5 Rapidly-Growing Jobs And Sectors To Know About For 2023

If you’re coming to the end of your college years and are looking towards the future, you could be forgiven for thinking the outlook is bleak. From talk of a global recession to mass layoffs in tech, there’s no disputing that the job market isn’t as buoyant as it was 12 months ago.

But certain skill sets are in constant demand and recent data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics indicates that there are approximately 11 million job openings that need to be filled––meaning recent graduates have plenty of opportunities, particularly in areas that are in growth.

So whether you’re applying for an internship this summer or are looking for an entry-level job, below are some of the sectors that you should be looking at.

1.  Tech

The headlines surrounding mass layoffs in the tech industry can’t be overlooked: in the first few weeks of the year Amazon shed 18,000 employees, Meta laid off over 10,000 people, Google’s parent company Alphabet detailed its plans to let go of 12,000 workers, and in recent weeks HubSpot and PayPal have announced they will cut their workforces to become part of the cohort of companies that are responsible for more than 80,000 job cuts this year so far.

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The good news (yes, there is good news) is that certain sectors within the tech industry are not only surviving, but thriving, and offer excellent career opportunities for recent graduates.

Cybersecurity is expected to grow globally by 14% before 2029 as more businesses shift to cloud-based security systems. Blockchain technology, upon which the success of Web3.0 is dependent, is also on the rise with experts predicting the sector will be worth $1.431.54 billion by 2030.

Then there’s the Internet of Things (IoT)—the number of connected objects has already exceeded the 1.5 billion mark, and is expected to double by 2030, going beyond smartphones and laptops and focusing on assisted driving and digital healthcare devices.

2.  HR

According to a recent study, jobs in the HR sphere have an increasingly positive outlook for 2023 and beyond. In fact, HR careers that center on data or analytics are in high demand, followed by chief people officer roles.

With employee engagement a growing concern for many organizations which have adopted a hybrid or remote working model in the wake of the pandemic, HR departments have become increasingly valuable. This is because company culture, promoting work-life balance and providing wellness initiatives along with a more flexible approach to work is now as important as salary and benefits in attracting and retaining top talent.

3.  Diversity and Inclusion

Much like the growth of the HR industry, jobs that focus on diversity and inclusion (D&I) policies are also on the rise. In data compiled by Indeed, jobs in D&I rose 56.3% between September 2019 and September 2020 as a direct response to the Black Lives Matter movement, and advances in making the workplace a more equitable place.

Jobs in this field include diversity and inclusion managers who support data-based D&I strategies for an organization, chief diversity officers who are often tasked with conceptualizing strategies and implementing new programs accordingly, and diversity recruiters who are tasked with training hiring managers to identify and overcome unconscious bias.

4.  Law

If you’re pursuing a career in law, take comfort in the fact that many of the world’s largest law firms are headquartered in the U.S. including Latham & Watkins, Kirkland & Ellis, and Baker McKenzie. In fact, in recent data compiled by Statista, the top 100 law firms in the U.S. generated revenues of more than $110 billion in 2020.

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And top employees enjoy a piece of the profit pie—in 2021, equity partners earned $2.66 million on average, while law firm Wachtell paid its lawyers $3.86 million that year. While New York and Silicon Valley are experiencing the impact of decreasing demand, Texas and Florida have become growth regions thanks to lower taxes.

5.  Sustainability

The growing trend of “climate quitting” whereby employees are leaving companies that are failing to live up to their ESG policies or sectors that are engaged in work that is contributing to climate change, means that organizations need to step up their game if they want to attract the next generation of talent.

On the flip side, green jobs are also on the rise: in 2022, more people were employed in clean energy jobs than fossil fuel jobs and jobs focussed on tackling climate change are also on the rise so for recent graduates who are looking for a meaningful career path, applying their skills to environmental issues is not only a noble option––but a remunerative one too.

Want to get your career on the fast track? The Study International Job Board has hundreds of interning opportunities in companies across the country