Artificial intelligence (AI) is having an impact on every workplace. So a two-day-old thread on Reddit's r/AskReddit section has a few suggestions for jobs expected to grow in the coming decade, as they may have only a slight connection to technology, if any.
A user asked, "What career do you think will be huge in the next 10 years?" Their post got 6,600 upvotes, and comments mentioned occupations like plumbing and elder care, as well as psychotherapy and recycling. Although what Redditors proposed were just opinions and not official employment forecasts, many suggestions do coincide with the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics' (BLS) projections for 2025 to 2035.
The following 7 careers were suggested by Reddit users.
1. Plumbing
One of the most frequent answers was home maintenance, as one commenter predicted more demand for plumbers. This commenter said that older houses will still need maintenance, while newer ones will eventually have to be repaired, too. Others had some anecdotes about plumbing and construction problems happening in recently built homes.
BLS projects that employment for plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters will increase by 7% between 2025 and 2035, with around 42,000 openings expected each year. The demand will be driven by new construction and the maintenance of existing plumbing systems, they say.
2. Electrical Work
Electricians were also a recurring suggestion, as Redditors talked about the need for qualified electricians as well as the cost of hiring them.
According to the BLS, electrician employment is expected to increase by 9% from 2025 to 2035. The industry will apparently have 72,700 job openings each year due to construction and the need to maintain and upgrade electrical systems that are already in place.
3. Elder Care
Coming to this job, "Boomers gonna boom," a Reddit user punned. Several people joined the discussion on home health care and the working conditions of caregivers. Some believed that the field will become more necessary but were doubtful whether greater demand would lead to higher wages.
The BLS says jobs for home health and personal care aides will increase by 18% between 2025 and 2035, with about 847,300 new jobs expected.
4. Mental Health Counseling
Another option that came up was that, as technology becomes more integrated into daily life, the value of human connections should only be expected to increase. The BLS also found that employment for substance abuse, behavioral disorder and mental health counselors will rise by 18% between 2025 and 2035 and expects around 48,900 job openings in these occupations each year, on average.
Plus, someone also spoke about how AI-powered chatbots might affect the demand for human therapists. Even careers based on personal interaction can be influenced by technological advances.
5. Recycling and E-Waste Processing
One commenter believed that processing e-waste could become more important. Meanwhile, another referred to companies that are already refurbishing and recycling corporate tech equipment.
But as the BLS does not regard "e-waste processing" as a single occupation, this Reddit prediction cannot be directly turned into a specific figure for employment growth. Still, the volume and complexity of discarded electronics and materials recovery will be areas of specific interest.
6. Pet Care
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Pets were also mentioned by users who said that the demand for veterinary care and dog grooming would continue. One said that veterinary clinics had already started opening more in their area, and another, who said they are a dog groomer, said that they had seen demand for their services increase during the 10 years they have been in the industry.
The comments show a trend in which services related to pets are an increasing share of consumer spending. However, the Daily Dot can't say how big the industry will be in the coming decade.
7. Radiation and Cancer Care
A doctor also entered the conversation to be more specific, saying that jobs in radiation oncology and radiotherapy might see greater demand. The commenter spoke of the increasing number of cancer cases and the need for more well-trained staff, especially in developing countries.
This forecast is more detailed than the others in the thread. While the BLS does not have a single employment category that includes all professions in radiation oncology, it still shows progress in medicine.
After AI, direct human interaction is expected to be more valuable.
