If you’re graduating this year, there’s a good chance you’re already thinking hard about what’s next. Graduate school is one appealing option––a chance to engage in higher learning and put the job hunt off for a couple more years––but many more of 2024’s graduating class will be thinking about how to get straight into the workforce.
The good news for college students is that a recent report from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) found that those with a college degree have both better employment prospects and greater annual earnings than those without that diploma.
The report found that between 2010 and 2021, the percentage of people with a Bachelor’s or higher degree increased from 32% to 39%, and the percentage with a master’s or higher degree increased from 7% to 9%.
College grads earn more, too: the average earnings for those with a Bachelor’s degree is $59,600, whereas those with a Master’s degree or higher is $69,700.
To target your post-college job even more, it’s useful to know what sectors are good bets for a strong and lasting future career. While it is easy to look at last year’s tech layoffs––1,024 tech companies laid off 154,336 employees––and worry about future prospects, the reality is that there is plenty of growth and vigor in the labor market.
Here are the growth sectors to look at for 2024.
-
Cybersecurity
Demand far outstrips supply here currently: A global shortage of 3.4 million cybersecurity workers means 43% of organizations are struggling to find and hire the right talent. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) says that the number of information security analysts is projected to grow 35%, Between 2021 and 2031, making it the eighth-fastest-growing occupation in the country.
-
AR and VR
The success of Meta’s Quest 2 VR headset shows the increasing importance and understanding of the augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) fields.
These more immersive and interactive methods of communication are on the cusp of exploding into the mainstream. There will be 1.4 billion mobile AR users worldwide by 2024, up one billion from the 44 million documented in 2019, according to Statista. GlobalData reports that the AR marketplace should hit $60 billion in 2024.
-
Blockchain
Cryptocurrency had a volatile, and in some cases, disastrous 2022, but the blockchain technology it is built on has many other applications. As a result, blockchain is predicted to become one of the fastest growing sectors this decade.
Glassdoor says that the worldwide yearly growth in blockchain job postings was around 300% in 2021. The expected growth of Web3.0 and its reliance on blockchain technology to power its applications should spell even more employment opportunities.
-
Cloud computing
For those interested in looking for a new role in 2024, the cloud computing space which has experienced unprecedented growth over the past three years. The BLS predicts that employment opportunities in cloud computing will grow by 15% up to 2031, which is much faster than the average for all occupations.
-
Artificial intelligence (AI)
AI and machine learning (ML) jobs are also in demand: OpenAI’s recent launch of ChatGPT was a mainstream success, catapulting artificial intelligence into wider conversations, increasing awareness and knowledge about the technology. Thinktank Emsi Burning Glass, collected and analyzed millions of job postings from across the country, and has predicted that the number of job postings requesting A.I. skills will increase 297% over the next two years.
If you’re looking for a new role now or want to scope out graduate opportunities, the three below are worth a look. Plus, there are thousands more opportunities on the GradCafe Job Board.
Graduate Technical Intern, Intel, Remote
For those currently pursuing a Master’s or PhD Degree in computer science or electrical engineering with an emphasis in computer graphics, Intel has a Graduate Technical Intern role on offer. You will conduct research devising new techniques in real-time 3D rendering under the guidance of an Intel graphics researcher and implement and analyze new real-time rendering algorithms or other highly parallel algorithms.
Like the sound of the job? Get the full job description here.
2023 MBA Intern – Product Manager, Acrobat Sign, Adobe, San Francisco
Adobe is seeking a 2023 MBA Intern – Product Manager for Acrobat Sign. A leading e-signature product serving thousands of customers, and signing millions of documents. An internship role is on the Sign Ecosystem team which is responsible for integrating Acrobat Sign into leading third-party software applications such as Salesforce, Workday and the Microsoft portfolio. In this job, you will work closely with a team of product managers, engineers, and designers and will conceptualize and build sign integrations, painting a vision for the future of the sign ecosystem.
If you are currently enrolled in a full time MBA program and graduating between December 2024 and June 2024 and are highly organized and self-motivated, apply for this position here.
CPU Performance Architect, PhD University Graduate, Google, Austin
To apply for the CPU Performance Architect role you will need a PhD degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or Computer Science, emphasizing computer architecture or equivalent practical experience. Relevant experience with modern, high-performance CPU architecture and microarchitecture and experience with C/C++ and scripting languages is also required. If successful, you’ll contribute to the new CPU architecture and microarchitecture definitions, partnering with micro-architects, hardware and software teams to research innovative ideas. You’ll assess these ideas by using the performance analysis infrastructure you and your team develop.
Get the full job description now.
Discover hundreds more just-out-of-college job opportunities via the GradCafe Job Board
Kirstie works for our job board partner, Jobbio. Based in Dublin, she has been a writer and editor
across print and digital platforms for over 15 years.
