Thinking about the workforce of the future should be on every student’s back-to-school to-do list. We recently listed the most in-demand education on the job market right now. (See: The university degrees that earn the highest starting salaries.) But what about the top jobs of the next decade?

From creating gourmet cricket recipes to becoming a star teacher on YouTube, careers of the future are nothing like mom or dad’s office job. And now that a university or college degree is no longer a ticket to success, it’s important that today’s students plan for tomorrow’s career.

To help students prepare for career success, Future Shop recruited Trevor Haldenby, a Canadian futurist, to identify the top five career prospects of 2020. Students, take note.

The top jobs predicted for 2020:

    1. Foodologist

    A hybrid of a biologist, psychologist, farmer and chef, the foodologist combines science and art to find new recipes for crickets, termites or lab-created filet mignon. Foodologists can expect to find work in labs, restaurants, self-driving food trucks and green belts across Canada.

    2. Personal transmedia consultant

    One part digital bodyguard and one part personal PR agent, the personal transmedia consultant manages their client’s social networks and personal data. Personal transmedia consultants can find work in cities like Toronto, Vancouver and Montreal, managing the social profiles of high-profile youth – even hosting mixers and parties to boost their social influence.

    3. Star subscription teacher

    The star subscription teacher is a rock star of the classroom. In 2020, teachers will record their lessons, and the best teachers will have a following of millions on YouTube. Subscription teachers can work from anywhere on the planet.

    4. Virtual tour guide

    In 2020, the VT (virtual tourism) industry will employ virtual guides to create personalized tours of a remote part of the planet with an eco-friendly drone or robot. Virtual tour guides should be knowledgeable in programming, small vehicle machinery and the latest social media outlets (VT customers can share their experience on social media networks).

    5. Corporate game master

    Future corporate game masters know that a creatively engaged workplace is a high-performance workplace. The corporate game master makes work fun by injecting elements of gaming, reward and play to the office. In 2020, corporate game masters will find work across the country, often in small and medium-sized enterprises.

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Nicole Wray is a member of Generation Y and a regular contributor to Workopolis.
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