As organisations become more affected by the disruptions of artificial intelligence, biotechnology, robotics, environmental change, global connectedness, and the rise of the remote worker, they have had to, and will continue to, adapt the job roles they offer.

Before you start to map out your 10-year career goals, understand how these workplace changes will impact organisations. Based on that knowledge, you can plan how to get yourself job-ready.

CHREATE (the Global Consortium to Reimagine HR, Employment Alternatives, Talent, and the Enterprise) identified five fundamental forces driving these changes:

1. Organisational rearrangements

Organisations will become more flexible and transparent, with a focus on project-based relationships and business sustainability.

Will you move up into management?

Currently, the third most difficult positions for South African businesses to fill are management and executive roles – a trend that is predicted to continue for the next 10 years. Which means you could be the working professional who fills that gap – whether that’s navigating the project-based approach of future organisational structures, or offering operational expertise.

2. A global and diverse talent pool

The workforce will become increasingly multigenerational and diverse, while the workspace will become more flexible and agile.

Are you the talent management professional of the future?

If you develop a strong portfolio of skills now, you could become a key facilitator in retaining and engaging this diverse workforce of the future, while also managing and implementing changes within the workplace.

3. A connected world

As virtual devices enable workplace interactions and communication to happen anywhere, at any time, job roles and careers become increasingly redefined to fit into these boundary free models.

Is cloud computing the career for you?

Leaders within the IT industry believe the ongoing growth of cloud-based services will create a myriad of job opportunities in the future, with the majority of companies using some form of cloud computing.

Which means there are a number of opportunities for you to branch into this industry – either learning the skills needed to develop and manage cloud computing software, or to learn how to protect your future company from inevitable cyber threats.

4. Rapid technology change

Artificial intelligence, robots, autonomous vehicles, and the Internet of Things is reshaping the world of work into an ecosystem that demands a workforce who can handle uncertainty, adapt to frequent changes, engage with automation and develop their knowledge when certain skills become obsolete.

Do you want to take your tech skills into healthcare?

A recent report by MarketsandMarkets, revealed the US Health IT market is expected to reach $104 billion by the year 2020. This growth is due to the increased need to improve the quality of healthcare, while ensuring operational and technological efficiency within healthcare entities.

You have an opportunity now to start developing your tech skills in order to have a significant impact on the healthcare industry in the future.

5. Collaboration between humans and automation

As big data, analytics and artificial intelligence take over work that was previously performed by humans, new job roles will start to open up.

Could you be the next Online Course Developer?

The e-learning market is predicted to experience significant global growth over the next five years, largely driven by advances in technology, evolving business needs and a number of emerging Learning & Development trends.

The ability to implement and develop online courses and programmes; or utilise online learning techniques for corporate training, is going to make you an invaluable asset to the e-learning industry in the years to come.

Although the future job landscape is going to inevitably look quite different than it does today, there will still be a number of professions that will remain in high demand. By investing in these professions now, you’re guaranteed to be ahead of the curve.

This article was published in partnership with online education provider, GetSmarter, and is the second of a five-part career advice series, brought to you monthly.

Look out for next month’s piece to find out what the 8 most in-demand freelance skills are right now.

And in case you missed it, last month’s piece was practical tips for making a career change, no matter what stage of your career you’re in.

Visit getsmarter.com to browse a diverse portfolio of over 60 university-approved continuing education online short courses.