Chapter 5: Sunrise Roles - The New Generation of Jobs Forged by Technology
by Tomáš Prajzler — June 2026
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Where the growth is.
Pivoting from the roles in decline, the WEF’s Future of Jobs Report 2025 paints an exciting picture of the new opportunities emerging in the labor market. The same forces of disruption are forging a new generation of "sunrise roles," creating 170 million new jobs by 2030 and defining the landscape of future talent demand. Understanding where this growth is concentrated is essential for both individuals planning their careers and organizations building their talent pipelines. The fastest-growing jobs, measured in percentage terms, are concentrated in tech, data, and the green economy. The list is a direct reflection of the macrotrends reshaping our world, topped by roles such as Big Data Specialists, AI and Machine Learning Specialists, FinTech Engineers, and Software and Applications Developers. Alongside these digital roles, the green transition is creating significant demand for specialists in sustainability and renewable energy, including Autonomous and EV Specialists and Renewable Energy Engineers, who also feature prominently among the fastest-growing professions.
The Two Tracks of Growth: High-Tech and High-Touch
While tech-centric roles are growing the fastest by percentage, a different story emerges when looking at growth in absolute numbers. Here, the largest net job creation is expected in essential, human-centric "frontline" and "care economy" roles. Farmworkers top this list with a projected growth of 35 million jobs. They are followed by roles that require a physical presence and direct human interaction, such as Light Truck or Delivery Services Drivers, Shop Salespersons, Building Framers and Related Trades Workers, and Nursing Professionals. This bifurcation reveals a critical trend: the future of job growth is splitting into two distinct but equally important streams. The first is a "high-tech" track, composed of highly specialized roles driven by technological innovation. The second is a "high-touch" track, made up of essential, often place-based jobs driven by demographic needs, economic activity, and the demand for human services. A comprehensive and effective talent strategy must address both of these tracks. Organizations will need to compete fiercely for elite, globally mobile tech talent while developing strategies to attract, retain, and upskill the vast frontline workforce that forms the backbone of the economy.
Building the Talent Pipeline for Tomorrow
Winning the war for talent in the coming decade means recognizing and responding to this dual-track growth. It requires building robust talent pipelines for both the high-tech specialists who will invent the future and the essential frontline workers who will deliver it. Success will depend on an organization's ability to source talent across this spectrum, from the AI specialist in a global tech hub to the operations leader managing a complex, real-world logistics network.
The fastest-growing jobs, measured in percentage terms, are concentrated in tech, data, and the green economy. The list is a direct reflection of the macrotrends reshaping our world, topped by roles such as Big Data Specialists, AI and Machine Learning Specialists, FinTech Engineers, and Software and Applications Developers. Alongside these digital roles, the green transition is creating significant demand for specialists in sustainability and renewable energy, including Autonomous and EV Specialists and Renewable Energy Engineers, who also feature prominently among the fastest-growing professions.
The Two Tracks of Growth: High-Tech and High-Touch
While tech-centric roles are growing the fastest by percentage, a different story emerges when looking at growth in absolute numbers. Here, the largest net job creation is expected in essential, human-centric "frontline" and "care economy" roles. Farmworkers top this list with a projected growth of 35 million jobs. They are followed by roles that require a physical presence and direct human interaction, such as Light Truck or Delivery Services Drivers, Shop Salespersons, Building Framers and Related Trades Workers, and Nursing Professionals.
This bifurcation reveals a critical trend: the future of job growth is splitting into two distinct but equally important streams. The first is a "high-tech" track, composed of highly specialized roles driven by technological innovation. The second is a "high-touch" track, made up of essential, often place-based jobs driven by demographic needs, economic activity, and the demand for human services. A comprehensive and effective talent strategy must address both of these tracks. Organizations will need to compete fiercely for elite, globally mobile tech talent while developing strategies to attract, retain, and upskill the vast frontline workforce that forms the backbone of the economy.
Building the Talent Pipeline for Tomorrow
Winning the war for talent in the coming decade means recognizing and responding to this dual-track growth. It requires building robust talent pipelines for both the high-tech specialists who will invent the future and the essential frontline workers who will deliver it. Success will depend on an organization's ability to source talent across this spectrum, from the AI specialist in a global tech hub to the operations leader managing a complex, real-world logistics network.