The modern economy is as dynamic as it’s ever been, bursting with a variety of potential pathways and careers. But amidst all this possibility is the chance for big shake-ups to halt career progress or make entire industries obsolete. If you want to transition from holding a series of jobs to a career you can grow and succeed in, you need skills that give you a leg up and can transfer across industries.
But without a crystal ball, how do you know you’re making the right choice? Thankfully, you don’t need to leave this decision to fate, there’s data showing which occupations will see the most growth in the decade ahead and which occupations will have the most openings. Based on that research, we’ve put together a list of some of the most in-demand technical skills to help you find and build a career poised for growth.
Adaptability Goes A Long Way
Across employers, industries, and occupations, adaptability is prized above almost all other skills. Being
adaptable and flexible can mean different things day-to-day or role-to-role. It can describe your ability to adapt to changing technologies in the workplace or to a changing role within the company.
When you’re highly adaptable at work, it can enhance the other skills you possess or that the role requires. Healthcare workers will need to adapt their techniques to the patient, while electricians need to adapt their skills to the site they’re working on.
Attention to Detail Is Vital
Another skill that’s highly valuable across industries and occupations is a keen eye for the details. Unlike academic settings, there won’t be someone grading your work or checking in on your progress as you go. In the workforce, employers expect you to check and double-check your work.
Successful professionals will be those who pay close attention to detail at every stage of their work. Remembering the proper procedures and adhering to them is essential for positions like patient care assistants and any other occupation where small details matter.
Emotional Intelligence Can Foster Success
Tomorrow’s workforce can benefit from developing their emotional intelligence skills today. But what exactly does emotional intelligence refer to? It actually encompasses various sub-skills related to emotions and empathy. It’s your ability to regulate your emotions appropriately at-work, empathize with clients or co-workers, and compassionately solve problems.
Naturally, we think these skills are valuable in the health services industries, especially so for growing occupations like massage therapists. But, these skills are invaluable regardless of occupation as you’re likely to address clients and coworkers in any industry.
Communication Clears Obstacles
Building off the emotional intelligence skills are communication skills. These refer to your ability to convey a clear message to your supervisors, co-workers, or clients. It may be written, like in an email, or verbal. Regardless of the format, being able to clearly communicate can set apart two employees who are otherwise entirely equal.
There isn’t a single industry or occupation that can’t benefit from employees with strong communication skills. It’s also a prized skill for career advancement, as managers and supervisors need to clearly communicate expectations to team members.
Mechanical Skills Are In Demand
Beyond the soft-skills employers are looking for, are the more specialized skills certain occupations demand. Having strong mechanical skills can open up career pathways in growing industries like industrial machinery mechanics. Industrial jobs or repair roles demand that employees are familiar and comfortable working with varied and complex equipment on a daily basis. As the world becomes increasingly reliant on heavy machinery, mechanical skills are rapidly becoming one of the most in-demand technical skills a person can possess.
Analytical Skills Advance Careers
Having strong analytical skills opens doors to various career pathways, as being able to develop answers to difficult questions is used across the economy. Cybersecurity professionals, an occupation poised for growth, need to be able to spot potential threats, gather evidence, and propose solutions before those threats materialize. The same is true for professionals in the growing healthcare sector, as they’ll need to spot problems, synthesize them and report back to coworkers and supervisors.
Digital Skills Are Valuable Even in Non-Tech Fields
Strong knowledge and competency with computers is an obvious skill for high-paying tech jobs, but it goes far beyond just tech-industry jobs. It’s hard to find an industry that doesn’t intersect with or rely on digital technologies today. From lodging managers to electricians, fluency with all digital formats are technical skills employers need. As AI grows in prominence across the economy, those who understand this technology, know when and how to leverage it, and know how to spot its limitations, will go far.
Orange Technical College: Where To Find Technical Skill Development for Careers
It may seem like having all these skills is far-fetched or impossible to do. Or it may feel like something that can only form through a long, and varied career. It’s true that some skills can take longer than others to develop, and others can only be built through experience. But this doesn’t mean it has to take a decades-long career to grow these skills.
Building a career toolkit with in-demand technical skills is within reach and within budget at Orange Technical College. Through our varied Career Certificate and Apprenticeship programs, you can build the skills you’ll need to succeed in a dynamic economy. With hands-on learning opportunities, field-experienced instructors, and state-of-the-art facilities, you can train for an in-demand career from day one.