By Christian Aboagye
I have lived enough, studied enough, and worked enough to see a simple truth: the world of work is changing faster than many realise, and not in our favour if we are unprepared. Artificial Intelligence is not just a distant buzzword anymore; it is already here, quietly replacing the slow with the swift, the manual with the automated, the predictable with the algorithm. Most office-based, sedentary jobs will not survive this wave. A few might, but many will be reshaped beyond recognition.
AI and Me
When I reflect on my own career, I see this change clearly. My first degree, a First Class in Network Security with Penetration Testing, opened the door to a world of technology. It was a field dedicated to protection: safeguarding systems and defending the vulnerable against invisible threats. It is still a high-demand, high-impact career today, and one where I could make a real difference, especially in an AI-powered world where cybercrime and data breaches are on the rise.
However, along the way, I realised my heart was also pulling me in another direction: towards people. Vulnerable people. Those who needed more than firewalls and encryption; they needed human understanding, compassion, and advocacy. That is when I retrained in Social Work. Today, as a Mental Health Practitioner within the NHS, I feel fortunate. This profession, unlike many others, cannot be easily replaced by AI. Technology supports us, but it cannot replicate genuine human empathy, nuanced decision-making, or the deep trust built in face-to-face relationships.
The important point here is not that one path is better than the other, but that both careers are future-proof in their own ways. Network Security with Penetration Testing thrives because AI expands the cyber threat landscape, creating a constant demand for human experts. Social Work thrives because no algorithm can replace the human heart. In both cases, the choice was intentional, informed, and aligned with my values.
This is where Career Advisors become essential. In an AI-driven economy, their role is not just helpful; it is vital. They can help you identify which industries are shrinking and which ones will thrive. They can guide you towards roles that balance stability with your passions. Most importantly, they can help you see beyond the obvious, so you do not end up investing years and money into a field that may be obsolete by the time you graduate.
We often assume that the surest route to success is multiple degrees or prestigious universities. But if you look closely at the world’s millionaires and billionaires, you will notice something interesting: many did not follow that path. Some never went to university at all. Others attended only after they had already built their fortunes. What they all had in common was clarity; they understood where the world was going and positioned themselves to meet it.
And here is where entrepreneurship comes into the conversation. In the age of AI, entrepreneurship offers perhaps the greatest opportunity for freedom, creativity, and financial growth. AI can automate much of the heavy lifting in a business, from customer service to marketing analytics, allowing entrepreneurs to focus on innovation and strategy. The benefits are enormous: you can create solutions the market actually needs, scale them quickly, and adapt faster than large, slow-moving corporations. In a time when traditional job security is fading, entrepreneurship allows you to create your own security.
This clarity of direction does not come by chance. It comes from asking the right questions early enough: Where is my industry headed? What skills will be valuable in ten years? Can my career withstand automation? AI will win in productivity, in scalability, and in efficiency, but there are still spaces where humans will always matter. Finding that space, whether through employment or entrepreneurship, is the challenge of our time.
If I have one piece of advice from both my technology and social work experience, it is this: do not walk into your future blindly. Speak to a Career Advisor. Learn how AI is reshaping your field. Align your choices with both the market’s reality and your inner calling. Whether you choose a secure profession, a high-demand technical role, or the entrepreneurial path, make sure it is a decision rooted in understanding and foresight.
The future belongs to the prepared. And preparation starts with the right guidance.
