You hear it everywhere: the economy is changing. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, as new fields like robotics, green energy, telecommunications and the Internet of Things are recruiting skilled workers. Engineering design, biometrics and supply chain jobs are available for qualified candidates. Many recruiting firms are advising job seekers to be open to the idea of training, to acquire the skills needed in these new fields. Employers are also hiring veterans, and states are trying to make it easier for them by streamlining the hiring process.
Job training for the new economy
The demand for recruiting services is increasing, a sure sign of an improving job market. However, and this may sound odd to the thousands of people who are looking for jobs, employers also report that they are unable to find qualified candidates to fill the jobs available. In 2013, 76% of employers reported a shortage of skilled candidates in their respective sectors, and in 2014, the number of employers who had trouble finding skilled candidate was 71% of the total.
For job seekers, the lesson is to be prepared for retraining to acquire the skills needed for the jobs opening up in new sectors of the economy. Pharmacies, robotics, packaging and supply chain jobs need skills made possible by new technologies. Job seekers who are willing to gain these skills will have an advantage.
Where the jobs are
So where exactly are the jobs? Recruiting firms are in a good position to know exactly who is hiring. Pharmacies, engineering, and supply chain jobs are recruiting. So are these industries:
- Packaging industry
Drug packaging and flexible packaging are two of the largest sectors of the packaging industry. Of a total packaging market worth U.S. $145 billion, flexible packaging has the second largest share at around 18% of the total. Around 79,000 people are directly employed by the flexible packaging industry. Around 58% of flexible packaging is used for food packing for both retail and institutional outlets.The world drug packaging industry is another major sector, worth a total of around $66 billion. - Electronic security and alarm systems
With new technology, electronic security and alarm systems are in great demand, with the market growing at the rate of around 4.3% each year. Business owners are aware that locations not protected by alarm systems are 4.5 times more likely to be suffer break-ins and burglaries than those locations that do have electronic security systems in place. - Robotics
This a new industry and there is need of skilled workers to fill positions like Robotic Systems Developer, Programmer, Designer, Welder, and Automation Engineering. Many people wrongly believe that robots are taking away jobs from people. In fact, robotics creates new opportunities for skilled workers, who are willing to get the proper training.
In just the first half of 2015, a record number of 14,232 robots were ordered from North American robotics companies. Their total value was worth at $840 million. - Internet of Things
Senior marketers believe that the Internet of Things is the technology with the biggest potential to impact marketing by 2015, ahead of mobile transactions. The Internet of Things or IoT basically connects devices to the Internet via on/off switches and controls. IoT covers three sectors – home, government and enterprise. The number of connected devices is growing rapidly and is expected to increase from 13 billion today to 50 billion by 2020.
Employers are hiring veterans
Employers value the skills that veterans bring to civilian jobs, and list the as self-discipline, teamwork, attention to detail, respect and leadership. To streamline the hiring process, 34 states have waived “behind the wheel” tests for veterans who were driving trucks during their military service. There are opportunities for veterans in various fields like robotics, Internet of Things and supply chain jobs.
Retraining to acquire the job skills needed for the new sectors opens up employment possibility do job seekers.
