A big part of your career development will come down to the industry you’re in. Whether you’re reevaluating your options or preparing to enter the workforce for the first time, these are 3 of the best industries for the future.
These aren’t niche industry ideas; these are large industries that are stable and profitable. At the same time, these top industries of the future are also innovative and exciting sectors that are positioned for growth.
These 3 industries offer stability and a proven business model, while still providing tremendous growth opportunity and upside potential in the near future.
3 Top Industries of the Future:
1. Technology
What and Why:
You’ve probably already heard, but the tech industry is booming. Some of the most desirable employers in the world are tech companies- Google, Apple, Microsoft, and more. This industry is stable and well-established, but is also responsible for some of the most exciting innovations that are occurring in the world right now. Tech is the best of both worlds- reliable and proven, but with an enormous amount of upside potential still waiting to be discovered. There are a lot of different niche areas within this industry too, from software to phones to computers and tablets. Technology is going to start showing up in more and more places in the future as this industry grows, including our cars, our houses, our offices, etc.
Some of the best paying technology jobs are for programmers and software engineers. But like any big industry, there are a wide variety of jobs available outside of these areas too.
Significant geographical regions within the US:
- San Francisco Bay Area
- Los Angeles
- New York City
- Austin, Texas
- Las Vegas
- Seattle
If you want more info on why tech/IT is one of the best and most promising future industries, Comptia.org released an in-depth IT industry outlook report here.
We’ve also recently published an IT job guide with salaries here.
2. Biotechnology
What and Why:
I might be slightly biased because this is the industry that I worked in as a recruiter, but I believe that biotech is one of the best industries to be a part of, and it will continue to provide excellent career opportunities in the future.
Let’s talk a bit about what type of jobs are available in biotech, and then I’ll share more about why it’s one of the best sectors of the future for employment prospects and career growth.
Biotech is a bit different from the traditional pharmaceutical industry, although biotechnology products can often target some of the same diseases as traditional pharmaceutical drugs. Biotechnology uses living organisms (cells, proteins, antibodies, etc.) to treat diseases within the patient’s body. In contrast, pharmaceutical drugs tend to be made up of non-living materials, and are designed by chemists rather than biologists.
If you have a science background or an interest in working for companies that are creating cutting-edge medicines to prevent and treat diseases, this industry is definitely worth a look! Biotechnology has a very bright future in the fight against cancer, thanks in part to newer innovations such as cell/gene therapy. You don’t have to be a biologist or a scientist to work in Biotech either. Biotech companies need salespeople, engineers, quality assurance, etc.
Significant geographical regions within the US:
- San Francisco Bay Area
- Boston
- New York/New Jersey
- Maryland/Washington DC
- Los Angeles
- San Diego
3. Energy
What and Why:
Energy is already in short supply, and it’s only going to get worse (or better, if you’re one of the people working in this industry). With developing nations like China, India, and Brazil catching up to the US and Europe in terms of technology and energy consumption, the world’s energy demand is going to skyrocket. Oil will continue to play a huge role in the world’s energy supply, and other sources such as nuclear power and alternative or “green” energy will also be utilized more.
If you don’t want to work in oil, coal, or one of the traditional areas, consider a career in “green” or renewable energy. You could look into solar energy, wind energy, or bio-fuels. It’s almost a guarantee that we’re going to have to use a variety of energies to meet the world’s demand in the future, so most of these niches are a relatively good bet when choosing a career path.
Significant geographical regions within the US:
- Houston, Texas
- Denver, Colorado
- North Dakota
- Cheyenne, Wyoming
- San Francisco Bay Area and Southern California (for “green” energy).
Are These the Only Good Industries for the Future?
The 3 industries above are what we consider to be the best industries to work in the future, but that doesn’t mean they’re the only good options!
Don’t get discouraged if you want to do something that’s not on the list.
There are many other good jobs and careers outside of the top industries mentioned above.
Digital marketing is one example of a fast-growing field that didn’t make our list.
Also, the 3 industries above are VERY broad, so you may be able to find an exciting job in one of those 3 top industries even if you didn’t think it would suit you.
For example, there’s so much within the field of Technology. There are graphic designers and artists, programmers, data scientists. There are sound engineers. There are video game designers. And much more.
So use this list of best industries to work in the future as a guideline to begin your career planning, but it’s also okay if you have another career you’d like to get into! And the truth is – nobody knows what the future will look like with 100% certainty.
