January 21, 2022

Looking for the Fastest Growing Jobs? Here Are 7 of the Hottest Job Industries Right Now

Posted on January 21, 2022February 6, 2024 by Staff Writer

Over the last two years, the job market has changed a great deal. The pandemic placed tremendous strains on some industries, particularly that of healthcare. But others were also affected, such as those involving supply chains and remote communications. Over this same time period, several sectors saw major advances in technologies. This is particularly true manufacturing firms using robotics and companies invested in data analytics. This has resulted in tremendous opportunities for new careers. Understanding this, today’s fastest-growing jobs aren’t the same as the ones a few years ago. In fact, some of the hottest job industries right now didn’t even exist decades prior. With that in mind, here are 6 job sectors that will definitely be recruiting for the foreseeable future.

Healthcare Professions

Before COVID-19 ever struck, the U.S. was already experiencing a shortage of specific healthcare professionals. Nursing, mental health therapists, and other ancillary care professionals were in high demand. In the aftermath of the pandemic, this demand has only intensified. Many nurses are leaving the profession for retirement or to pursue other interests. Likewise, nurse practitioners are increasingly serving primary care needs in the country. With this in mind, nursing and nurse partitioner positions will be some of the fastest-growing jobs for some time to come. In fact, some estimate job growth will exceed 52%. Currently, traveling nurses as well as nurse practitioners are average over 6 figures in income. By all accounts, healthcare, and nursing specifically, is one of the hottest job industries right now.

Information Technology (IT) Fields

Technology fields and IT positions have been among the fastest-growing jobs for a while. This isn’t about to change. However, the specific positions within this sector that will be in high demand will reflect a changing landscape. As the world shifts to remote work, increasing numbers of coders will be needed for software and app development. Likewise, there is an increasing need for expertise in IoT solutions and skills as an AI architect. These areas can expect a 22% growth rate and 6-figure salaries while cybersecurity analyst positions will grow more than 30%. Thus, IT jobs will remain one of the hottest job industries right now and throughout the decade. (In case you missed it, Bold Business did a deep dive into the push for remote work over office work.)

Finance Management Positions

With the rise in fintech, financial management positions are also among the hottest job industries right now. Finance management gurus with both B.S. and M.B.A. degrees will have no trouble finding employment as a result. Over the next 10 years, these types of positions are expected to grow 15% and ensure qualified applicants of a median salary of $120,000. In addition, other finance industry positions are also becoming more prevalent. Specifically, finance consultants as well as blockchain engineers are being sought by some firms. Blockchain engineers tend to earn salaries exceeding $150,000 given the need for cryptocurrency mining. (What’s the recipe for a cryptocurrency mining town? Read this Bold story and find out!) Within the finance sector, this is likely to be one of the fastest growing jobs of the future.

Supply Chain Expertise

Supply chain problems have wreaked havoc for many months in the wake of the pandemic. Increased demand for some items early during COVID-19 overwhelmed just-in-time inventory management. Then, labor shortages and policy restrictions added insult to injury later. Because of this, one of the hottest job industries right now are those involving supply chain systems. Purchasing agents, logistics analysts, distribution managers, and systems analysts are among the fastest-growing jobs currently. Likewise, many firms are recruiting industrial engineers to improve system efficiencies. Each of these positions are earning high salaries with some only requiring a B.S. degree for entry positions. For those skilled in mathematics, stats, and engineering, this is a field that offers great opportunity for the immediate future.

Alternative Energy Systems

Over the course of the last year, alternative and renewable energy systems have gained momentum. Climate change pressures are driving the growth of these systems as countries strive to reduce carbon emissions. As a result, talent and expertise is desperately needed when it comes to the installation, design, repair and maintenance of these offerings. Naturally, those with advanced engineering degrees in these areas will have no trouble finding work. But likewise, other positions in this sector are also among the fastest-growing jobs currently. For example, solar photovoltaic installers and wind turbine service technicians are actively being recruited. These positions are seeing growth rates above 60% with some areas exceeding 100% increases. Particularly for technician fields, these are among the hottest job industries right now. And the greater the shift to renewable energy, the more in-demand such skills will be.

Data Management Fields

As you might have guessed, data management positions are one of the hottest job industries right now as well. The boom in Big Data, artificial intelligence, and the Internet-of-Things have all contributed. And while IT expertise is important for these areas, data management is as well. Data scientists are expected to see a 30% job growth rate as are information analysts. In addition, other data-related positions like actuarial and statistician jobs are also growing at an amazing rate. These are said to be increasing by 20% annually with salaries exceeding $100,000. Without question, automated systems will assist in data analytics and machine learning. But positions managing these systems and interpreting their results will continue to be among the fastest-growing jobs. Therefore, this is another area where the pursuit of knowledge and skills may be worthwhile.

Robotics and Automation Fields

With labor shortages on the rise, and increasing costs of wages, many firms have recently invested in robotics and automation. As a result, expertise in these areas will also be in high demand. The fastest-growing jobs related to robotics and automation will include those involving robotics engineers, robotics technicians, and robotics operator. Despite a slight decline in growth prior to the pandemic, this is no longer the case. Not only do these positions pay handsomely, but they are expected to grow by 6% annually for the coming decade. With this type of technology being increasingly adopted by different sectors, these growth predictions may be conservative. Even so, robotics and automation fields are among the hottest job industries right now.

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The Real Threat to Cryptocurrency: State-Sponsored Hackers

Posted on January 21, 2022January 21, 2022 by Staff Writer

While cryptocurrency has experienced volatility in the last year or so, many finance experts tout it as the future. In fact, Elon Musk has gone so far as to suggest it will be THE currency on Mars when that day comes. But that doesn’t mean that cryptocurrency isn’t without its fair share of concerns. On the one hand, blockchain requires tremendous energy consumption, which has been a concern for many. (Read more about the immense energy these digital currencies require in this Bold story!) Likewise, it’s unclear which cryptocurrency may have staying-power over time. But while these issues are noteworthy, they may not be the most important one when it comes to cryptocurrency. The biggest threat may actually be cryptocurrency hacks and fraud.

Over the last several years, the number of cryptocurrency hacking cases have increased substantially. These as well as other cybersecurity threats are rapidly becoming the highest priority for many businesses and financial institutions. And they’re also becoming major concerns at a state level, given that many cryptocurrency hacking cases seem to be state-supported. Not only have countries like Russia and China been linked to cryptocurrency hacks and fraud. But it’s now apparent that North Korea is as well. It’s therefore important that anyone involved with cryptocurrency understand these risks and their potential repercussions.

“North Korean cybercriminals had a banner year in 2021, launching at least seven attacks on cryptocurrency platforms that extracted nearly $400 million worth of digital assets last year.” – 2022 Chainalysis Report on North Korea

A Recent Uptick in Cryptocurrency Hacking Cases

It’s pretty clear that cybersecurity breaches have increased over the last decade and reflect common threats to companies. This was highlighted recently in Russia’s SolarWinds and FireEye attacks last year. It has also been apparent in a number of hacking events presumed to be led by Chinese intelligence. Clearly, states are now involved in the next-level of warfare involve cyber domains. But Russia and China are not the only ones engaged in this new form of warfare. According to recent reports, North Korea has been actively pursuing cryptocurrency hacks and fraud since 2017.

As reported by Chainalysis this month, North Korea has escalated its efforts in cryptocurrency hacks and frauds. While 4 cryptocurrency hacking cases by North Korea were identified in 2020, this figure increased to 7 this past year. The amount of cryptocurrency stolen totaled $400 million in 2021, representing a 40% increase in value from the preceding year. The number of cryptocurrency hacking cases involving North Korea had declined since its peak in 2017. But the past year’s totals now suggest the country is becoming more aggressive in its cryptocurrency hacks and fraud. North Korea also appears to be more sophisticated in its efforts as well.

“In some instances, the [presumed North Korea] actors used a hacked account of a [venture capital] firm’s employee to have a conversation with the target. Kaspersky researchers found more than 15 venture firms whose brand names and employee names were abused during the campaign.” – Statement by Kaspersky Anti-Virus Software Company

Targeted Cryptocurrency Hacks and Fraud

While cybersecurity breaches can involve nearly any company, cryptocurrency hacks and fraud have been more targeted. As has been evident in North Korea’s efforts, cryptocurrency hacking cases tend to involve investment firms and centralized cryptocurrency exchanges. Many have involved stealing digital coin from “hot wallets,” which is any Internet-connected account that stores, sends or receives cryptocurrency. These are currently the types of sites that appear to be most vulnerable to state-sponsored cryptocurrency hacks and fraud.

In terms of North Korea over the last year, there have been several strategies used in their cryptocurrency hacking cases. Often, phishing lures are used to engage employees working at the various financial institutions. Other approaches have also included code exploits, use of malware, and advanced social engineering. Once obtained, the stolen cryptocurrency is then laundered and used for military purposes. Specifically, North Korea is believed to be using this stolen digital coin to their ballistic missile and WMD programs. Clearly, this heightens the level of concern about the safety of cryptocurrency. (How safe is crypto? Read more in this Bold Business deep dive!)

“These [laundering] behaviors, put together, paint a portrait of a nation that supports cryptocurrency-enabled crime on a massive scale. Systematic and sophisticated, North Korea’s government…has cemented itself as an advanced persistent threat to the cryptocurrency industry in 2021.” – 2022 Chainalysis Report

Sophistication in Digital Money Laundering

Understanding that blockchain offers a decentralized system to validate transactions, cryptocurrency hacks and fraud require elaborate strategies. In cryptocurrency hacking cases, criminals must somehow “launder” their digital coin before they can use it. As North Korea has shown, schemes to accomplish this have become incredibly complex. In fact, a series of steps are taken once cryptocurrency is taken to hide any trail of its original theft. Most commonly, this involves a combination of stealing, exchanging, and mixing digital coins multiple times. After several cycles of this type of cryptocurrency laundering, it becomes quite difficult to trace its origin.

State-sponsored cryptocurrency hacks and fraud are a bigger threat than just run-of-the-mill hackers.

In the most recent cryptocurrency hacking cases, North Korea has targeted several types of digital coins. These not only include Ether and Bitcoin but also ERC-20 tokens and altcoins. In the subsequent digital money laundering process, the stolen coin is initially swapped for another type of cryptocurrency on a decentralized exchange. Typically, this exchange allows greater liquidity when less common coins are exchanged for more common ones. After this, the new digital coins are mixed, where software pools and then scrambles thousands of cryptocurrency addresses. When these steps are performed repeatedly, efforts to track cryptocurrency hacks and fraud become increasingly more difficult.

A New Era of Cyber Warfare

In terms of global politics, cyber warfare is nothing new. For decades now, nations have been investing in assets and strategies to compete at a new level. But cryptocurrency hacks and fraud represent a rising concern within the scope of cyber warfare. The ability to steal not only information but digital coin as well raises the bar with even more at stake. As the number of cryptocurrency hacking cases increase, greater investments into cybersecurity protections and defenses will be required. This is not only true for financial institutions but for state actors as well.

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Tapping Into Neurofeedback for the Ultimate Zen Experience

Posted on January 21, 2022January 21, 2022 by Staff Writer

The benefits of meditation are well-recognized in terms of health and wellness today. Not only can mindfulness and meditation practices improve levels of stress and mental health. But they also enhance physical well-being also. Because of this, many have adopted the practice as part of their daily or weekly routines. However, a significant number of people are unclear how to approach the practice or know when they are reaping its rewards. These individuals are those that could use some assistance and guidance. And interestingly, a handful of companies are providing meditation devices to do just that.

Leveraging biofeedback therapy, there are a number of meditation devices today designed to help newbies to the practice. But these devices are more than simply instructional guides or lists of best practices. Instead, they utilize the latest digital therapeutics to provide real-time biofeedback therapy in the process. (Read more about digital therapeutics in this Bold story!) This approach has many advantages with the most important ones related to self-education. Rather than sitting with a meditation guru, users of these meditation devices learn which practices are best for them. In the process, they’re able to create their own personalized Zen experience that’s unique to their own situation.

“Biofeedback can be used for many things, including measuring and reporting stress and anxiety. We measure what’s going on in your body, and we show it to you in real time. The goal is to make you aware of things that usually you’re unaware of — things that happen unconsciously in your body all the time.” – Noga Sapir, CEO at Reflect

Real-Time Biofeedback Therapy Is the Key

Biofeedback therapy has been around for many decades. In essence, it can be defined as any input of data that describes how one’s body is physiologically functioning. Common parameters include heart rate, breathing and respirations, skin temperature, and even brain waves. In fact, neurofeedback related to EEG brain waves has improved greatly in the last half-century. This type of information is linked to stress levels as well as overall health. Thus, the information can be used to guide individuals to change behaviors toward more healthier ones. And it can also be used to teach people how to better perform meditation.

In the past, biofeedback and neurofeedback weren’t available in real-time. But the latest meditation devices available today have this capability. This means that those attempting meditation can receive immediate information about how a particular practice affects them. Based on various biofeedback parameters, individuals can determine whether a breathing technique is lowering their level of stress. They can also assess how calm and peaceful they are based changes in their heart rate and heart rate variability. Most interestingly, however, these new meditation devices may also facilitate actual physiological changes in the brain. Real-time biofeedback therapy may therefore improve not just meditation practices but their effects as well.

“I could tell when my brain was doing the right thing because I would hear the sound that was supposed to be the positive feedback.” – Kate Stockly, Researcher at Boston University’s Center for Mind and Culture

The Latest in Meditation Devices

Over the last few years, a number of new meditation apps and devices have hit the market. Many of these are app-based with connectivity to smart devices. Some, however, are stand-alone products that offer biofeedback therapy to assist with meditation practice. The following are some of the most notable products in this category currently.

Core Meditation Trainer – Recently purchased by Hyperice, Core had already received attention for its meditation trainer. Its product consists of a handheld ball with various electrodes that sense heart rate variability and other biofeedback therapy modalities. Based on the physiological data, headphones then provide the user with various meditation backgrounds. These may consist of guided meditations, soundscapes, or breathing instruction sessions. Though an app-connection is required to access the content library, this is one of the most popular meditation devices today.

Zendo Meditation – Rather than describing Zendo Meditation Devices as biofeedback therapy, its best to label them neurofeedback devices. Their product consists of two pads that are placed on the forehead, designed to stimulate the meditation centers of the brain. Developed by neuromodulation researchers at the Medical University of South Carolina, Zendo’s product enhances and speeds meditation effects. The company reports that a 20-minute session with its product is equivalent to a one-hour traditional meditation practice.

Muse Headband – The primary biofeedback therapy used by the Muse Headband is that of brain waves. Using advanced EEG mobile technologies, the headband allows EEG patterns to determine meditation sounds for the user. Over 500 different weather-sound meditations are provided that can aid sleep, reduce stress, and enhance performance. Muse provides real-time neurofeedback on its meditation devices to ensure responses best fit a user’s needs.

Reflect Meditation Orb – One of the latest meditation devices is the one introduced recently by Reflect. Its handheld orb is made of cloth, has 6 electrodes to sense biorhythms, and a light ring. The light ring changes colors according to levels of stress, thus providing real-time visual data to the user. Based on this feedback, users can then experiment with different meditation practices to see which works the best. In addition, Reflect’s Meditation orb does not require device connectivity to be used.

“We’re not targeting Zen Buddhist monks, or those who can sit cross-legged on top of the mountain and meditate for hours…They don’t need us.” – Shiri Perciger, CMO at Reflect

A More Personalized Meditation Approach Through Technology

Meditation practices have been around for millennia. Their advantages to holistic wellness have been long appreciated. Similarly, the positive effects that meditation has on work performance is also now evident. However, many who are just learning about their health benefits sometimes find it challenging to know which practices are best. Certainly, spending time with an experienced guru or yogi can be highly rewarding. But it now seems that meditation devices may offer an additional alternative. Not only do these products make learning meditation easier, but they also personalize the experience through biofeedback therapy. Ultimately, this has the potential to encourage an increasing number of people to participate in meditation practices. And that is certainly something that is worthwhile.

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Day: January 21, 2022

Looking for the Fastest Growing Jobs? Here Are 7 of the Hottest Job Industries Right Now

Healthcare Professions

Information Technology (IT) Fields

Finance Management Positions

Supply Chain Expertise

Alternative Energy Systems

Data Management Fields

Robotics and Automation Fields

The Real Threat to Cryptocurrency: State-Sponsored Hackers