The World Economic Forum’s 2025 report highlights major transformations in the job market linked to technological transition, generative AI, and climate issues. For higher education, these developments are reshaping the skills expected and the organisation of careers.
These insights of the expected changes in the job market are more than mere observations: they inform how future skill requirements are foreseen and how training programmes are tailored in higher education, including Engineering schools.
Anticipating the shifts outlined by the World Economic Forum’s 2025 report, ESILV places future engineers at the crossroads of technological, environmental, and organisational transformations. Its programmes are structured to align with evolving job market expectations, integrating both technical expertise and adaptability skills.
Changing professions: growth and decline
According to the World Economic Forum report, nearly 23% of current jobs are expected to undergo significant changes in the coming years, resulting in 83 million new jobs and 97 million net job losses worldwide.
The most dynamic professions are in the fields of cybersecurity, data, AI and sustainable transition: data analysts, cybersecurity specialists, AI engineers, sustainability managers and customer experience specialists.
Conversely, administrative, data entry and office support roles are expected to see the sharpest declines. This evolution implies a growing demand for engineers who can work with AI, machine learning, and predictive analytics to optimise processes in finance, supply chain, and product development.
ESILV’s Master in Engineering – Grande Ecole Programme offers in depth study of these topics through specialisations such as Modelling & Computational Mechanics, Cybersecurity & Cloud Computing, and Industry & Robotics which pose complex technical problems and the processes needed to solve them.
Moreover, the MSc Computer Science & Data Science and MSc Cyber Resilience & Crisis Leadership programmes are designed to strike an effective balance between theory and practice within a multidisciplinary environment.
Priority skills: the shift towards soft and technical skills
The report highlights four skill sets considered critical by employers:
- Data analysis and interpretation: central to finance, marketing, and supply chain roles.
- Critical thinking and complex problem solving: required in consulting, auditing, and strategy.
- Creativity and innovation: essential in marketing, communication, and customer experience.
- Resilience, collaboration and social intelligence: required in all leadership roles.
At ESILV, these dimensions are reflected in a structured soft skills programme covering communication, ethics, creativity and stress management, as well as student engagement through sports, international activities, community life and solidarity initiatives. This practical approach meets the needs of recruiters, who struggle to measure the real impact of soft skills training.
AI and cybersecurity: two converging strategic priorities
The World Economic Forum identifies generative AI and cybersecurity as two major drivers of transformation. On the one hand, AI is redefining value creation, from the automation of financial tasks to marketing personalisation. On the other hand, the rise of cyber threats requires every function to understand digital risk management.
All major areas of activity are affected by these developments:
- In finance, the use of AI agents for automated portfolio analysis and the integration of cybersecurity audits into practical cases.
- In marketing, generative AI for cross-channel campaigns and cyber risk management in omnichannel environments.
- In HR, AI co-pilots for recruitment and GDPR compliance for employee data management.
- In supply chain, predictive planning via AI and supplier security.
These orientations are consolidated through cross-functional AI/cyber hackathons conducted in collaboration with EMLV and IIM, which expose students to realistic crises and the co-creation of solutions.
The societal and intercultural dimension
The report also emphasises the need to integrate the green transition and the intercultural dimension into future careers. Companies are seeking candidates who can work effectively in multicultural environments and lead projects with a sustainable impact.
ESILV reinforces this dimension by encouraging transdisciplinary work focused on real-life societal and environmental challenges, as well as the integration of project work, teamwork, and exposure to companies, which supports problem solving and collaboration
Students also have the opportunity to participate in student associations that involve social impact initiatives, as well as the annual societal hackathons (focused on ethical AI, inclusion, and climate), which offer a concrete experience of the social impact expected of future engineers.
A training model aligned with global trends
The World Economic Forum study shows that graduates will need to combine technological mastery, human intelligence, and a sense of societal impact.
The ESILV programmes are designed with a clear focus. The Master’s in Engineering provides a five-year post-baccalaureate curriculum that blends general engineering skills with specialized courses. On the other hand, the MSc programmes encourage students to realize their potential and embrace the future of technology through a high-quality and well-regarded program.
More information about ESILV programmes