A Peek At The Top Ten Jobs For 2012. Part I

In our Google driven, information at your fingertips on a 24-7 basis environment, the increase in demand for workers in the technology, health care, science and engineering will rise.  Much of this will be driven by curmudgeons like me that are quite frankly high maintenance and soon to be retiring baby boomers.  So, in thinking about my own self-preservation I thought I’d put together some of the jobs that will be in the highest demand for employer in 2012 and beyond.  After all, my retirement self-preservation is based on your ability to work.  Read up today on Jobs/Careers 1-5.

Organic Food Industry. By 2012, the organic food and beverage sector will represent about 10 percent of the food and beverage industry.  This represents $28.4B in annual US sales. The Organic Trade Associationindicates that the need for organic food producers, certification experts, retailers and scientists will grow exponentially as organic foods and beverages become more mainstream.  For more on organic food and beverage industry jobs, check out OrganicFoodJobs.org.  There is also a good deal of information regarding recruiters, compensation, and requirements on the site CareersInFood.com.

Computational Biology. There is a growing need for people that are a lot smarter than me, and that have the education and ability to combine computer science, biology and math to make sense of research data in massive quantities. This career field involves developing and using tools that permit the semi-automatic analysis of very large datasets such as those that are acquired in the process of sequencing complete genomes and other high-throughput sequencing studies. Computational methods that are used in the interpretation of data from high-throughput hybridization (DNA array) and protein-analysis (proteomic) studies are also considered to be a part of bioinformatics, in part because they involve the analysis of large quantities of data, and in part because of their close relationship to genomic studies.  The outcome of this work may lead to data that will drive the individual customization of medicinal treatment of patients. There is a wealth of information of careers, jobs, certifications, graduate and post-graduate requirements that can be found on the website of International Society for Computational Biology.

Parallel Programming. The world, and the universe are a series of parallels, and computers will jump from core or duo core processor units (CPUs) to multi-core processors.  No longer sequential problem solving, but parallel problem solving.  You may have 10, 20, or 40 CPU in a desktop placing supercomputer power into the home or office. The different cores can work in parallel, like a like a good band.  You’ll find a nice overview of how to think about Parallel Programming as it relates to tasking here.  Here are a few of the industry destinations one should expect to see more parallel programming in the near future.

• Databases, data mining
• Oil exploration
• Web search engines, web based business services
• Medical imaging and diagnosis
• Pharmaceutical design
• Management of national and multi-national corporations
• Financial and economic modeling
• Advanced graphics and virtual reality, particularly in the entertainment industry
• Networked video and multi-media technologies

Here is a recent and relevant blog post on how to get a job in Parallel Programming.  You can go here to check out well over a thousand open positions at most of the big name technology firms…Microsoft, Intel, AMD, etc.

Wireless Technology. One trend is very clear and very obvious…It’s the overall rapid growth of wireless technology itself, driven by demand and innovation, as it changes our lives in all sorts of useful ways.  Further, it’s gaining momentum. Here are some of the major trends you should know about.  The fourth generation (4G) of mobile wireless technology has been conceived and is now gestating, as its parents discuss how to manage the birth, education and what sort of people the new prodigy should associate with.  The effects of this immediate mobile broadband will go far beyond just being the next mobile phone. The numbers will be huge, so business opportunities in manufacturing, retailing and development of applications such as gaming, will be strong.  The opportunities for social networking will be staggering. The opportunities for service providers will become bigger.  Add to this growth in wireless connections, functional integration into handheld devices, medical monitoring applications, and more, and well you get the picture.  Read this article on wireless technology trends and go here to check out the hottest positions moving forward.

Simulation Engineering. The increase in personal computer processing capabilities combined with the breadth and width of data will make for more realistic and compatible simulations.  Simulation engineering will continue to expand its presence in every industry ranging from gaming, to manufacturing, healthcare, retail, and more.  Can you think of a business that will not test products and services prior to releases and forecasts for market consumption?   Modeling for large construction projects, major transportation initiatives, learning models, medical treatments, and so much more will continue to expand their reliance on this type of business tool.  Go here to see just one site’s 2,000+ simulation engineering  jobs.

I’ll be back soon with 6-10 of my Top 10 Jobs For 2012