Almost a quarter of current jobs are expected to “fundamentally change” withing five years, sparking an urgent call to reskill the Australian workforce.
The 2025 Future of Jobs Report states 22 percent of jobs will change by 2030, as a result of technology change, the green transition, geoeconomic fragmentation, economic uncertainty and demographic shifts.
Innes Willox, Chief Executive of the Australian Industry Group, the Australian partner for the biennial global report, said it reinforced the critical and immediate need to reskill workforces.
“The report reveals a tangled mix of global drivers transforming jobs globally and in Australia, resulting in skill disruption, new and evolving skill demands, particularly in technology-related fields, and a substantial need for reskilling and upskilling,” Mr Willox said.
“It demonstrates the importance of building the capability and size of Australia’s workforce now and over the coming years.”
Mr Willox said 63 percent of employers globally said skill gaps were the biggest barrier to business transformation.
“While they are making considerable effort to diversify, upskill and support their workforces, this must be complemented by effective public jobs and skills policies in the next five years.
“That must include strategies to build talent for new and emerging roles; funding for, and provision of, broad reskilling and upskilling; and strategies to support diversity, equity and inclusion, and displaced and mature-aged workers.”
He said on current trends over the 2025-2030 period there would be a net growth of 7 percent of total employment, or 78 million jobs globally, representing both job creation and destruction.
The report found, globally, frontline job roles were predicted to see the largest growth in absolute terms of volume.
Mr Willox said they included Farmworkers, Delivery Drivers, Construction Workers, Salespersons and Food Processing Workers.
He said care economy jobs and Education roles were also expected to grow significantly.
“They include Nursing Professionals, Social Work and Counselling Professionals and Personal Care Aides, as well as University, Higher and Secondary Education Teachers.”
Mr Willox said technology-related jobs were the fastest-growing roles in percentage terms, with green and energy transition roles also fast-growing.
He said this included Big Data Specialists, Fintech Engineers, AI and Machine Learning Specialists and Software and Application Developers.
Read the full Future of Jobs Report 2025.
