Six careers that barely existed 20 years ago

Artificial intelligence specialists, professional drone pilots and content creators are among the jobs that have emerged or grown in recent decades. SRF reports that the National Future Day is giving young people a chance to explore how the world of work has changed.

AI product manager

Companies once needed product managers to plan apps and websites. They increasingly seek specialists who can judge when artificial intelligence can bring real value. AI product managers are now among the most sought-after roles in the digital economy.

AI agent builder

Unlike basic chatbots, AI agents can complete several steps of a task on their own. Specialists are needed to develop, test and monitor these systems. They are generally recruited under job titles such as AI engineer.

Drone pilot

Drones are used to survey construction sites, inspect solar installations and power lines, support agriculture and assist police. Demand is growing for professional pilots with knowledge of aviation law, safety, camera technology and data analysis. Training in fields such as geomatics, engineering or agriculture can improve career prospects.

The military has had drone pilots for longer, but the job has only become established in the civilian sector over the past 20 years.

Sustainability manager

Twenty years ago, jobs focused on setting climate targets, measuring carbon emissions and helping companies become more sustainable were uncommon. Today, large companies employ teams to reduce emissions, review supply chains and develop sustainable business models.

Esports professional

Gaming tournaments now fill arenas, and professional players around the world earn money from prize funds and sponsorship deals. In Switzerland, Team Helix became the country’s first professional esports team to pay each player a fixed monthly salary of 2,500 francs in 2018. The project ended after a year when PostFinance withdrew its sponsorship.

Clubs and teams support young players through the Swiss Esports Federation, in a model similar to youth programmes at football and ice hockey clubs. Making esports a full-time job is more difficult in Switzerland than in countries such as South Korea, China and the United States.

Content creator

Bloggers and video makers existed 20 years ago, but reaching a large audience and earning a living from self-produced content was then difficult to imagine. Platforms such as YouTube, Instagram and TikTok now allow creators to build businesses through advertising partnerships, sponsorships, their own products and paid content. The creator economy employs millions of people worldwide and has become an industry that barely existed in its current form 20 years ago.

The National Future Day takes place each November and gives pupils in grades five to seven a look at working life and the chance to try a different perspective. Its organisers aim to offer practical insight into jobs in which girls or boys are underrepresented. Children often accompany a parent or another close contact to work, while many companies and organisations offer special programmes. The event began in 2001 as National Daughters’ Day, an initiative of the Swiss Conference of Gender Equality Officers.