Hi-tech changes predicted in work

Technology will transform work in the next decade, with new jobs like a human body designer and space tour guide, a report predicts.

Only a third of university students believe their chosen career will exist in 10 years, said a report by Microsoft and The Future Laboratory. Jobs in virtual reality, robotic engineering and visual communications will come on stream, it was predicted.

Steve Tooze of The Future Laboratory said: “Technological change, economic turbulence and societal transformation are disrupting old career certainties, making it increasingly difficult to judge which degrees and qualifications will remain a passport to a well-paid and fulfilling job in the decades ahead.

“In the next decade, a technological revolution, essentially a second industrial revolution, will open up inspiring and exciting new career opportunities in sectors of the economy that are only in their infancy today. The trick for graduates is predicting what those new jobs will be.”

Ryan Asdourian of Microsoft said: “While these jobs may seem like the realms of science fiction, in reality they are indicative of changes that we are already seeing today.”