21st Century Careers: The Technological Revolution and Viable Career Paths

Even before the pandemic forced everyone inside, our culture was slowly but surely drifting towards the integration of technology. For proof of this, look no further than the development of smartphones and the subsequent generations of the most popular models; each one sleeker, more efficient, able to connect us to the digital world quicker, and with the ability to run applications and perform vital functions more smoothly. All of this is in the palm of our hands 24-7, nevermind the proliferation of devices like laptops and tablets; The next generation was practically born with a tablet in their hands, and if memory serves, tablets are actually being developed for children, albeit with an educational bent.

With the advent of the fourth industrial revolution, it’s likely that the future of the working world also lies in digital spheres. Amidst a labor shortage brought on by the pandemic, it’s employees that can work in these spheres and assist corporate colonization of these places that are in the highest demand. If you’re one of the individuals looking to remake their lives in the aftermath of the pandemic, switching career paths to something more likely to make money as time goes on, you may want to consider a career in the technological sphere.

While not an exhaustive list of the jobs and opportunities out there, this article seeks to give you a jumping-off point for selecting your next career, with a couple of options to serve most personality types and work styles.

Let’s take a brief tour of careers that will be more secure as technology continues to develop.

App Developer: An Entrepreneurial Gold Rush

While hardly the most stable option on this list, there is a lot of money to be made in the app development market should you succeed. App development centers are coming up with an idea that will patch an existing hole in the market, building a marketable program around it, and then attempting to (essentially) go viral, attaining a skyrocketing amount of downloads and frequent users. The problem with this is that you can never be sure what will catch on; The app market is famously fickle, and even if your app does manage to get attention, it’s unlikely that your user base will continuously use it for long.

However, you can circumvent this problem, should you choose to go down this path, by using application program interfaces or APIs. APIs allow your software to integrate with an already existing framework of programs used by customers, adding functionality and longevity to your application. APIs such as weather APIs can turn your application into a swiss army knife of useful functions, making it more likely that your consumers view your app as vital or necessary to keep on a device.

UX or UI Web Designer: Architects of the Net

A more stable career option might be becoming a user experience (UX) or user interface (UI) web designer. Both of these categories of web design work together to design products that consumers will find easy to navigate and visually appealing, and both are in high demand as corporations look to renovate their shabby websites and expand their online presence. Web designers get paid around $60,000 annually on average, and with the variety of job opportunities available post-pandemic, creative people with programming know-how might want to consider this extremely lucrative career opportunity.

Cybersecurity Specialist: Protecting and Serving

Cybercrime has been a problem ever since the inception of the World Wide Web, with ne’er do wells looking to take advantage of the new platform to steal from the vulnerable; this has only gotten more true as technology has developed and become more sophisticated. In fact, cybercrime is projected to hit just under $1 trillion in global losses as of 2020, with the pandemic providing ample opportunity for these criminals to thrive. As such, cybersecurity officials have never been in higher demand as businesses attempt to protect their assets and data from digital pirates.

Rake in the Profit

As technology continues to evolve and businesses try to expand their influence in digital spheres, officials with the know-how and the qualifications to help companies adapt to digital culture will become more and more valuable. Take advantage of the opportunities created by this national labor shortage; Switch to a career in the digital sphere today.

Featured Image: Anthony Shkraba.