In counseling high school students who want to study and work abroad, I am often asked, "What should I major in?". At the same time, parents want to know, "what jobs will be on demand?".
These are relevant questions. Studying internationally is often a substantial financial investment, and families are looking for a good return on this investment.
Also, often students are concerned about getting a job after graduation, in their home country or anywhere in the world.
LinkedIn's Talent Blog points out the fastest growing jobs around the world.
Positions experiencing exponential growth are in traditional but always on demand fields: education and healthcare, and also, of course, technology and how it relates to the consumer.
In Brazil these three areas are the ones with the fastest growth in jobs:
Specialized medical professionals
Technology roles
Pharmaceutical/research roles
In the UK, these are the prominent areas:
Professionals on the frontline of e-commerce
Healthcare supporting staff
Digital content freelancers
In the US, these jobs are on the rise:
Professionals on the frontline of e-commerce
Loan and mortgage experts
Healthcare supporting staff
This does not mean, of course, that all students should be studying education, finance, nursing, medicine, or software engineering. In two more years, these lists could change!
So, when parents ask me what jobs are on demand, and students want to know what major they should pick, I often respond that college is for a young person to learn how to think critically, hone their hard and soft skills, and be prepared for the job market as a whole - not for just one niche. And let's not forget, college is part of a journey to become a compassionate and kind leader, an adult that will make a difference in the world!
In choosing a major, therefore, the student should be counseled according to his or her interests and aptitutes, to develop competencies and skills in college. In general, college abroad is a time for exploration and not necessarily for in depth specialization, which can be done at the graduate level (pós-graduação).
Comments