woods are not just trees but habitats for wildlife and plants as well as space to play, exercise or learn.

As a Pollinator, Monroe Shepherd gets people talking and thinking about what they are experiencing in the biospheres at the Eden Project. Victoria Burston works from an office in BT as an Apprentice Development Coach supporting 12 apprentices. Interpretation Officer, Chris Knowles works with children in school and in Shepreth Wildlife Park to increase their understanding and respect for animals. You may have seen Dr Aderin Pocock on TV. She is a space scientist and a Science Communicator. She doesn’t actually build satellites that go up in space but she also translates some of the complexity of science into a simple format for everybody to understand. As a member of team of “brilliant and creative people”, working for the Globe Theatre, Chris Stafford’s role of Projects and Development Manager, involves working with teachers and young people of all ages to make Shakespeare ‘come alive’.