Top careers with highest risk of job loss revealed

Cashiers, administrative assistants, caretakers, housekeepers, accountants and auditors, graphic designers and bank tellers are at the highest risk of job loss in the next five years.

This is according to the World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs Report, which also shows that 170 million new jobs will be created this decade. 

Over 92 million jobs will be displaced according to the report.

The report, which surveyed more than 1,000 largest employers globally - representing 22 industry clusters and more than 14 million workers, shows that demand for roles driven by technological advancements such as artificial intelligence (AI) is quickly gaining traction.

These jobs include big data specialists, fintech engineers, and AI and machine learning specialists. Additionally, one billion jobs will continue to emerge in the evolving labour market.

The jobs created are equivalent to 14 per cent of today’s employment, alongside, 92 million roles that will be displaced by these same trends.

This means there will be a net employment increase of 78 million jobs.

Farm workers top the list of the largest growing jobs between 2025 and 2030, followed by delivery service drivers, software developers, building construction workers, fisheries, shop salespersons, food processing and motor vehicle drivers.

Others are nursing professionals, food and beverage serving workers, general and operations managers, and social work and counselling professionals.

The report attributes this to demographic trends, especially ageing working-age populations.

Education tutors

Other growing jobs in this decade include those of project managers, university and higher education tutors, secondary education teachers and personal care aides.

The report shows that cashiers, auditors, accountants, cleaning caretakers, housekeepers and administrative assistants may not have jobs in the next five years, as they top the list of top declining jobs between 2025 and 2030.

Clerical and secretarial workers are among the job categories predicted to see the largest net job decline in absolute terms. The survey projects that more employers – 60 per cent – expect broadening digital access to transform their business.

In the survey, artificial intelligence (AI) and information processing technologies are expected to have the biggest impact – with 86 per cent of respondents expecting these technologies to transform their business by 2030.

Other micro trends projected to drive business transformation are the high cost of living and inflation, transformation, investments to reduce carbon emissions, slower economic growth, ageing and declining work-age populations, among others.

The report shows that the global economic outlook appears to be shaped by a combination of cautious optimism and persistent uncertainties in early 2025.

According to the World Economic Forum’s September 2024 Chief Economists Outlook, while there are signs of improving global conditions, vulnerabilities persist.

“Most surveyed chief economists - 54 per cent- expect economic conditions to hold steady in the short term. However, among those anticipating change, more expect conditions to worsen rather than strengthen,” World Economic Forum.

The Future of Jobs Survey reveals that around 34 per cent of surveyed employers see heightened geopolitical tensions and conflicts as a key driver of organisational transformation.

The 2024 economic performance was marked by a global decrease in inflation and an unusually resilient economy throughout the disinflationary process.

The report notes that while easing inflation and looser monetary policy offer some optimism, slow growth and political volatility keep many countries at risk of economic shocks.

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) projects growth to hold steady at 3.2 per cent in 2025, despite sizable downward growth revisions in a few economies, particularly low-income developing ones.

Despite this comparatively steady outlook, price pressures persist in many economies. Inflation remains particularly high in services – at almost twice pre-pandemic levels – and is especially persistent in low-income countries.

Inflationary pressures

According to the survey, low-income countries are disproportionately affected by rising inflationary pressures because of elevated food prices due to supply disruptions influenced by climate shocks, regional conflicts and geopolitical tensions.

Against this backdrop, companies expect economic pressures to be among the most transformative drivers. Over 39 per cent of core skills are projected to change in the next five years, while 61 per cent is expected to remain the same.

In the assessment by the World Economic Forum, analytical thinking remains the top core skill for employers, with seven out of 10 companies considering it as essential.

This is followed by resilience, flexibility and agility, along with leadership and social influence, underscoring the critical role of adaptability and collaboration alongside cognitive skills.

Creative thinking, motivation and self-awareness rank fourth and fifth, respectively.

This combination of cognitive, self-efficacy and interpersonal skills within the top five emphasizes the importance ascribed by respondents to having an agile, innovative and collaborative workforce, where both problem-solving abilities and personal resilience are critical for success.

Talent management, AI and big data, resource management, cyber security and marketing and media have also been ranked as top core skills essential in the workforce.

While the core skill sets are relatively consistent across broader industries and geographical regions, the insurance and pensions management industry places a significantly higher value on curiosity and lifelong learning, with 83 per cent of respondents identifying it as a core skill.

Resilience, flexibility and agility are also considered especially crucial in this sector. When compared to the 2023 edition of this report, some significant shifts in core skills have emerged.

Leadership and social influence, AI and big data, talent management, and service orientation and customer service have all seen marked increases in relevance.

“Technological advances are expected to drive skills change more than any other trend over the next five years,” the 2025 survey reveals.