The Time Capsule “Jobs of the Future” Contest

Author: BFE

The Time Capsule “Jobs of the Future” Contest aimed at encouraging young people aged 13-19 to explore their idea of future jobs, explain why they would emerge, how they would look like and
what kind of skills would they possibly need.

The contest took place took place in the period June – December 2019 across the 7 partner countries. We received 93 ideas for jobs of the future – 62 essays, 30 presentations and 1 video.
The ideas about future jobs received in the contest are very consistent with the main trends outlined in the policy report, according to which the work environments in the near future are expected to feature more autonomy, less routine, more use of ICT, reduced physical effort, and increased social and intellectual tasks.
● Out of 25 ideas about the jobs of the future, submitted by Bulgarian students, the majority address the technological developments which affect work – automated jobs, space exploration, high-tech jobs in nano and biotechnology, as well as jobs which have ecological impact or explore the transformation of traditional jobs such as teacher, psychologist, construction worker, driver, etc. in the future.
● The majority of the Greek, German and Italy contest participants proposed existing jobs modified to serve the needs of a future word (i.e. Creator of Augmented Reality Travels, software engineer for photovoltaic systems) which take into account the main socio-economic trends (green economy, sustainability, technology, automation, work-life balance) and how they affect life. For young people, robotics, AI and autonomy are an integral part of future careers.
● Most Portuguese students thought about the jobs of the future that are not only related to the “green economy”, but also involve the use of creativity, digital technology and artificial intelligence.
● The majority of the participants in Poland also formulate jobs in the fields of automation, robotics and artificial intelligence.
● Some proposals for future professions also clearly referred to science fiction as a source of inspiration. Nature conservation issues were also important for young people. This confirms openness to the future and awareness of the challenges ahead of humanity.
● The young people who have entered the competition in the UK have displayed a knowledge of the changes to the labour market in the next decades coupling this with the innovation in their ideas of future jobs.
● The main trend explored by the young people in the competition has been on current jobs and products that will be expanded by the utilisation of digital technology.
Ecological
● Clean Air Farmer (UK), Ozone Layer Tailor (Bulgaria) and Vitagor Mechanic (Portugal) – mechanic of machine whose main goal is to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere
● Space Ecologist (Bulgaria) who will collect space trash with the support of the mineral magnetite
● Environmental Police (Portugal)
● Subaquatologist (Germany) – deep ocean explorer
● Guide to areas not accessible due to climate change (Poland) and Terraformer (Poland)
● Trash Collector Robot and Waste Mountain Detoxifier (Germany)
● Upcycling Designer (Germany)
● Perpetual motion designer (Italy)

Ethical
● Ethical Evaluator of Scientific Discoveries (Bulgaria)
● Ethical Technology Advocate (Portugal)

Future Transport
● Inventor of futuristic means of transport (Italy)
● Drone Manager (Portugal, UK)
● Aerial Traffic Policeman for flying cars (Greece)
● Autonomous bus conservator (Poland) and Autonomous vehicle controller (Germany)
● Hypersonic Trained Piolt (UK)

Futuristic medical jobs
● All-knowing doctor (Poland) and Holistic Medical Specialist (Bulgaria)
● Personal Health Analyst (Bulgaria)
● Painless Dentist (Poland)
● Genetic Manipulator (Portugal)
● Human Tissue and Organ Developer (2 similar ideas from Bulgaria)
● Medi-Control Agents (Germany), Medical nanorobot pilot (Poland) and Micro Robotic Surgeon (UK)
● Personal Memory Retriever (Bulgaria) and Human memory reconstructor (Poland)

Human-related jobs
● Multicultural Psychiatrist (Poland)
● Talant Transformer (Bulgaria) who will use artificial intelligence to re-program one’s
● Teacher in the Future (Bulgaria)
● Sleeper (Poland)
● Smokers’ Hypnotist (Poland)
● Mental Transfer Specialist (Bulgaria)
● Humanizer (Poland)
● Specialist in artificially created food (Bulgaria, Portugal)
● Cyber-Molecular Chef (Poland)
Designers
● Hi-Tech Clothes Specialist who will design solar-powered, smart and healing clothing made from innovative nano and bio-printed fabrics (Bulgaria)
● Makeup Software Maintenance and Makeup Mask Design and Manufacture (UK)
● Virtual stylist (Italy)
● Developer of Wearable Displays (Portugal)

Space Exploration
● Martian gardener (Greece, Poland)
● Astro Engineer (Bulgaria) and Moon Construction Worker (Bulgaria)
● Space Ecologist (Bulgaria)
● Space ball player (Poland)
● Space Relator (UK) and Intergalactic Diplomat (Bulgaria)
● Space-Time Travel Coordinator (Bulgaria)
● Universe Portier (Bulgaria)
● Interplanetary policeman (Poland)

Engineers
● Mental Transfer Specialist (Bulgaria)
● Creator of Augmented Reality Travels (Greece)
● Software Engineer for Photovoltaic Systems (Greece)
● Software Engineer of the Future (Greece)
● Developer of Nanobiotic and Biomechanical Robots (Portugal, Poland)

Professionals working with Artificial Intelligence
● Artificial Intelligence psychiatrist, psychologist, device therapist (Portugal, Poland)
● Man-Machine Teaming Manager (Portugal)
● Programmer of Agricultural Automation Machines (Portugal)
● Robot tamer (Bulgaria) and Cyber dog trainer (Bulgaria)
● Humanoid robot designer (Italy)

Other interesting jobs:
● Cat language translator (Poland)
● Plantynis Breeder (Portugal) – person caring for laboratory-based genetic modified specie
● Dark Energy Refiner (Bulgaria)

Awarded ideas from the contest from young people:

Bulgaria:
• 1st place: Space-Time Travels Coordinator
• 2nd place: Space Ecologist
• 3rd place: High-Tech Clothing Expert
• 3 special prizes for the most active participants who submitted the biggest number of jobs and whose ideas have received most likes – Vanessa Boevska, Ioanna Stoyanova and Victor Metev.

Germany:
• 1st place: Waste Mountain Detoxifier
• 2nd place: Medi-Control Agents
• 3rd place: Autonomous vehicle controller
• 2 special prizes: Subaquatologist and Upcycling Designer

Greece:
• 1st place: Gardener on planet Mars
• 2nd place: Creator of Augmented Reality Travels
• 3rd place: “Aerial” traffic policeman for flying cars
• Special award for most ICT detailed idea – Software engineer for photovoltaic systems & Software Engineer of the Future

Italy:
• 1st place: Michael Toro, Humanoid robot designer
• 2nd place: Carmine Trugli, Perpetual motion designer
• 3rd place: Ion Ureche, Inventor of futuristic means of transport
• Special award for the creativity and foresight of the youngest participant (under 13) – Ludovica Veralli, Virtual stylist

Poland:
• 1st place: Medical nano-robot pilot
• 2nd place: Space ball player
• 3rd place: Cyber-molecular chef

Portugal:
• 1st place: Environmental Police
• 2nd place: Surgeon Robot
• 3rd place: Developer of Nanobiotic and Biomechanical Robots

UK:
• 1st place: Micro-Robotic Surgeon
• 2nd place: Clean Air Farmer
• 3rd place: Makeup Software Maintenance and Makeup Mask Design and Manufacture.

Detailed presentation of all ideas for jobs of the future received in the contest