Where to find the most promising careers in the future? This creates an interesting challenge and question for today’s students.
According to the World Economic Forum's Future of Jobs Report 2025, around 22% of current jobs will be affected by labor-market transformation by 2030. At the same time, 170 million new roles are expected to be created, while 92 million may be displaced.
So, what can the best career jobs for the future look like? And what can schools do to help children prepare for them?
What Skills Make a Career «Future-Proof«?
It is impossible to predict which jobs will exist in 10-15 years. So, let’s have a look at the skills behind them.
Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning
AI technologies can already be found in medicine, finance, and education. AI and machine learning specialists are therefore among the most in-demand careers over the next 10 years. This profession is also the fastest-growing career worldwide.
- Responsibilities: the specialists will be in charge of developing AI models, databases, algorithms and building AI-powered apps and software.
- Required skills: mathematics and computer science, analytical thinking.
- What schools can do: introduce coding, robotics, and other digital projects.
The goal is not to turn every child into a programmer. It is to make technology something they understand rather than something they only consume daily.
For example, at the British International School in Moscow, students can attend Robotics and Programming extracurricular clubs to learn how technology works and develop their own ideas into final products.
Data Scientist and Big Data
The Internet itself has enormous amounts of data. Someone needs to turn that information into practical solutions.
- Responsibilities: data professionals work with statistics, programming, predictive models and business analytics.
- Required skills: computer science, statistics, attention to details.
- What schools can do: encourage research and survey projects.
Cybersecurity Specialist
Companies are interested in hiring professionals to protect their data.
- Responsibilities: the work involves a lot of networks, information security, risk assessment and quick response.
- Required skills: computer science.
- What schools can do: encourage research and practical technology projects.
Software and App Developer
Healthcare, banking, transport, entertainment, education and retail all depend on digital systems. But it’s worth mentioning that software development is changing. AI is already capable of assisting with routine coding tasks.
- Responsibilities: designing software and application systems.
- Required skills: computer science, programming, and problem-solving skills.
- What schools can do: support coding and robotics clubs, introduce project-based learning and teach programming languages.
FinTech Engineer and Digital Finance Specialist
Finance is being widely «digitalized». We can make payments with our phones. Also, most financial services are now automated, and blockchain technologies, together with AI analytics, are being introduced. The profession sits at the intersection of technology and finance.
- Responsibilities: designing new FinTech solutions and networks.
- Required skills: computer science, programming, mathematics, economics, data analysis, cybersecurity.
- What schools can do: connect specific topics across subjects. For example, students can study finance during maths classes. Computer science classes can touch upon topics from economics, etc. Students should be encouraged to design solutions rather than learn about problems.
Renewable Energy Engineer
Countries and companies invest in renewable energy, energy storage and technologies designed to reduce emissions.
- Responsibilities: engineering, business and technological innovations.
- Required skills: physics, mathematics and digital skills. They also need to understand environmental systems and economic trade-offs.
- What schools can do: introduce science experiments, environmental projects, robotics clubs. Students should be encouraged to design solutions rather than simply learn about problems.
Environmental Engineer and Sustainability
- Responsibilities: water systems, pollution control, waste management, infrastructure and environmental protection. Sustainability specialists help businesses reduce their environmental impact and meet official regulations.
- Required skills: science, geography, mathematics, creative thinking and problem-solving.
- What schools can do: make sustainability practical, introduce research projects. For instance, students can investigate energy consumption at school, design a recycling system, or volunteer for the school and local communities.
Healthcare and Biotechnology
The world population is aging. So the governments and companies are looking into advances and new medical technologies.
- Responsibilities: Future healthcare careers will combine biology with data, engineering and AI. Examples include biomedical engineers, bioinformatics specialists, genetic technology professionals and digital health experts.
- Required skills: biology, chemistry, mathematics, research skills.
- What schools can do: introduce research projects in which students must find solutions to one or two problems and defend their point of view.
Robotics and Autonomous Systems Specialist
Robots and autonomous systems are increasingly relevant to logistics, transport, agriculture, healthcare and manufacturing.
- Responsibilities: this does not necessarily mean that robots will replace people. In many industries, workers will operate alongside automated systems or design, maintain and supervise them
- Required skills: programming, engineering, creative thinking.
- What schools can do: introduce research and practical projects.
Entrepreneur, Product Creator
Not every in-demand future profession can fit into a job title. Some of the most interesting opportunities come from people who create new products. Entrepreneurship is likely to remain an important career choice.
- Responsibilities: creating and developing new products.
- Required skills: creativity, critical thinking, entrepreneurship.
- What schools can do: introduce group projects and presentations, support students’ initiatives, and discuss global challenges.
The high-demand jobs over the next 10 years will differ. However, many of them will require a similar combination of technical and human abilities.
What skills will remain: analytical thinking, creative thinking, resilience, flexibility, leadership and collaboration.
A strong foundation also includes:
- analytical and critical thinking;
- digital and AI literacy;
- communication and collaboration;
- creativity and innovation;
- problem-solving;
- financial and data literacy;
- adaptability and resilience;
- leadership and project management;
- entrepreneurship;
- awareness of sustainability and global challenges.
These abilities work better when combined. A talented programmer who cannot communicate an idea will struggle to lead a team. A student who cannot analyze information will find it difficult to evaluate AI-generated content.
What Changes in Schools?
UNESCO highlights digital and AI competencies as increasingly important for learners. Its 2025 work on digital learning stresses that education needs to prepare children and young people for a digital future while also addressing ethical and inclusive use of technology. In practice, this can change what a school day looks like.
The future labour market is also likely to be increasingly interconnected. Many people work for international companies, collaborate with colleagues in different countries or continue their education abroad.
For families looking for an international secondary education, the high school in Moscow at the British International School of Moscow offers an English-language educational environment for students aged 11-18. Its program includes Key Stages 3 and 4, IGCSE and A-level studies. Children learn mathematics, foreign languages, physics, informatics, economics, languages, history and art. At the pre-university level, students at BIS School №7 choose 3 or 4 A-level subjects aligned with the career and education they want to pursue at the university level.
The Most Important Skill: Adaptability
There is one problem with making a list of the most demanding jobs over the next 10 years: the future is not fixed.
New technologies can create entire industries. Economic changes can transform existing ones. A profession that is highly specialized today can become broader tomorrow. This is why adaptability is more valuable than a list of «safe» career choices.
Students who know how to learn, question information, collaborate with others and use new technologies will have more options when the labour market changes.
Reskilling will also become a normal part of life. The World Economic Forum estimates that a large share of workers will need additional training or reskilling by 2030. For today's children, lifelong learning will therefore become less of an advantage and more of a basic professional habit.
The hottest careers in the next 10 years will probably include careers that we cannot all name today. Some may disappear. But schools can teach more digital literacy, creativity, analytics, communication and leadership. It means allowing children to experiment, make mistakes and work on problems.
The real goal of future-focused education is not to produce a generation of children who all want to become AI engineers or robotics specialists and get a job in demand in the future. It is to help young people become confident learners who can enter a changing world, recognize new opportunities and acquire the skills they need to pursue them.
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