'Software engineer is the worlds most in-demand profession, new analysis reveals
The analysis, which looked at official occupation shortage lists published by national governments of countries in the OECD Better Life Index, revealed the occupations and sectors most represented in the occupation shortage lists across developed countries. This also included average salaries, work-life balance, and happiness scores which were taken from the OECD database plus national government sources, and the Better Life Index:
- The top 5 most in-demand professions in the world are software engineers and developers, followed by electronics engineers, mechanical engineers, nurses, and doctors
- Software engineers and developers are needed in 24 countries, nurses are needed in 18, and 19 countries reported a shortage of electronics and mechanical engineers
- The most in-demand sectors are healthcare, science & engineering, and trades, with the technology and creative sectors making up the top 5
- Canada reported the largest number of occupations in demand (108), followed by Australia (96), Russia (56), Sweden (45), and New Zealand (45)
- Among the least in-demand professions across the world are logistics managers, air traffic controllers, wood production operatives and maritime workers.
What this new analysis seems to suggest is that skilled professionals in the science and engineering and technology sectors will be in a much better position when job-hunting than those in the creative and finance industries. Out of 36 countries in the analysis, 33 countries reported a demand for science and engineering professionals and 28 a demand for technology professionals. Whereas at the other end of the scale, only two countries needed professionals in the insurance and sport sectors.
So, whilst software engineers and developers fall into the technology sector, it’s those who work in science and engineering (e.g. electronics and mechanical engineers) who will have a better chance of securing themselves work overseas, should they decide to.
Although skilled professionals looking to make the move will also have to take into account the average salaries of developed countries around the world, as well as what kind of work-life balance those living there tend to have, and how happy they are.
Denmark came out top in terms of life satisfaction and work-life balance with a score of 7.5 and 9.8 respectively and, while average salaries aren’t as high as those in places in Luxembourg (where the average salary is £37,365) and Switzerland (where the average salary is £34,674), at £30,123 it’s more than a skilled professional would earn in Iceland or New Zealand where life satisfaction and work-life balance are still relatively high.
An interactive visualisation of the analysis can be found on the Michael Page website & lsquo;The World’s Most In Demand Professions’ [http://www.michaelpage.co.uk/minisite/most-in-demand-professions] which allows people to see which occupations are most in demand across the world and discover which skills are needed and where.