New job opportunities are on the horizon, and we’re looking at an increase in non-traditional work roles, and those that don’t require the usual qualifications. One of the biggest shifts we’re expecting is in how roles will change once artificial intelligence (AI) becomes a regular part of the workplace. This transformation is underway and is set to free up more bandwidth for higher value work, enabling professionals to focus on tasks where their skills are most valuable.
For example, in the legal, tax & accounting, government, risk management, and compliance fields, a recent survey indicates that two-thirds of professionals anticipate new career paths and non-traditional work roles to open up within the next 18 months to five years. Automation and AI may make certain tasks more appropriate for junior professionals rather than those with professional licensure, which could increase the profit margin for companies and create more opportunities for progression. This expansion of options for career progression could lead to “Professional 2.0” emerging earlier in one’s career, opening up the door for younger professionals to move up the ladder faster.
Despite the predicted decrease in entry-level positions, a majority of respondents also expect an increase in the number of professionals in their firm or department, with a trend towards increased team recruitment. All of this change is expected to lead to expanded training and development needs, with the majority of professionals anticipating mandatory AI training for all professionals over the next five years. We could be seeing some big changes in training methods and the nature of university education in the not-so-distant future.
