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Customer service specialists, digital marketing experts, data scientists and cyber security specialists are among some of the jobs that will see pay increases over the next five years, according to recruitment experts.
Despite chronic wage stagnation in Australia, certain job sectors – like healthcare, trades and government – are currently experiencing salary growth, and tech skills, soft skills and business know-how will be prized.
COVID-19 has also accelerated the growth of some industries; for example, those in aged care, the disability sector, and mining and infrastructure are seeing notable pay increases.
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Thanks to COVID-19’s acceleration of remote work and the digitisation of the workplace, those with digital and technological skills will be in greater demand over the coming years.
“When it comes to salary growth, technology jobs are in a stronger position compared to many other positions in the market,” Robert Half director Nicole Gorton told Yahoo Finance.
Businesses across all industries are investing more heavily into artificial intelligence and robotics, she said.
With the international travel ban still in place, hiring managers are struggling to fill specialised IT roles.
“Both these forces are placing upward pressure on tech salaries as companies compete for the right talent to help them prepare for the future of work.”
Nearly 7 in 10 chief information officers surveyed by Robert Half said they were willing to pay more to secure top talent in IT.
“With the trend likely to continue for the next few years, we expect roles such as cyber-security specialists, DevOps and cloud engineers, as well as front end software developers to show the strongest salary growth, even though they’re not necessarily projected to be the highest salaries in the market,” Gorton said.
Data scientists will also be rewarded for their expertise and specialisation, she added.
But soft skills such as communication and emotional intelligence – will be well-remunerated in the coming years, too, according to Adecco Australia managing director Kelly Van Nelson.
“The ability for employees to deal with uncertainty, pressure, and to continue working at their best during tough times is what will set them apart from the rest,” she said, highlighting resilience as a particularly important quality.
But the rare workers who combine both tech skills, business acumen and soft skills will be the true winners. For example, financial planners and business analysts that can help businesses navigate a post-pandemic world will be in a stronger position to negotiate salaries, said Gorton.
“By 2025, it’s expected that the highest earning roles will be those which have evolved to leverage new technology to enhance a company’s capabilities and competitiveness in the market.
“In other words, jobs that break down the barriers between IT and other business functions, combining technology skills with commercial mindedness, a high degree of business acumen, and niche expertise.”
Traditional departments such as finance, marketing, and HR will prize new hires that also have tech skills, she added.
“Candidates who can enhance the value of their expertise and experience in these fields by developing knowledge of different systems, proficiency with data analytics tools, and their ability to implement and manage systems upgrades are likely to be on a path to the most highly rewarded careers in 2025.”
According to Robert Half and Adecco Australia, these are the jobs that are seeing the highest salary growth:
Software Developer
Sales Representative
Project Manager
IT Administrator
Customer Service Specialist
Digital Marketer
IT Support
Data Analyst
Financial Analyst
Graphic Designer
Cyber-security Specialist
DevOps and Cloud Engineer
Front End Developers
Data Scientist
Financial Planning & Analysis
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