Post-Pandemic Boom: Three Industries to Consider Working in after COVID-19

The Coronavirus pandemic has caused levels of unemployment which would have been unthinkable even twelve months ago, hitting nearly 15% in the United States at its peak in April. In fact, even a January 2021 report published by the US Congressional Research Service described this as “unprecedented…not seen since data collection started in 1948.”

As a result, it’s no surprise that the Association of National Advertisers’ word of the year for 2020 was “pivot”, emphasizing the need for agility and flexibility in the wider working world.

But as legendary inventor Alexander Graham Bell once said, “When one door closes, another one opens,” and those who have found themselves out of work will have likely spent a great deal of time considering where to go next.

And although there are a number of industries which have effectively been mothballed by the pandemic — particularly services and live entertainment — many have flourished to meet the changing demands of the not-so-new-anymore normal.

With that in mind, here are three sectors which are set to go from strength to strength as we leave the peak of Covid-19, all of which could be ideal for those looking to pivot into a new career path.

1.    Supply chain management

For those whose work had previously seen them deskbound, perhaps in managerial or administrative roles, being able to adapt to the needs of the supply chain industry might be the ideal next step.

After all, supply chains were a hot topic at the start of the pandemic, when retailers found themselves stretched to capacity to meet the unexpected demand for certain essential items, and much time and energy has since been spent trying to prevent any further disruption in the future.

As with many business processes in the modern age, this is most frequently done through the use of software, with logistics programs like SAP serving as the market and industry leader.

A German program, its name short for System Analysis Program Development, its aim is to “connect all parts of a business into an intelligent suite on a fully digital platform,” which integrates a company’s supply chain into other critical processes.

Demand for global SAP jobs remains has only increased since the onset of the pandemic, and as more companies look to improve their supply chains in its wake, those with the required technical skills should certainly look into a future in this software.

2.    E-learning

With lockdown measures in many countries leading to the closures of schools and universities to stem the spread of coronavirus, educators have had to adapt quickly. As a result, e-learning has quickly emerged to take center stage as the ideal solution for ensuring that those in education can continue their studies in a relatively uninterrupted fashion.

And even once the pandemic subsides, demand for online learning systems, in both academic and training contexts, is set to grow. A Times Higher Education survey saw 63% of British universities forecasting that full courses would be made available online by the decade’s end, while 62% of American businesses have pledged to increase their spend on e-learning resources in 2021.

Consequently, those with skills and knowledge to share, or the development capabilities to help improve these platforms would be well-positioned to move into this area.

3.    Digital fitness

Another casualty of lockdown measures has been gyms, with brick-and-mortar fitness centers also forced to close to prevent the spread of Covid-19. This has led to a huge surge in online fitness classes, from yoga and walking to full-on cardio, and a rise in popularity for dedicated apps.

The World Economic Forum reported a 46% growth in the number of downloads of fitness apps, while Strava brought in two million new users during April 2020 alone.

Beyond apps, one-on-one or live streamed exercise classes have also become hugely popular, and almost three quarters of fitness clubs in the United States have said they plan to “offer on-demand and Livestream group workouts” once the pandemic ends.

So if you’re an exercise buff who’s looking for a way to monetize your health and fitness skills while on furlough, setting up your own live stream or online exercise program could be the ideal career path for you.