Looking Ahead: The fastest growing industries of the 2020s

As the 2010s draw to a close, it's helpful to look at the progress we've made. Since the beginning of the decade, our devices have become more powerful, the world has become more connected and many new career paths have opened up.

In 2010, just 28.7% of world's population had access to the internet. In 2019, that figure rose to 58.8%, with new markets opening up in Asia, South America and Africa. Over the same time period, the percentage of Americans who own a smartphone rose from below 35% to more than 81%.

The decade also saw a number of new job titles appear and expand into essential roles. Examples include: social media managers, app developers, cloud computing specialists, data scientists and sustainability engineers.

Looking ahead to the 2020s

No one knows for certain if the fast pace of growth with continue into the next decade, but it is all but assured that new roles and job responsibilities will emerge. As technologies like artificial intelligence, machine learning and bioengineering continue to advance, companies will require new talent. Today's college graduates will enter a workforce where they will not only compete with three older generations of workers, but also increasingly intelligent machines.

Meanwhile, current employees may need to expand their skill sets, pivot their career trajectories or take up completely new types of work. Recruiters will likely play a role in guiding both groups toward relevant and fulfilling opportunities.

Curious to see what tomorrow's employment landscape will look like? We may not have a crystal ball, but our infographic below highlights some of the likeliest contenders for the fastest-growing jobs of the 2020s: