NEWS
Megatrends: your clues to the jobs of the future
In a world where the only thing certain is change, how can you know where the jobs of the future will be? A look at some of the key megatrends driving that change offers a few clues.
RMIT's programs in Biotechnology and Food Science are designed to address food security and production challenges.
Megatrends – major shifts in economy, business and demographics that have the potential to disrupt society as we know it – shed light on how organisations will need to adapt to changing needs.
Global networking and a growing, ageing population are two of the key megatrends shaping the future.
RMIT offers a number of programs designed to address these emerging global trends and prepare students for the jobs of the future. Here we shine the spotlight on four key areas to watch:
Analytics
Fact: more information was created in the past two years than in the history of humankind.
Each of us contributes to this swirling sea of data every time we search the web, log into Facebook or simply turn on our smartphone. This exponential increase in the availability of data is providing opportunities to derive valuable insights using analytics.
Analytics is the science of crunching data to find patterns in order to make better informed decisions in business and marketing, but also in other areas such as meteorology, sports or health. We can thank analytics (Big Data) for helping us to map the Human Genome Project and the Square Kilometre Array.
Analytics enables people to make important decisions to ensure the success of their organisations, which provides a rewarding and valued career path, and right now, employers are looking for people who have the skills to work with large-scale data and uncover insights to gain a competitive advantage.
Find out more about statistics and analytics at RMIT.
Healthcare Services and Nursing
Over the next decade or two, the ageing population together with an advance in medical technology will see registered nurses as the most in demand profession in Australia.
According to recent research by the Australian Government, this demand is being driven by an ageing population living longer, combined with rising costs of technology and treatment, and increasing consumer expectations.
It is expected that there will be strong job growth over next year or two; however by 2025 Australia will face a shortfall of approximately 85,000 nurses. In order for Australia to close this gap, the health sector will need nurses with specialisations in aged care as well as acute and chronic healthcare practice.
Find out more about nursing and allied health at RMIT.
Food Technology
Call it what you will – the “food revolution”, the “dining boom” – there is no denying our obsession with food right now. But apart from the fact that we love to eat it, what about the science of food? How is food grown and made to ensure taste, nutritional value and quality?
Food Science and Technology at RMIT is the study of the chemical and physical properties of food, as well as the development and production of nutritionally-improved food products.
Food is big business and Australia is in a fortunate position, with Asia on our doorstep hungry for our quality produce. According to the Australian Government’s Job Outlook website, employment for food scientists to November 2019 is expected to grow strongly.
Further, Melbourne's food industry is set to double over the next 10 years in a State Government plan that will make the city's northern region a major food industry hub with the assistance of RMIT's facilities and expertise.
The hub will address issues such as food security, food safety (for exported foods), value-adding to food products and the growing demand for food products in the Asia-Pacific.
On the wider scale, the Australian Government’s National Food Plan aims to increase the value of food related exports from Australia by 45 per cent and to increase food productivity by 30 per cent by 2025.
Find out more about food science and technology at RMIT.
Biotechnology
Biotechnology relies on biological processes to develop products in the medical, agricultural, industrial, environmental sectors that improve the way we live. It plays an important role as we attempt to deal with emerging challenges in climate change, world health and food security.
Various developments in this area include vaccines and medicines; management of pests and disease; and environmental restoration and preservation – however, the capabilities are endless.
Biotechnology plays a key role in government, media, local and global investment, and makes a significant contribution to Australia’s economy.
While Australia receives global recognition for its biotechnology capabilities, Victoria is fast becoming the biotech hub of Australia. Over the past five years, the Victorian Government has invested in a plan to support biotechnology research and development, bringing industry and research together to promote innovation.
With a national push to create more expertise in this area, biotechnology offers an exciting opportunity to work in an area of science with huge potential.
Find out more about biotechnology and biological sciences at RMIT.
Story: Rebecca McGillivray