Choosing a major is one of the most important decisions you can make as a student. Thankfully, it’s not a decision that’s set in stone — in fact, most students change their major at least once before they graduate. While it’s good to pick a major that genuinely interests you, it never hurts to see what industries are expected to boom in the near future.
Technology Industry
This should come as no surprise — technology is and will continue to be the hottest industry for university graduates. Technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), big data, cloud computing and cybersecurity are driving the latest tech boom.
Some of the most in-demand tech-related jobs today are in the fields of data science, AI, and cybersecurity. With terrabytes of data generated constantly, there’s a huge need to process and protect this information, whether it’s by humans or machines.
Naturally, degrees in STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) can help you break into the technology industry. STEM education is renowned in the US; most of the world’s most famous tech and engineering companies – from Google to Boeing – are based there, after all.
Healthcare Industry
Healthcare is one of those evergreen industries that will always be in demand, no matter where you are. After all, there isn’t a single nation in the world that doesn’t need healthcare, whether it’s curative, preventative, palliative, or rehabilitative.
There is always a healthy demand for healthcare professionals, whether they’re surgeons, nurses, dentists, or pharmacists. The healthcare industry doesn’t just include medical professionals either — for example, there’s a demand for allied healthcare professionals like occupational therapists or paramedics, as well as those working behind the scenes in radiology and healthcare IT (like lab technicians).
Depending on what path you take in healthcare, you could end up going to school for 4 years for non-clinical roles (nutritionist, occupational health specialist, etc), to 8 years to become or pharmacist, to up to 14 years to become a doctor (in the US). You can also have a degree in health sciences which gives you the option of working clinically or in research arenas.
If you want to study abroad and plant to practise medicine or pharmacy in Singapore, you have to ensure your institution/degree is recognised by Singapore’s Ministry of Health. Currently, US institutions make up the bulk of the list of schools.
Energy Industry
Without energy, there would be no industry of any kind, period. Fossil fuels such as oil, natural gas, and coal continue to comprise over 80% of the world’s energy consumption. Professionals like petroleum engineers (who discover and extract fossil fuels), geoscientists (who assess physical aspects of earth), and gas plant operators are still highly sought-after in this industry.
However, the renewable energy industry is rapidly growing due to the rise in hydropower, wind power, solar power and bioenergy use — and is expected to make up 30% of all energy consumption by 2040. This evolving energy sector currently has demand for geologists, environmental managers and environmental scientists, whose duties include studying the earth’s natural processes to developing strategies to control environmental issues like air pollution.
If you’re looking for a degree to enter the renewable energy sector, some of the most popular include environmental design, sustainability studies, and renewable energy engineering. However, the most lucrative jobs are still in fossil fuels, particularly petroleum engineering.
