REPORT: 10 Fastest Growing Jobs in 2025

Published on January 7 2025, the World Economic Forum (WEF) Future of Jobs Report 2025 is an in-depth analysis of the expectations of organizations with respect to how the labor market will evolve in the coming five years (2025 to 2030). Like earlier versions of the report, the 2025 edition is based on the WEF’s Future of Jobs Survey, conducted in late 2024. 

The survey aggregated opinions from over a thousand employers across the globe. The surveyed employers have over 14.1 million staff on their payroll and span 22 industry clusters across 55 economies. It sheds light on the likely impact of certain macrotrends on industry transformation and employment, as well as the jobs and skills outlook between 2025 and 2030. It also highlights the corresponding workforce transformation strategies which companies intend to adopt to address issues that may arise over that period, as well as remote work insights across industries and regions all over the world.

Key Findings of The Report

The well-researched and comprehensive 290-page report is a must-read for HR and labour market professionals. Here are its key findings:

• Macro trends influencing the workforce: Five key macro trends are shaping the future labor market: 

1. Technological change
2. Green transition​ 
3. Demographic shifts 
4. Geoeconomic fragmentation 
5. Economic uncertainty​
   

• Net job growth: By 2030, these macrotrends are expected to drive the creation of 170 million new jobs (14% of total employment presently). But this job growth will likely be offset by the displacement of 92 million jobs (8% of total employment presently). The outcome will be a net growth of 78 million jobs (7% of total employment presently). 
  
• Fastest-growing jobs: The report identifies several sectors poised for significant growth. These high-demand areas include technology and artificial intelligence (AI) roles such as AI specialists, big data analysts, fintech engineers, and cybersecurity experts. 

The fastest-growing jobs by 2030 will likely be driven mainly by technological changes (for example, advancements in AI and robotics and broadening digital access), increased geoeconomic/geopolitical fragmentation, and the green transition.

• Fastest declining jobs: Certain positions are expected to decline due to the effects of automation and digitalization. Examples include cashiers and ticket clerks; postal service clerks; bank tellers and related clerks; and data entry clerks. 

The main drivers of this decline include broadening digital access, artificial intelligence and information processing technologies, as well as robots and autonomous systems. Aging and declining working-age populations; and slower economic growth are also some contributory factors.

• Labor law changes to reflect remote work: In terms of government policies to boost talent availability (in light of demographic shifts), changes to labour laws related to remote work are highlighted as a priority by 36% of employers. 

Strong demand for such policy changes was particularly noticed among companies whose headquarters are in Sub-Saharan Africa, and, from an industry perspective, among companies in the finance industry (both financial services/capital markets; and insurance/pensions management).

• Evolving skill requirements: Employers forecast a 39% change in employee core job skills by 2030. Though this figure indicates significant ongoing skill disruption, it is lower than the 44% of 2023.
• Net decline for some skills: A small net decline is anticipated in reading, writing, and mathematics. However, a notable net decline is expected for manual dexterity, endurance, and precision. 24% of survey respondents predict that the importance of manual dexterity, endurance, and precision will decrease.
• In-demand skills: The top fastest-growing skills include Technological skills such as AI and big data; networks and cybersecurity; and technological literacy. They are complemented by others such as creative thinking; resilience, flexibility and agility; curiosity and lifelong learning; leadership and social influence; talent management; and analytical thinking.
• Skill gaps: Skill gaps are categorically considered the biggest barrier to business transformation by the Future of Jobs Survey respondents. 63% of employers identified them as a major barrier over the 2025-2030 period. Accordingly, 85% of employers surveyed plan to prioritize upskilling their workforce. 70% of expect to hire staff with new skills. 40% plan to reduce staff as their skills become less relevant. 50% intend to transition staff from declining to growing roles.
• Business practices to increase talent availability: 27% of employers are increasingly interested in implementing flexibility measures, such as allowing remote work across national borders. Those willing to offer country-specific remote and hybrid work opportunities amount to 43%, while 26% say they will support workers saddled with caregiving responsibilities.

10 Fastest Growing Jobs (2025-2030)

1. Big data specialists
2. FinTech engineers
3. AI and machine learning specialists
4. Software and applications developers
5. Security management specialists
6. Data warehousing specialists
7. Autonomous and electric vehicle specialists
8. UI and UX designers
9. Light truck or delivery services drivers
10. 10. Internet of Things specialist

Top Fastest-Growing Jobs

Source: WEF Future of Jobs Report 2025

Region and Economy Insights for Africa 

The Future of Jobs Report 2025 offers insights into how businesses in specific economies and sectors in Africa and other regions are strategizing to effectively navigate the macrotrend-driven labor market transformations between 2025 and 2030. 

In North Africa, the report predicts that rising cost of living, slower economic growth and broadening digital access will emerge as the key trends expected to influence Egypt’s labor market by 2030. 55% of employers in Egypt expect an improvement in talent availability. This is significantly higher than the global average, despite increased skill disruption. 48% of the Egyptian workforce’s on-the-job skills are predicted to change within the next five years compared to 39% globally. 

Also, compared to the global average of 24%, 43% of companies in Egypt anticipate an increasing need for skills in resource management and operations, as well as for skills in reading, writing and mathematics. The report identifies upskilling as the most favored workforce strategy in the Egyptian economy. 

For Morocco-based businesses, the green transition and economic uncertainty are seen as possibly the major drivers of transformation in the country’s labor market by 2030. The leading barriers to business transformation are expected to be skill gaps and internal resistance to change. 

Over the next half-decade, Morocco’s labor employers expect a rising demand for skills in AI and big data; leadership and social influence; and creative thinking. 24% of businesses in the country envisage a workforce strategy that sees talent availability benefiting from placing more emphasis on leveraging diverse talent pools. This is in contrast to the 47% of businesses that anticipate such a workforce strategy globally. 

Employers in Morocco are also making efforts to tackle youth unemployment in the country. 86% of firms have plans to make the youth a priority as part of their diversity, equity and inclusion strategy. This figure is significantly higher than the global average. 

In Tunisia, the challenge posed by skills gaps is perceived as a critical priority that requires attention. Specifically, 80% of firms doing business in the country identify skills gaps as the likely leading barrier to business transformation by 2030. 86% plan to upskill their staff to cope with key business trends. 

Like in neighbouring Morocco, Tunisia’s employers anticipate a strong increase in the demand for skills in AI and big data; leadership and social influence; and creative thinking in the next five years. Programming skills are also expected to enjoy greater demand, with 72% of the surveyed companies seeing it as an area that will experience growth. Out of every 10 labor employers, seven intend to source funds for their training needs internally, while around 41% plan to take advantage of hybrid, co-funding and public-private models.

For countries in sub-Saharan Africa, the WEF report indicates that 64% of companies operating there feel that increasing emphasis on labor and social issues will be the key trend influencing their business strategy between 2025 and 2030. Second to this will be rising cost of living and broadening digital access, as indicated by 59% of surveyed businesses. 

Companies whose headquarters are in sub-Saharan Africa are also having to deal with significant transformation barriers. Some of such barriers include perceived widespread skills gaps and insufficient investment capital. 

Over the next five years, employers in Nigeria and Zimbabwe expect to step up their workforce development efforts. Those in South Africa plan to invest in programmes that promote diversity, equity and inclusion in order to boost access to skilled talent.

In Nigeria, skill gaps and difficulty in talent acquisition will constitute the major business transformation barriers between 2025 and 2030. As the country’s Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) industry develops and more digital jobs are created, network and cybersecurity skills are expected to emerge as its fastest-growing and in-demand skills. 87% of labor employers in Nigeria expect an increasing need for these skills by 2030, compared to a global average of 70% of respondents. 

The next in-demand skills in the country for the survey period are AI and big data; and systems thinking. It is also projected that demand for service orientation/customer service and global citizenship skills in Nigeria will be higher than global demand. 

73% of businesses in Nigeria think that increased government funding for reskilling and upskilling programmes will help address talent and skills gaps. 40% opine that improvements in transportation services and infrastructure will also be of equal importance for boosting talent availability.

Over 60% of South Africa-based firms see skills gaps as the top barrier to business transformation by 2030. Next to this is organizational culture and resistance to change, as indicated by 43% of the respondents. The popularity of jobs such as AI and machine learning specialists and robotics engineers is rising in the country. Hence, organizations have plans to upskill their workforce and acquire talent with new skills that will enable them to cope well with evolving business needs. 

To widen their talent pool and enhance skills matching, 34% of businesses intend to scrap degree requirements, thus paving the way for greater accessibility to emerging jobs. Additionally, many of South Africa’s labor employers expect to prioritize diversity, equity and inclusion. 55% anticipate targeting applicants from disadvantaged ethnic, racial and religious backgrounds while 41% are looking to employ those from low-income backgrounds. Both figures are significantly higher than the global figures, which stand at 27% and 24%, respectively.

In Zimbabwe, there are expectations that almost 50% of on-the-job skills will change over the next five years. This is higher than the global average of 39%. Consequently, 90% of employers plan to upskill their employees. Certain skills are witnessing demand increases at rates that outpace global averages. Examples include systems thinking, customer service; marketing and media; dependability and attention to detail; global citizenship; and quality control. 

Finally, 70% of respondents welcome government interventions aimed at improving Zimbabwe’s education system to make the workforce better equipped for future demands. This is in contrast to the 47% global average.

Conclusion

WEF’s Future of Jobs Report 2025 indicates that technological changes, increased geoeconomic/geopolitical fragmentation, and green transition are some macrotrends that will drive the fastest-growing jobs by 2030. The report also found that 27% of employers show greater interest in offering flexibility measures, for example, enabling remote work across national borders. 

Additionally, 43% of surveyed employers are open to offering remote and hybrid work opportunities within their country of operation, while 26% will support workers with caregiving responsibilities. 36% prioritize improving talent availability through public policy changes to labour laws related to remote work. Strong demand for such policy changes was particularly observed among companies with headquarters in Sub-Saharan Africa, especially those in the finance industry.