When it comes time to think about your future career, take heed of what you are learning presently in class. Examining what you are currently learning will help you figure out what you will be competing against in the future.  Computers are a big field right now, particularly in terms of infrastructure – internal and external. There are many jobs  available within the world of computers, from physically repairing them to designing websites to designing and building applications, maintaining a company’s computers, to even creating products for computers.  You can even work to build computer networks by becoming an electrician or an electrical engineer. There are so many career and job options for people interested in the world of computers!

There are many specialized IT careers out there, which is why career counselors strongly recommend you know what you are passionate about and what you would enjoy doing long-term..  It is a good idea to focus on jobs that are in demand, and that will be in demand for an extended period of time. If you focus on a career stream that will shortly become extinct, it is best to not invest your time and money into it. But that doesn’t necessarily happen when you are in school – opportunities open up all the time; it’s a matter of finding out what you want to do, when you want to do it, and how you’re going to do it.Remember as well that technology changes.  You need to be able to learn new things quickly when a company moves from one version of something to another.

Think big and different too: the skilled trades are in demand for various reasons. Technology breaks down, so you need a repair person. HVAC (heat, ventilation and air conditioning) systems are a growing field, in both new construction and existing buildings. You may even find a job within the trades that not many people know about that is both interesting to you and competitive in the job market, such as installing elevators or medical technology. You never know until you research both the things you’re interested in or searching through job profiles. The idea is to keep an open mind!

However, specialization is not always needed: you need to be able to vary your skills instead. Office jobs in particular seem like you need to be a jack-of-all-trades, because that’s the case – you need to be able to multitask and do your job quickly and effectively while you work on several other items. You can be handling phone calls while answering emails or filing papers. But more than ever, you need to vary your skills and experience with various kinds of software, varying from the older versions (as it can be expensive for a company to upgrade to the newest product), to the newest versions. But it’s not just software, either – there are several applications to help you communicate with your team better.

When it comes to the future of the job market, there are no hard-and-fast answers.  Things remain somewhat vague. It’s a rapidly changing world, with a focus on computers and technology, but other fields remain in constant demand. Ultimately, the best thing to do is to do your research to find what you want, and develop the skills and knowledge that future employers are searching for.