ChatGPT was released to the public in November 2022. Two years later, it boasts a staggering 200 million weekly users on the OpenAI platform. This rapid AI-adoption foreshadowed a wave of sweeping changes in the labor market—including layoffs, skills shifts, and entirely new job categories. In January 2025, we can see what it has led to.
A new era unfolds
“Regarding adjusting the composition of their workforce, 70% of organizations surveyed plan to hire new staff with emerging in-demand skills, 51% intend to transition staff from declining to growing roles internally, while 41% foresee staff reductions due to skills obsolescence.”
The 41% reduction mentioned in the report can already be felt—companies have started initiating layoffs across multiple industries. Unsurprisingly, AI stands out in the report, with half of employers planning to adapt their business strategies to leverage its potential and two-thirds intending to hire talent skilled in AI.
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The future of jobs: 2025 and beyond
The WEF’s Future of Jobs Report 2025 highlights a dramatic transformation in the global workforce over the next five years. Technology, climate change, and economic shifts are reshaping employment landscapes, projecting a net growth of 78 million jobs by 2030. This growth stems from a delicate balance: while 170 million new jobs will be created, 92 million existing roles will be displaced.
Technology’s role in job creation and displacement
Technological advancements are set to be the most significant drivers of labor market shifts, with digital access, AI, and robotics leading the way.
Broadening digital access alone is expected to create 19 million jobs while displacing 9 million, making it a key force in reshaping the workforce. Similarly, AI and information processing technologies are projected to create 11 million jobs but displace 9 million, emphasizing their transformative power.
Robotics and autonomous systems, however, are anticipated to result in a net loss of 5 million jobs, marking them as the most prominent job displacers.
Top 10 jobs by largest decline
- Cashiers and Ticket Clerks
- Administrative Assistants and Executive Secretaries
- Building Caretakers, Cleaners and Housekeepers
- Material-Recording and Stock-Keeping Clerks
- Printing and Related Trades Workers
- Accounting, Bookkeeping and Payroll Clerks
- Accountants and Auditors
- Transportation Attendants and Conductors
- Security Guards
- Bank Tellers and Related Clerks
Top jobs by net growth
On the sunny side of the sweeping changes, emerging technological roles are experiencing fast-paced growth; however, the most significant absolute job gains happen in frontline positions, such as farm workers, delivery drivers, and construction workers. Developers rank third on the list, reflecting the increasing demand for tech expertise alongside traditional labor roles.
- Farmworkers, Laborers, and Other Agricultural Workers
- Light Truck or Delivery Services Drivers
- Software and Applications Developers
The care economy is also booming, with professions like nursing and social work significantly expanding, driven by demographic trends, especially aging populations.
Despite these gains, about 39% of the workforce must update or completely transform their skills by 2030.
Employers are responding, with 85% prioritizing workforce upskilling and over half planning to increase wage allocations. Future of Jobs Survey respondents consider skill gaps the most significant barrier to business transformation, with 63% of employers identifying them as a substantial barrier over the 2025-2030 period. Accordingly, 85% of employers surveyed plan to prioritize upskilling their workforce, with 70% expecting to hire staff with new skills, 40% planning to reduce staff as their skills become less relevant, and 50% planning to transition staff from declining to growing roles.”
Fastest-growing roles
Roles in emerging fields like AI, big data, networks, and cybersecurity are experiencing the fastest growth among all job categories, driven by the ongoing digital transformation trend. Unlike frontline roles, which show the most significant absolute growth, these roles are fueled by 60% of employers anticipating digital access to reshape their business by 2030.
Top 10 occupations with the most significant expected job growth:
- Big Data Specialists
- FinTech Engineers
- AI and Machine Learning Specialists
- Software and Applications Developers
- Security Management Specialists
- Data Warehousing Specialists
- Autonomous and Electric Vehicle Specialists
- UI and UX Designers
- Light Truck or Delivery Services
- Drivers
These projected trends underscore a growing need for organizations and individuals to adapt rapidly to the evolving demands of the workforce. As technology reshapes industries and creates new opportunities, addressing the skills gap has become critical.
Bridge your skill gap with Codecool
Meanwhile, at Codecool, we are keeping pace with these technological advances.
Our full-stack course is continually updated to focus on the rise of AI technologies. Our curricula and methods constantly evolve and include AI-focused workshops and AI projects to help our IT professionals master AI tools for the programming lifecycle.
We also work with companies to help speed up their digitalization with specialized corporate IT training. These training solutions provide an all-in-one answer to digitalization: upskill your team efficiently to avoid layoffs, boost employee satisfaction, and improve retention.
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Work with one of Europe’s leading digital training centers and simplify digitalization for your people.
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