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As a student considering higher education, it can be difficult to determine which courses will create sought-after candidates in the job market. While it’s impossible to predict how the workplace will look in the future, research suggests there are a number of areas of undergraduate study that will prove popular with employers now and in the future.
Data science and analytics
Every day, 2.5 quintillion bytes of data are created, according to IBM, and 90 per cent of the data in the world was generated in the last two years. Graduates who understand how to gather, analyse and draw insights from data will be in high demand as companies look to learn more about their customers and markets. Data science is also hugely important to the healthcare industry, where analysis of large datasets can speed up the diagnosis and development of new drugs.
Degrees: Data science; data analytics; business analytics; machine learning.
Sustainability and environmental science
According to the World Economic Forum, job postings for green jobs are growing nearly twice as fast as the number of workers with the skills to fill them. Only one in eight people currently have the relevant skills to reduce carbon emissions, and women are at a particular disadvantage. Jobs such as renewable energy engineers, solar energy installers and sustainability specialists will grow in demand as businesses and nations try to meet carbon reduction targets, so a relevant degree could be a vital asset.
Degrees: Environmental science; sustainability; sustainable management; climate science; renewable energy; clean technology.
Artificial intelligence
Employers understand the transformative power of AI to make tasks more efficient and improve their decision-making, but they need a workforce that can teach AI tools to align with the needs of their business. AI and machine learning specialists could be working on anything from bespoke bots that speak to customers to sophisticated dashboards that inform business decisions.
Degrees: Artificial Intelligence; AI and robotics; machine learning; AI engineering.
Healthcare and biotechnology
Fields such as genomics and biotechnology are growing as scientists make discoveries. Healthcare and pharmaceutical businesses are building a workforce that will be skilled in personalised medicine, gene therapy and agricultural biotechnology. Meanwhile, healthcare itself is ever more digitalised, and together these developments can streamline healthcare provision and mitigate harm.
Degrees: biotechnology; health informatics; biomedical informatics; genetic engineering.
Augmented reality and virtual reality
Technologies such as augmented and virtual reality aren’t just for gamers; they’re increasingly used in business-critical areas such as training and marketing. Medical trainees use simulations to practise important procedures without the risk of human harm, for example, while virtual walk-throughs help new starters learn more about their employer before their first day. Businesses will be seeking graduates with creative degrees in areas such as VR, AR and immersive game design as these tools grow.
Degrees: virtual reality; AR and VR development; immersive technology; game design.
Cybersecurity
As organisations increasingly rely on digital systems and Internet of Things devices that embed nano-computers and transmit data all day, every day, securing these networks becomes a mammoth task. Worldwide, cybercrime cost companies around $8 trillion (£6.16 trillion) in 2023, and that is set to rise to almost $23.84 trillion (£18.37 trillion) by 2027, according to the US Agency for International Development. Graduates with cybersecurity or related degrees will therefore be in strong demand.
Degrees: Cybersecurity; information security; ethical hacking.
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