The new-collar boom in 2022, and the industries our next generation of job seekers may be looking towards.
The progression of the next generation of workers through school, college and higher education is always with a view to landing the dream job. In a rapidly developing marketplace that’s led by the speed of technology and the digital strands that govern our lives, what exactly are the white-collar jobs that first-time job seekers should be hunting out?
Well firstly, these days they are called new-collar jobs. The term was coined in 2021 by IBM CEO Ginni Rometty and refers to white-collar jobs styled in technical and digital advancement. Essentially, they represent our progression as people, and as a planet, to an online and interconnective world.
Here then are the top five new-collar jobs first-time job seekers may want to focus on in order to pick a cutting edge, progressive and secure career:
Pharmacy Technician
While healthcare was never far from the pinnacle of the jobs market, the global pandemic has accelerated the sector at even greater speeds than before, with pharmaceutical companies capitalising, as you would expect.
Pharmacy technicians are at the frontline of this; and rather than just a case of doling out medication, the task requires extensive training, supervision, assessment and examination.
In digital terms, this is also a role that’s rapidly evolving, whereby ordering, administering, maintaining patient records and provision of inventory is a tech-driven task; and with people living longer than ever before, the marketplace continues to grow.
Ultrasound Technician
Another healthcare position, the proliferation of ultrasound technology over the past decade has sped up the diagnosing of ailments in patients. Working under the supervision of a physician and using a variety of technical equipment to produce ultrasound images, professional certification will need to be achieved; though for a specialism that has enjoyed a reported 26% growth since 2012, career security is solid.
Cloud Administrator
For many, a Cloud Administrator represents the first tier of what we term ‘new-collar’.
Not only is cloud computing – our ability to store information remotely and away from our hard drives – an obvious trend that is here to stay, but the rapid development of the sector means there is a true shortage of workers.
As it stands, jobs can be filled by people who have completed training and certification programs or are self-taught.
In the next phase, specialist cloud computing qualifications – including use of scripting languages such as Perl, Ruby, or Python – will emerge.
Service Delivery Analyst
A wide-ranging job role that encompasses everything from the rolling out of technology to logistics within the warehouse distribution environment, analysis of service delivery is clearly pivotal in a new world where so much of our lives are digital.
The role requires Microsoft Office proficiency, good communication skills, and experience with prior software implementation and training.
Cybersecurity Architect
Finally, there cannot be an explosion of computer-driven tech roles without an appropriate provision of talent that protects us from its threats.
Sure enough, cybersecurity ranks high in new-collar terms, with analysts expected to be in huge demand as corporations and governments look to protect consumers and customers.
In America alone, in 2019, there were 1.5million unfilled cybersecurity jobs, and the number is now growing.
