Careers in health care, education and digital services are set to be among the fastest-growing in Southeast Asia this year, according to a new report released Tuesday.
LinkedIn’s inaugural “Jobs on the Rise” report points to a surge in demand for medical professionals, teachers and creatives in 2021, as the coronavirus changes the face of the region’s jobs landscape.
To be sure, the study — a special edition of the site’s annual emerging jobs report — also notes continued demand for technical specialists, such as data analysts and engineers. But LinkedIn’s Feon Ang, vice president of talent and learning solutions for Asia-Pacific, said the findings also indicate a change in direction this year.
These (trends) have emerged in direct relation to the global pandemic.
Feon Ang
vice president (APAC), talent and learning solutions, LinkedIn
“These (trends) have emerged in direct relation to the global pandemic, and reflect the current landscape around us,” Ang told CNBC Make It.
For its report, the professional networking site tracked the growth in listings for over 15,000 job titles to identify those that increased the most in 2020 compared to the previous year. Those titles were then grouped into 15 major career trends for various markets globally, including the U.S.
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In particular, Ang highlighted the rise of medical roles. They include not only work for frontline medical staff like doctors and nurses, but also social workers and mental health professionals.
Elsewhere, the rapid rate of digitalization — for instance the shift to online retail due to lockdowns — has opened up new roles in e-commerce and supply chain. Those trends, in turn, have led businesses to implement new digital technologies, resulting in a surge in demand for software and cybersecurity specialists.
“These growing jobs demonstrate that there are still various opportunities for job seekers with a range of skills and experience,” said Ang.
She added that they also present opportunities for career changers, or those newly out of work, to shift into growing industries, for instance by learning new skills online. “By adopting a lifelong learning mindset, and picking up new skills or honing their current ones, workers can prepare themselves to take up these emerging roles.”
Based on LinkedIn’s report, here are the 15 biggest career categories of 2021, including the most in-demand positions, main skills required and major cities hiring for each role.
1. Digital content
Top job roles: Editor, copywriter, podcaster, YouTube content creator, video editor
Skills required: Public speaking, proof reading, video editing, Adobe Premier Pro, creative writing
Where the jobs are: Jakarta, Indonesia; Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; Manila, Philippines; Bangkok, Thailand
2. Data analyst
Top job roles: Business operations analyst, business development analyst, data analyst
Skills required: Data analysis, data visualization, analytical skills, database programming language SQL, requirements analysis
Where the jobs are: Jakarta, Indonesia; Bangkok, Thailand; Chachoengsao, Thailand; North Sumatra, Indonesia
3. Software & technology
Top job roles: Web developer, system analyst, mobile application developer, full stack engineer, front-end developer, DevOps consultant who manages software development and IT operations
Skills required: JavaScript, web development, Amazon Web Services (AWS), programming languages MySQL and HTML
Where the jobs are: Bangkok, Thailand; Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; Chiang Mai, Thailand
4. Finance & insurance
Top job roles: Financial advisor, accountant, financial planner, finance specialist, insurance agent
Skills required: Financial planning, insurance, risk management, financial analysis, accounting
Where the jobs are: Jakarta, Indonesia; Bangkok, Thailand; Manila, Philippines; Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
5. Education
Top job roles: English second language teacher, Chinese teacher, academic tutor, information technology teacher, mathematics tutor
Skills required: Educational leadership, curriculum development language teaching, English as a Second Language (ESL), tutoring
Where the jobs are: West Java province, Indonesia; Manila, Philippines; Samut Songkhram, Thailand; Bangkok, Thailand
6. Digital marketing
Top job roles: Social media manager, digital marketing specialist, social media marketing specialist, marketing analyst
Skills required: Social media marketing, copywriting, Google Analytics, lead generation, digital marketing
Where the jobs are: Jakarta, Indonesia; Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; Manila, Philippines; Bangkok, Thailand
7. E-commerce
Top job roles: Online specialist, e-commerce co-ordinator
Skills required: Online marketing, e-commerce, search engine optimization (SEO) to help drive web traffic
Where the jobs are: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; Manila, Philippines; Jakarta, Indonesia
8. Business development and sales
Top job roles: Sales specialist, account manager, account executive, business development specialist
Skills required: Negotiation, account management, business development, business planning, lead generation to help attract consumer interest
Where the jobs are: Jakarta, Indonesia; Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; Manila, Philippines; Bangkok, Thailand
9. Health-care/medical support
Top job roles: Medical technologist, pharmacy assistant, healthcare assistant, medical officer, medical specialist
Skills required: Health care, medical assisting, pharmaceuticals, medical education, clinical research
Where the jobs are: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; Manila, Philippines; Bangkok, Thailand
10. Customer service
Top job roles: Customer service executive, customer support specialist, contact center specialist
Skills required: Contact centers customer service, customer support, team leadership
Where the jobs are: Jakarta, Indonesia; Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; Manila, Philippines
11. Health-care/Medical frontline
Top job roles: Medical doctor, general practitioner, medical officer, nurse, paramedic
Skills required: Nursing, medicine, health care, Basic Life Support (BLS), emergency medicine
Where the jobs are: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; Riau Islands province, Indonesia
12. Cyber security roles
Top job roles: Cyber security analyst, cyber security consultant, informational security specialist
Skills required: Penetration testing, information security, security information and event management (SIEM), cybersecurity
Where the jobs are: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
13. Supply chain
Top job roles: Distributor, logistics supervisor, operational specialist, logistics manager
Skills required: Operations management, supply chain management, warehouse operations
Where the jobs are: Bangkok, Thailand; Chiang Mai, Thailand; Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; Manila, Philippines
14. Public relations
Top job roles: Public relations coordinator, director of public relations, public relations officer
Skills required: Public relations, media relations, press release writing, event management, social media marketing
Where the jobs are: Jakarta, Indonesia; Bandung, West Java, Indonesia; Denpasar, Bali, Indonesia; East Kalimantan Province, Indonesia; Surabaya, East Java, Indonesia
15. Specialized engineering
