Jobs of the future in Estonia: which professions will become more sought-after and which will decline?

Artificial intelligence, automation, an aging population, and the green transition are changing the labor market faster than ever before. Some routine tasks are disappearing, others are being handed over to software, while shortages are emerging in healthcare workers, engineers, electricians, teachers, and skilled technicians.

The most important conclusion, however, is this: in most cases, entire occupations do not disappear; their content changes. Demand declines for people whose work consists mainly of entering data, transferring documents, and preparing standard responses. The value of specialists who can solve complex problems, use technology, take responsibility, and work with people or physical systems is increasing.

Which occupations will be in demand in Estonia over the next ten years, which will begin to decline, and what is worth learning to remain competitive in the labor market?

Will artificial intelligence take people's jobs?

The claim that artificial intelligence will take most people's jobs in the coming years is an exaggeration. Artificial intelligence is having a major impact on the labor market, but this does not automatically mean that jobs will disappear.

According to the 2025 study by the International Labour Organization (ILO), approximately one in four people works in an occupation whose tasks may be affected, at least in part, by generative artificial intelligence. The highest level of exposure affects mõjutatuse kategooriasse kuulub aga umbes 3,3% of global employment. According to the ILO, tasks are more likely to be redesigned than occupations to disappear entirely. Office, administrative, and document-related work is affected most. Read the ILO study “Generative AI and Jobs”.

The OSKA study analyzing the situation of Estonian companies reached a similar conclusion. Artificial intelligence is increasingly used in marketing, customer service, software development, data processing, product development, and management. The biggest obstacle is no longer access to technology, but a lack of skills, inconsistent data quality, and companies' limited readiness to change their processes. See the OSKA study on the impact of artificial intelligence on work skills.

Artificial intelligence therefore does not replace all workers equally. A person who performs only simple, repetitive tasks is at greater risk. A specialist who can use artificial intelligence, check its results, and connect them to real business or social needs is in a stronger position.

How quickly is the labor market changing?

According to the World Economic Forum's “Future of Jobs Report 2025”, around 22% of current jobs may be affected by structural changes by 2030. The report forecasts the creation of approximately 170 million new roles and the displacement of 92 million existing roles, amounting to a net increase of 78 million jobs. Read “Future of Jobs Report 2025”.

These figures should not be taken as a firm promise. The report is based on the expectations of more than a thousand large employers and describes the global labor market, not just Estonia's. Above all, it shows the direction of change: some jobs will disappear, while demand for new skills and occupations will grow.

According to the European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training (Cedefop) forecast, employment in the European Union is expected to grow relatively slowly until 2035. Much of the new job opportunity will come not from rapid economic growth, but from the need to replace workers retiring. Specialists in healthcare, ICT, engineering, law, and social services have particularly good prospects. See Cedefop's labor market forecast through 2035.

Four major changes affecting Estonia's labor market

1. Automation reduces routine office work

Artificial intelligence and software can already:

• enter and verify data;
• draft standard letters and documents;
• prepare initial summaries;
• classify customer inquiries;
• draft report outlines;
• translate and edit texts;
• create simple programs and marketing materials.

The easiest work to automate is work done entirely on a computer, according to fixed rules, and involving large numbers of similar documents.

It is much harder to automate work that requires going to a site, communicating with a person, assessing an unusual situation, or taking responsibility for health, safety, and money.

2. Estonia's working-age population is not growing fast enough

One of the biggest problems in Estonia's labor market is not the complete disappearance of jobs, but a shortage of suitable workers.

According to OSKA’s forecast, by 2035 there may be an annual shortfall in Estonia of approximately 1400 top specialists and 700 skilled workers, whom it will not be possible to replace with graduates of the Estonian education system. This means that the importance of retraining, foreign labour and the automation of work processes will grow. Read the OSKA study on the need for foreign and future labour.

In many fields, jobs emerge not because the sector is growing very rapidly, but because a large number of current employees are retiring.

3. Electrification and the green transition are increasing the need for technical skills

Electric cars, renewable energy, new electricity grids, energy storage, building renovation and industrial automation require engineers, electricians, automation technicians and maintenance technicians.

At the same time, knowing how to operate just one device is no longer enough. Specialists must be able to work with digital control systems, data, cybersecurity and increasingly complex systems.

4. Regulation is creating new job responsibilities

Businesses face additional requirements related to cybersecurity, data protection, artificial intelligence, sustainability, supply chains, packaging and product origin.

This increases demand for auditors, lawyers, risk managers, data protection specialists, quality managers and compliance experts.

Which occupations will be in demand?

AI, data and automation specialists

Among the fastest-growing occupations are data analysts, machine learning engineers, artificial intelligence specialists, software developers, and automation solution designers. The World Economic Forum lists big data, artificial intelligence, software development, and financial technology specialists among the occupations with the greatest growth potential.

However, businesses do not only need people who know how to ask an AI tool questions. They need specialists who can:

• identify processes worth automating;
• integrate different information systems;
• assess data quality;
• check AI responses;
• take privacy and cybersecurity into account;
• measure the solution’s actual economic benefit;
• take responsibility for the final outcome.

The strongest combination is domain expertise paired with technological skills. For example, an accountant who can automate financial processes, or a production engineer who can apply data analytics and AI.

Cybersecurity specialists

The more businesses and government agencies go digital, the greater the potential damage from cyberattacks, data breaches and system outages.

Demand is growing, among others, for the following specialists:

• information security analysts;
• cloud security engineers;
• cybersecurity auditors;
• identity and access management specialists;
• security incident responders;
• data protection specialists;
• critical infrastructure security experts.

Cybersecurity is no longer just an issue for IT companies. It is needed by banks, hospitals, schools, manufacturing companies, the energy sector, local governments and small businesses.

Energy specialists, electrical engineers, electricians and automation technicians

According to OSKA’s 2026. energy sector study, approximately 11 000 people worked in the main occupations in Estonia’s energy sector in 2024. The number could increase by around 2000 employees, or 17%, by 2035.

The largest increase in absolute numbers is expected among electricians and automation technicians: their number could grow by nearly 1400 employees, or around 20%. The need for workers is being driven by electrification, automation, energy storage solutions, smart grids, and the high average age of workers in the energy sector. Read the OSKA energy sector study.

Promising occupations include:

• electrical engineer;
• electrician;
• automation technician;
• mechatronics technician;
• energy network specialists;
• equipment maintenance technician;
• energy storage specialist;
• renewable energy solutions engineers;
• industrial automation specialist.

Automation does not necessarily reduce the need for workers in this field. On the contrary, the more complex systems become, the more people are needed who can install, operate, repair, and keep them safe.

Doctors, nurses, physiotherapists, and care workers

In healthcare, workforce demand is increasing both because the population is ageing and because current employees are retiring.

According to the OSKA forecast, the number of healthcare specialists in Estonia could grow from 380 20 employees to approximately 22 600 employees by 2033. 2023. Over the next ten years, the sector will need around 7700 new specialists, while the education system is expected to provide around 6400 people. Read the OSKA healthcare sector study.

Demand remains high for the following occupations:

• doctors;
• family doctors;
• nurses;
• physiotherapists;
• rehabilitation specialists;
• psychologists;
• mental health specialists;
• care workers;
• home care service providers;
• medical technicians.

The European Labour Authority’s 2025. annual review also describes the shortage of doctors, nurses, and care workers as a widespread and structural problem. Read the European labour shortage report.

In the future, artificial intelligence will help analyze images, prepare documents, and support diagnosis. However, it will not eliminate the need for a person to communicate with the patient, assess their overall condition, and take responsibility for the decision.

Teachers, support specialists, and adult educators

Demand for teachers is affected by employees retiring, support for learners with special needs, the transition to Estonian-language education, and the need to teach technical and digital skills.

According to Statistics Estonia, there were 8553 job vacancies in Estonia in the fourth quarter of 2025. The largest number of vacancies was in education — 1435. A large number of vacancies alone does not prove that an occupation will grow over the long term, but it clearly shows that finding suitable employees is difficult. View Statistics Estonia data.

Particularly needed are:

• mathematics and science teachers;
• Estonian language teachers;
• special education teachers;
• speech therapists;
• vocational teachers;
• technology teachers;
• adult educators;
• corporate trainers.

The teacher’s role is changing. Simply conveying information is becoming less valuable, because information can be quickly found through a search engine or artificial intelligence. A teacher’s strength lies in the ability to explain, motivate, assess knowledge, spot mistakes, and develop learners’ thinking.

Construction engineers and building services specialists

According to OSKA, the total number of jobs in the construction sector may not grow significantly over the next ten years. This does not mean that workers will not be needed.

More than 2022. 43 000 people worked in key occupations in Estonia’s construction sector. In the future, demand for designers, engineers, and landscape architects will grow. The energy efficiency of buildings, renovation, digital construction models, and the management of building systems will also become more important. Read the OSKA construction sector study.

Those with good prospects include:

• construction engineers;
• designers;
• BIM specialists;
• ventilation and heating technicians;
• building automation specialists;
• energy efficiency experts;
• construction project managers;
• renovation specialists.

Simpler physical tasks can be mechanized, but renovating an old building, solving problems that arise on site, and managing different stakeholders are difficult to automate completely.

Technicians and skilled tradespeople

The shortage in Europe is not limited to higher-educated IT specialists. Many countries lack electricians, welders, mechanics, equipment operators, automotive technicians, and heating and ventilation specialists. According to the European Labour Authority, labour shortages in healthcare, construction, and several technical occupations have persisted for years.

The strength of these professions lies in the fact that the work cannot simply be moved abroad or replaced with software alone. The client needs someone who comes on site, finds the fault and fixes the system.

Promising fields include:

• electrician;
• welder;
• mechanic;
• industrial equipment maintenance technician;
• plumber;
• ventilation technician;
• automation technician;
• automotive technician;
• mechatronics technician;
• CNC machine operator and setter.

Vocational education can provide a stronger position in the labor market than general higher education that is not complemented by a specific occupational skill.

Financial analysts, auditors and compliance specialists

The claim that accountants are disappearing is only partly true.

OSKA forecasts that automation and digitalization will reduce the need for accounting employees with lower skill levels. At the same time, demand will grow for people with advanced financial, analytical, auditing and consulting skills.

Jobs are created, among other things, by:

• international taxation;
• services related to virtual currencies;
• sustainability reporting;
• risk management;
• Anti-money laundering;
• internal and external auditing;
• data analysis;
• regulatory compliance checks.

Read the OSKA accounting and business consulting study.

It is not the financial sector that is disappearing, but the way of working in which a person manually enters invoices and prepares reports that always follow the same format.

Chemistry, pharmaceutical and materials technology specialists

Estonia’s pharmaceutical industry is currently small, but OSKA forecasts that employment in its main occupations will increase by up to 70% over the next ten years. There is a particular shortage of laboratory technicians and chemical process operators with vocational education. Read the OSKA pharmaceutical industry study.

The chemical industry needs chemical engineers, materials scientists, laboratory technicians, automation technicians and production equipment maintenance workers. New materials, energy efficiency, hydrogen technology and environmental requirements are making the work increasingly technical.

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Which occupations are likely to decline?

Data entry clerks and document processing workers

If the main part of a job consists of copying information from one system to another, filling in forms or sorting documents, much of the process can be automated.

People will still be needed to check for errors and handle complex exceptions, but the number of entry-level positions is likely to decrease.

Traditional secretaries and administrative assistants

Calendar management, meeting minute-taking, making bookings, sending reminders, and drafting standard letters are becoming increasingly automated.

Administrative work will not disappear completely. Employees who add project management, customer relations, event organization and digital systems management skills to routine administrative work will be more successful.

Cashiers, ticket sellers, and bank tellers

Self-service checkouts, mobile apps, online banking and automated payment systems reduce the need for traditional cashiers, ticket sellers and bank tellers.

The World Economic Forum lists cashiers, bank tellers, postal service clerks and data entry workers among the fastest-declining occupational groups.

At the same time, sales consultants who know complex products, understand customers’ needs and help them make decisions remain valuable.

Lower-skilled accounting staff

Entering invoices, checking standard transactions, and preparing simple tax returns are becoming automated.

In the future, accountants will need to be better at analyzing, advising, explaining tax matters and understanding clients’ business models. Roles focused solely on data entry are clearly more vulnerable.

Traditional printing industry occupations

According to OSKA’s forecast for 2026. year, the number of prepress specialists and post-press equipment operators in Estonia’s printing industry may decrease by about 15%, and the number of printers by 10%.

At the same time, the sector needs new people to replace employees who are retiring. This shows why a declining occupation does not automatically mean there are no jobs left in that field. Read the OSKA printing industry study.

Mass-production seamstresses and unskilled workers in the textile industry

According to OSKA’s forecast, employment in the main occupations of Estonia’s clothing, textile and leather industry may decrease by approximately 2000 workers, or 27%, over ten years.

At the same time, 41% of workers in the sector’s main occupations are at least 55 years old. To replace workers retiring, the sector may need around 1000 new people. Read OSKA’s textile industry study.

Mass production with low added value is under the greatest pressure. Better opportunities are offered by:

• functional and medical textiles;
• custom orders;
• small production runs;
• use of digital design;
• reuse;
• technical materials with higher added value.

Creators of simple mass content

Artificial intelligence can produce product descriptions, simple advertising copy, illustrations, translations and alternative versions of social media posts.

This reduces the cost of these services and may reduce the workload of entry-level content creators.

Specialists who can do the following are in a stronger position:

• conduct research;
• fact-check;
• understand the target audience;
• create a distinctive concept;
• manage a brand;
• analyze campaign results;
• be responsible for reputational and legal risks.

Which occupations will not disappear but will change significantly?

Software developers

Artificial intelligence can write and improve program code, but that does not mean software developers will disappear.

Less time will be spent manually writing simple code. The importance of architecture, system integration, security, testing and understanding business needs will grow.

The most vulnerable developer is one who can only complete small, precisely defined tasks and does not understand the system as a whole.

Marketers and designers

The technical production of text, images and video is becoming increasingly simple and inexpensive.

As a result, skills such as these are becoming more valuable:

• positioning;
• understanding consumer behavior;
• market research;
• brand strategy;
• conversion analysis;
• distinguishing a strong idea from a seemingly attractive but ineffective solution.

Artificial intelligence can create dozens of designs, but it cannot independently decide which one solves the company’s actual problem.

Lawyers

Artificial intelligence helps search for information, compare documents and draft contracts.

Assessing complex risks, negotiating, protecting clients' interests, and taking responsibility for decisions nevertheless remain the responsibility of a human.

Technology law, data protection, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence regulation and international transactions are becoming increasingly important fields.

Drivers

Europe still has a shortage of drivers, especially in freight transport and public transport. However, the rapid spread of fully self-driving vehicles is constrained by infrastructure, weather conditions, liability and legal issues.

Over the longer term, a driver’s work will become more digital. The proportion of work involving the monitoring of routes, logistics systems and automated driving functions will increase.

Doctors

Artificial intelligence can support diagnosis, image analysis and documentation. Making the final decision, communicating with the patient and taking responsibility remain the doctor’s responsibility.

It is more likely that doctors will not disappear, but that a doctor who skillfully uses artificial intelligence will work more efficiently than a colleague who does not use new tools.

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How can you assess whether a profession is future-proof?

The more of the following elements a job involves, the harder it is to automate it completely:

1. Physical presence – the job requires going to a location and working with a person, device, or building.
2. Responsibility – a wrong decision can affect health, safety, money, or rights.
3. Unpredictability – every situation is different and does not fit into an exact set of instructions.
4. Trust – the client wants to know who is responsible for the result.
5. In-depth professional knowledge – the job requires lengthy study and practical experience.
6. Combining multiple skills – technical, analytical, and communication skills are needed at the same time.
7. Working with people – empathy, motivation, teaching, and negotiation are important.

The greatest risk is posed by work that is entirely digital, repetitive, and easy to check, and for whose results the employee is not personally responsible.

Which skills are worth developing now?

Professional expertise combined with the use of artificial intelligence

Using AI tools alone is not enough. A strong specialist also understands the field in which they apply the technology.

A good combination might be:

• accounting and automation;
• marketing and data analytics;
• construction and BIM;
• energy and cybersecurity;
• medicine and health data;
• law and technology regulation.

Analytical and critical thinking

An AI response may be convincing, but wrong.

An employee must be able to assess:

• where the data comes from;
• whether the result is logical;
• which risks were overlooked;
• whether a decision can be made based on the conclusion;
• who is responsible for a possible error.

Technical and practical skills

A skilled electrician, mechatronics technician, technician, or ventilation specialist may be in a more stable position in the labour market than a worker with a general office-related education but no specific profession.

Practical skills are difficult to acquire quickly and cannot simply be replaced by software.

Communication and understanding the customer

The easier it is to create a service or content technically, the more valuable it becomes to understand what the customer actually needs.

Important skills include:

• asking the right questions;
• explaining a complex topic;
• sales;
• negotiation;
• teaching;
• conflict resolution;
• teamwork.

Continuous learning

According to the World Economic Forum’s employer survey, about 39% of workers’ current core skills may change by 2030. At the same time, this does not mean that a new university degree will have to be earned every few years. Continuing education, professional certificates, micro-credentials, and the ongoing learning of new work tools will become more important.

What should you consider when choosing a profession in Estonia?

The number of job vacancies today alone does not show which occupations will have good prospects ten years from now.

For example, there may be many job offers in retail because of the sector’s size, seasonality and high employee turnover. This does not automatically mean that cashier jobs will see long-term growth.

Before choosing a profession, it is worth researching:

• whether employment in the field is growing or declining;
• how many employees will retire in the coming years;
• which tasks can be automated;
• whether the work needs to be done in a physical environment;
• how long it takes to obtain the required qualifications;
• whether the skills can be used in several sectors;
• whether the work creates significant added value;
• what the working conditions and pay level are.

The near-term prospects for a specific occupation can also be checked using the Eesti Töötukassa tööjõuvajaduse baromeetrist, which shows estimates of occupational demand and labour supply by region.

Frequently asked questions about future professions

Which occupations will be most in demand in Estonia in the future?

Healthcare workers, caregivers, teachers, engineers, electricians, automation technicians, technicians, cybersecurity specialists, software developers, data analysts, and qualified construction specialists are likely to be in high demand.

Which professions are likely to disappear the fastest?

Jobs are declining fastest when their core tasks consist of data entry, processing standard documents, simple cash-register operations and repetitive administrative work. Usually, a job does not disappear completely straight away; instead, fewer people are needed to do the same work.

Will artificial intelligence replace accountants?

Artificial intelligence and business software reduce the number of tasks performed manually. At the same time, demand remains for accountants, tax advisers and auditors who can analyse data and understand legislation and companies’ business processes.

Will programmers disappear?

No, but their work is changing. Writing simple code is becoming partially automated, while the importance of understanding systems architecture, security, integrations and business needs is growing.

Do occupations requiring vocational education have a future?

Yes. Many European countries have a long-standing shortage of electricians, mechanics, welders, maintenance technicians, automation technicians, and heating and ventilation specialists.

Is it worth changing careers after the age of 40?

Yes, but the most realistic option is to move into a related specialisation where you can use your previous experience, rather than switching to a completely new field. An accountant could move into financial analysis, a production worker into equipment operation, and a salesperson into business-to-business customer management.

Main conclusion

Future professions are not limited to AI developers and robot creators.

Estonia needs doctors, nurses, caregivers, teachers, electricians, engineers, technicians, construction specialists and people who can operate and repair complex systems.

The weakest strategy is to spend years doing the same standardised task that can be written down precisely in an instruction manual.

The strongest strategy is to combine:

• specific profession;
• technological skills;
• critical thinking;
• taking responsibility;
• people skills.

Artificial intelligence will not replace all workers. But someone who knows how to use new technologies and critically assess the results may replace a worker who continues to rely only on old working methods.

Research and sources

• World Economic Forum: Future of Jobs Report 2025
• ILO: Generative AI and Jobs – A Refined Global Index of Occupational Exposure
• Cedefop: Skills Forecast up to 2035
• European Labour Authority: Labour Shortages and Surpluses in Europe 2025
• OSKA: The impact of artificial intelligence on workforce skills needs
• OSKA: Estonia’s foreign and future workforce needs
• OSKA: Workforce needs in the healthcare sector
• OSKA: Workforce needs in the energy sector
• OSKA: Accounting and business consulting
• OSKA: Workforce needs in the construction sector
• Estonian Unemployment Insurance Fund workforce needs barometer

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