The new report from the World Economic Forum (WEF) paints a clear picture: the global economy is undergoing a structural mutation of work. Technology, sustainability and demographic changes are not only redefining what jobs will exist, but also what skills will be most valuable.

According to the study, based on responses from more than 1,000 large employers representing 14 million workers in 55 economies, one in five current jobs will change substantially by 2030. This process includes both the creation of new roles and the disappearance of more routine ones. In numbers, the WEF estimates that 170 million new jobs will emerge, while 92 million will be lost, leaving a net balance of 78 million additional jobs globally.

Although the balance is positive, change will be uneven. Opportunities will be concentrated in technology, clean energy, healthcare, education and personal care sectors, while administrative and clerical jobs - those most exposed to automation - will tend to shrink.

Artificial intelligence and automation are the most visible driver of this change, but not the only one. The report also highlights the impact of the green transition, population aging and the geopolitical reconfiguration of trade and production. The combination of these forces is giving rise to a new labor map where economies with strong institutions, active skills policies and developed technological ecosystems will be the best positioned.

For investors, this diagnosis is a roadmap for where economic and human capital growth will be concentrated in the coming years. Companies that adopt emerging technologies quickly, invest in internal training and participate in the energy transition will have a more lasting competitive advantage.

The WEF also identifies a set of key skills that will gain weight in the labor market of the future: digital literacy, analytical thinking, resilience, creativity and continuous learning. In contrast, more repetitive and predictable tasks - whether manual or administrative - will lose relevance as automation becomes more widespread.

In short, the Future of Jobs Report 2025 does not describe a scenario of massive job destruction, but rather a profound reconfiguration of the labor market. The key will lie in adaptation: both for workers, who will have to acquire new skills, and for companies and investors, who will have to anticipate where value will be created.

Main conclusions of the report: 

• 22% of current jobs will undergo structural transformations by 2030.
• 170 million new jobs will be created, with a net positive balance of 78 million.
• The fastest growing sectors: technology, renewable energies, health, education and care.
• The skills most in demand: technological literacy, creativity, critical thinking and resilience.
• Economies that invest in training and early technology adoption will capture most of the value.

You can see more details and download the full report here.

Fynsa 

Source: World Economic Forum