A desire to learn and upskill oneself is important to ensure job seekers are equipped to meet the ever-changing trends in the technology, engineering, supply chain, finance and sales industries, says education company Skills Development Corporation (SDC) CEO Daniel Gibhard.

SDC studied the demands of five of the most in-demand jobs in each of these five in-demand industries, and all of the 25 most in-demand jobs require that employees be able to quickly adapt and never stop learning in a formal education setting and in their own capacity, as well as seek opportunities to gain experience through standard employment opportunities, or through training programmes that offer practical work experience.

The Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) innovations continue to shape the world and demand for skilled technology workers continues to grow. The technology industry is suited to those who can quickly adapt to a frequently changing landscape, as well as those who have a desire to never stop learning - both in a formal education setting and in their own capacity.

The most in-demand skills in this sector are cybersecurity, cloud computing, artificial intelligence and machine learning, software development and data science, says Gibhard.

“"For technology industry workers to position themselves to the needs of the technology industry, they should constantly seek out new ways to gain insight, experience and knowledge in these fields. This can include both formal and informal education, with the goal of boasting a large arsenal of skills and competencies, to cater to the range of demands that the industry has,” he points out.

“Workers in the engineering and manufacturing industry must be willing to shift to meet the industry's new demands. However, existing workers have been reported as demonstrating disinterest in pivoting to these new demands, which makes it imperative to upskill and learn to remain employable,” he notes.

The most in-demand jobs in the engineering and manufacturing sector are project manager, quality assurance or quality control manager, health, safety, and environmental manager, product coordinator and head of engineering.

“The level of experience required to perform the most in-demand jobs in this sector means job seekers must work to acquire as much experience as possible. This experience can be gained through standard employment opportunities, or through training programmes that offer practical work experience,” Gibhard says.

Meanwhile the procurement and supply chain industry is experiencing staffing shortages, with an immediate lack of candidates capable of taking on the demanding roles that are currently available.

“Candidates looking for employment in this sector should be dynamic, self-starting, and prepared to take on tough challenges. The most in-demand jobs in this sector are logistics manager, supply chain planning, demand planner, procurement manager and plant supervisor,” he says.

While this industry is one of the most demanding industries SDC studied, it is important to note that jobs in this sector receive the fairest remuneration for work output and levels of qualification, according to Services Sector Education and Training Authority.

This is in contrast to many of the aforementioned jobs, where remuneration is reported as below what is believed as fair, which should entice job seekers, who are looking to build a profitable and sustainable career.

Additionally, sales and marketing is a multi-faceted industry that requires applicants to have a critical understanding of multiple areas of business and industry sectors and prospective employees must be adaptable and learn quickly.

The most in-demand jobs in this sector are business development manager or technical sales, marketing manager, e-commerce key accounts manager or accounts manager, strategy transformation manager and brand manager.

“Given that the most in-demand jobs in the sales and marketing industry are at a management level, job seekers should look for employment where they can gain the experience required to grow into these roles. The 4IR has also impacted the structure of these roles, which has made it increasingly challenging for applicants to meet industry demands,” Gibhard notes.

Further, in the finance and accounting industry, there is no immediate lack of job seekers, but employers have highlighted a lack of specialisation among applicants. This has made it difficult to identify suitable candidates for bespoke needs within a business.

“Those seeking work in this sector, should keep their eye on the requirements of the industry and be prepared to shift to its demands, as and when they occur. The most in-demand jobs in this sector are commercial finance manager, tax-orientated roles, finance manager, head of finance and accountant,” he says.

These roles often require specialisation in their respective industry, which has led to gaps in the job market. 

There are skills gaps in these in-demand industries, and the first gap is a lack of education among job seekers, says Gibhard.

“Employers are looking for professionals who bring a myriad of skills to the table, without the need for large investments into upskilling or education.”

A further contributing factor to the gap is a discrepancy between the level of skill or experience that job seekers possess and fair remuneration.

“From our research, we found that most of the positions mentioned do not pay as highly as applicants who possess the correct level of skill would ideally like to earn.”

A third factor contributing to the gap, and which is not as widely addressed, includes a lack of opportunities for young employees to gain the experience required to take on more senior roles, like managerial positions.

“Businesses should take it upon themselves to provide opportunities to younger employees to grow, wherever possible, so that we can shape the workplace of tomorrow,” suggests Gibhard.