How to Prepare for the AI-Driven Job Market in Nigeria

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is generating fresh employment in the world’s evolving landscape, including Nigeria. The surge in AI integration across industries is reshaping the job market and creating new prospects for job seekers. In this article, I’ll explore jobs in AI. These include jobs created by the advent of AI and those that will get more prominence. I’ll also provide insight into the skills required for a successful career.

How is AI Creating New Jobs in Nigeria?

AI’s integration is far from just automation — a catalyst for innovative roles. Companies are adopting AI-driven solutions, sparking the emergence of novel job opportunities. As AI tools and technologies become more prevalent, the demand for skilled professionals is escalating, thus reshaping the employment landscape.

Before you go through the list of jobs and laugh like I did because Nigeria is nowhere near ready with the infrastructure to provide these jobs or become anxious like I did on second thought because, as I mentioned previously, we don’t have to use every technology; but it is inevitable. History has shown that technological advancements have displaced human labour before, leading to significant shifts in societies and economies. Nigeria, companies, and businesses should also see this as inevitable. We could either be on the proactive or reactive side of this new wave of technology.

Here is a quick wrap-up of what Nigeria must do to ride this new wave successfully, as I discussed in the preceding article “AI and Automation: A Threat or an Opportunity for Nigeria?” Nigeria must prepare its workforce for AI-related job opportunities through STEM education and AI-focused courses. Partnerships between academia, industry and government can drive innovation and skill acquisition. Reskilling and upskilling initiatives can help workers adapt to the changing job landscape. Nigeria should assess potential job displacement (check the detailed list in the preceding article), transition affected workers to AI-related roles, and support AI startups and research centres. Aligning education, workforce development, and policies can help Nigeria embrace AI opportunities and become competitive in the global AI job market.

What Are the Skills You Need to Get an AI Job in Nigeria?

An AI career demands a mix of technical prowess and adaptable skills. Those inclined towards mathematics, technology, and problem-solving stand to benefit. As AI becomes mainstream, opportunities for these new roles involving data analysis, machine learning, and AI strategy are rising. In fact, the U.S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics projects a substantial 21% growth in the employment of computer and information research scientists between 2021 and 2031 — a testament to AI’s transformative impact on job prospects.

The List of Jobs Set to Be Created by AI

As we continue to ride on this new wave of technology, new job roles that cater to specific aspects of AI implementation will be created. These roles optimize productivity, decision-making, and innovation across diverse industries. Here are some of the predicted new jobs created with AI at the moment, as we expect even more in the future:

1. Prompt Engineer: Responsible for crafting effective prompts to train AI models, a prompt engineer plays a pivotal role in fine-tuning AI systems’ language understanding and generation abilities.
2. AI Trainer: This role involves curating high-quality training datasets and refining machine learning models, enabling AI systems to learn and improve over time through exposure to diverse data sources.
3. AI Auditor: An AI auditor ensures the integrity and transparency of AI systems, conducting assessments to identify biases, ethical concerns, and performance issues within AI algorithms.
4. AI Ethicist / Ethics Expert: Addressing the ethical implications of AI is critical. AI ethicists ensure that AI technologies are developed and deployed responsibly, considering issues like bias, privacy, and societal impact.
5. Machine Manager: As AI systems become more autonomous, machine managers oversee the coordination, maintenance, and optimization of a fleet of AI-powered machines and robots.
6. Data Detective: These professionals dig deep into datasets to uncover hidden patterns, anomalies, and insights that can drive informed business decisions and AI model improvements.
7. Cybersecurity Analyst: With AI also influencing cyber threats, cybersecurity analysts specialize in developing AI-based defence mechanisms to protect against evolving cyber threats.
8. AI Business Strategist: AI business strategists bridge the gap between technical AI capabilities and business objectives, effectively devising strategies to integrate AI into organizations’ operational frameworks.
9. Data Broker: Data brokers play a pivotal role in sourcing, aggregating, and providing high-quality datasets to fuel AI training and development across various industries.
10. AI Explainer: An AI explainer simplifies complex AI models and outcomes for non-technical stakeholders, promoting better understanding and informed decision-making.
11. Machine Learning Engineer: Machine learning engineers create and optimize machine learning models, ensuring they perform effectively and efficiently for specific tasks.
12. Natural Language Processing Engineer: Specializing in language-related AI applications, NLP engineers design systems that comprehend and generate human language, enabling chatbots, language translation, and sentiment analysis.
13. Business Intelligence Analyst/Developer: These professionals leverage AI-driven insights to help organizations make data-driven decisions, enabling them to navigate complex market dynamics and trends.
14. Robotics Automation Technician: Focusing on practically implementing robotics and AI, these technicians design, build, and maintain robots and automated systems across industries.
15. Algorithm Developer: Algorithm developers create the underlying mathematical frameworks that power AI systems, enabling them to process data, learn patterns, and make predictions.
16. Big Data Engineer: With AI’s reliance on vast datasets, big data engineers design and manage infrastructure for storing, processing, and analyzing large-scale data, facilitating AI training and inference.

These emerging roles exemplify AI’s potential to reshape industries and create avenues for specialized expertise. As Nigeria embraces AI technologies, nurturing professionals in these roles can contribute to the nation’s technological advancement and global competitiveness.

Jobs That Will Get More Important with AI

While AI’s transformative potential introduces new roles, it enhances the significance of some existing positions across various industries. Here’s an extended look at the roles that will grow in importance as AI becomes more prevalent:

1. Data Scientist/Data Analyst: As AI relies heavily on data, data scientists and analysts play a crucial role in collecting, analyzing, and interpreting vast datasets to uncover valuable insights and patterns that inform strategic decisions.
2. Computer Engineer/Computer Scientist: These professionals design and develop the hardware and software that underpin AI systems, ensuring they function optimally and efficiently.
3. Programmer: Programmers continue to be essential in coding, testing, and maintaining AI algorithms, ensuring that AI systems perform accurately and reliably.
4. Cloud Computing Engineer: With AI often requiring substantial computing power, cloud computing engineers manage and optimize cloud infrastructure, facilitating AI training and deployment.
5. Cybersecurity Engineer: As AI applications expand, cybersecurity engineers are crucial for developing AI-based defence mechanisms to counteract evolving cyber threats.
6. Robotics Engineer: Robotics engineers specialize in designing and building robots that leverage AI capabilities, contributing to automation and innovation in manufacturing and healthcare industries.
7. User Experience Designer/Specialist: Crafting user-centred AI interfaces is pivotal, and user experience designers ensure that AI applications are intuitive, accessible, and aligned with user needs.
8. Product Manager: Product managers bridge the gap between technical development and market needs, guiding AI product design, development, and launch strategies.
9. Marketing Manager: Marketing managers utilize AI-driven insights to refine targeting strategies, optimize customer engagement, and enhance the effectiveness of marketing campaigns.
10. Manufacturing Engineer: Automation driven by AI impacts manufacturing processes. Manufacturing engineers adapt and optimize production lines to incorporate AI-powered robotics and systems.
11. Research and Development Engineer/Research Scientist: These professionals drive innovation by researching to advance AI algorithms, creating more sophisticated and effective AI technologies.
12. Software Engineer: Software engineers are pivotal in developing and maintaining the software systems that power AI applications, from data processing to machine learning algorithms.

As AI continues to integrate into diverse industries, professionals in these roles will play a central role in driving AI adoption, innovation, and optimization. Their expertise will be critical to harnessing AI’s potential and ensuring that AI technologies align with the needs and challenges of their respective fields.

Develop the Skills You Need for an AI Job

Navigating the realm of AI jobs demands a strategic approach to skill development. Here are some insights into the essential skills and steps required to position yourself effectively for AI roles:

Learn the Basics of AI: Start by building a solid foundation in AI principles. Familiarize yourself with core concepts such as machine learning, neural networks, and AI algorithms. This understanding provides the groundwork for more advanced skill acquisition.

Gain Experience in Data Science, Machine Learning, and Natural Language Processing: Developing proficiency in data science, machine learning, and natural language processing (NLP) is imperative. Practical experience with data manipulation, feature engineering, model training, and evaluation equips you with hands-on expertise.

Master Programming Languages like Python and R: Proficiency in programming languages is non-negotiable. Python’s versatility and rich libraries make it a cornerstone for AI development. R is also valuable for statistical analysis and data visualization.

Get Certified in AI: Earning recognized certifications in AI validates your skills and demonstrates your commitment to prospective employers. Certifications from reputable platforms showcase your competence in specialized AI domains.

Network with People in the AI Industry: Building a network within the AI community is invaluable. Engage in AI-focused meetups, workshops, and conferences to connect with professionals, share knowledge, and stay updated on industry trends.

Stay Up to Date on the Latest AI Trends: AI rapidly evolves, and staying informed is paramount. Follow tech/AI blogs like mine on Medium, @debralawal. I will continue to bring you the latest information, news, and trends in tech, specifically Artificial Intelligence. So, follow me to stay on top of developing technologies, techniques, and discoveries.

Remember, consistently hone these skills and stay proactive in your learning journey, and you will position yourself to excel in the competitive AI job landscape. With a solid foundation, practical experience, and a pulse on industry trends, you’ll be well-equipped to take on the challenges and opportunities presented by AI roles.

References

Content Team. 2023. Workable. Accessed August 19, 2023. https://resources.workable.com/tutorial/10-new-jobs-created-with-ai.

Lawal, Debra. 2023. Medium. August 5. Accessed August 19, 2023. https://debralawal.medium.com/we-must-prioritize-human-creativity-over-unbridled-technology-c17728dbf20d.

— . 2023. Medium. August 14. Accessed August 19, 2023. https://debralawal.medium.com/ai-and-automation-a-threat-or-an-opportunity-for-nigeria-9e6d5c00acf5.

Preston, Robert. 2023. Indeed Career Guide. July 31. Accessed August 19, 2023. https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/finding-a-job/jobs-in-ai.

U.S. BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 2023. U.S. BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. February 6. Accessed August 19, 2023. https://www.bls.gov/ooh/computer-and-information-technology/computer-and-information-research-scientists.htm.