Newly created positions give some indication of where the labour market is headed

It's hard to believe that no more than five years ago there was no such job as an app developer. Since Apple introduced the iPhone in 2007, apps have grown to be a US$15 billion a year industry, employing tens of thousands of people. Here are three areas that are likely to experience explosive growth in the coming years.

Technology

This might seem like a no-brainer, but it's worth monitoring the new job opportunities that technology, especially the internet, is creating every day. It's now possible to make a living as a paid blogger (running your own blog or blogging on behalf of businesses), as a market research data miner or as a social media manager. None of those positions existed back in 2002. TAFE IT courses will prepare you for working in an increasingly digital world.

Aged care

The baby boomers are retiring and, as they have with every other life stage, they're in the process of reinventing what it means to be old. Exactly what jobs this will create remains to be seen, but you can bet it's going to involve more than just more nursing staff for retirement homes. Undoubtedly, there will be plenty of people running educational courses for retirees, helping them with daily tasks and even sorting out end-of-life issues. Many of the skills required to service the huge and disproportionately well-off baby boomer market can be acquired through TAFE NSW's Aged Care and Nursing courses.

Green jobs

People have been talking up green jobs forever, but there's going to be less talk and more action as (a) evidence that the planet is warming becomes indisputable and (b) an environmentally conscious generation moves into positions of power. There will likely be lots of positions related to renewable energy sources, as well as plenty advising businesses and individuals of how they can operate in a more sustainable way. TAFE NSW Environmental Careers on everything from green plumbing to environmental science are helping to skill-up an increasingly environmentally aware workforce.

It's a classic mistake to focus on where the jobs are (or were) rather than where they are going to be. Newly created positions give some indication of where the labour market is headed, so keep an eye on what's happening in the job sector in order to prepare for the future.