Top careers in business, analytics and information technology in 2026

At the beginning of a new year, many people think about changing or creating new career goals. You may be considering moving into a new industry or looking for new opportunities in your current organisation. Whatever your goals may be, it’s important to keep up to date with industry trends to ensure you remain a competitive employee in a fast-changing world.  

According to the World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs Report 2025, 60% of employers expect broadening digital access to transform their business by 2030. In 2026, organisations will continue to digitise and integrate AI into their operations, fuelling demand for technology-related skills.  

In this blog, we will be going through the top careers in business, analytics and information technology and how they will evolve in 2026.   

1. Business ​​​​​​​

• Business roles combined with tech literacy 

AI is no longer considered new, but an essential part of the toolkit. According to LinkedIn’s Skills on the Rise ranking in 2025, AI literacy is the fastest growing skill in Australia. A McKinsey report revealed that 80% of large companies globally are set to adopt AI to drive productiity in 2026. People with business acumen, data and tech literacy, and adaptability will be in high demand. 

In 2026, business professionals and leaders will be more comfortable using a suite of AI tools. It will feel natural to turn to AI for brainstorming, drafting reports, creating presentations, extracting insights from datasets, and automating routine tasks, allowing more time for human creativity.  

According to the World Economic Forum, analytical thinking is the most sought-after core skill among employers. As a business professional, you do not have to be a data scientist, but you need to be able to have foundational skills such as reading dashboards, understanding metrics, and developing data-driven plans and strategies. 

Examples - Business roles redesigned by AI  

Finance 

With automated reconciliation, fraud detection and predictive modelling performed by AI, a finance manager will spend less time compiling reports and more time advising their clients and stakeholders.  

Marketing 

Instead of manually creating audience segments or writing content, marketing professionals can use AI to drive segmentation, create ad concepts or generate drafts in seconds or minutes.  

Human Resources 

The hiring process will be faster for Human Resource Managers as AI can help with resume screening or produce job ads in seconds.  

• Sustainable / Environmental Business Managers 

In 2025, environmental stewardship entered the top 10 list of fastest-growing skills in the WEF Future of Jobs report for the first time. As many countries commit to net-zero emissions by 2050 and ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance) and ethical supply chains become mainstream, businesses will need people who can implement sustainable practices.  

The global clean technology market will reach nearly $1.8 trillion by 2030, driven by government initiatives and customer demand. Senior roles such as Chief Sustainable Officer will become more common and will be responsible for overseeing environmental strategy, compliance and sustainable growth. 

Sustainability Consultants will work with teams to examine their business operations, find areas of improvement, set sustainability targets, and recommend solutions to reduce environmental impact. Every employee will have a part to play to help their organisation reach their 'green’ goals.  

• E-Commerce roles 

In 2024, Australians spent a record of $69 billion online. Around 63.9% of the population now shop online regularly. The industry has been driven by a growing demand for convenience, fast delivery, competitive pricing and personalised sales offers.

Social media has become a central platform for online purchases. According to the Digital 2025 Australia Report, 54% of adult users research brands via social media platforms, and 71% are more likely to buy based on social media referrals. 72% of internet users worldwide use social media to discover and research brands before they purchase.  

Digital, data-centric and logistic roles such as E-Commerce Managers, Logistics Managers and Digital Marketing Managers will grow in number.  

2. Analytics 

In 2025, many organisations completed their data infrastructure and in 2026 will focus on maximising their return on investment with AI initiatives. Analysts will need to be able to connect their technical skills with business needs and align their insights to key performance indicators. 

• Data Analysts 

A Data Analyst typically collects, cleans and analyses structured data to explain past trends, identify patterns and provide actionable insights. In 2025, AI assistants such as ChatGPT, Claude and GitHub were already helping analysts write queries, automate routine tasks, interpret results and generate insights. The integration of advanced AI and Machine Learning transformed how data was analysed, and uncovered patterns and insights at scale and speed. 

The future will see data analysts as strategic partners in decision-making, not just people generating reports. Data analysts will help drive business strategy by identifying market trends, customer behaviours and operational efficiencies, and foster innovation by finding opportunities for new product development, market expansion and customer engagement. According to Seek, job growth for data analysts is expected to grow by 23.2% each year.  

• Data Scientists ​​​​​​​

Data Scientists analyse complex datasets and employ techniques such as machine learning and predictive modelling to forecast future trends. They create data pipelines, and design dashboards or visualizations for stakeholders. 

In 2026, Data Scientists will rely on AI and Machine Learning to automate repetitive tasks (such as data cleaning and model selection) and focus on more strategic and high-value tasks such as problem-solving, strategy and system deployment. With the prominence of the Internet of Things (IoT), data scientists will process data closer to its source, enabling faster decision-making.  

• Data Engineers ​​​​​​​

Data Engineers build and maintain systems for data collection, storing and processing. They organise and transform data so it’s accurate, reliable, and ready to use by data scientists.  

In 2026, automation and AI tools will allow Data Engineers to focus on more strategic projects. They will need to be proficient in cloud technologies such as Amazon Web Services (AWS) and Azure. Having knowledge of machine learning and real-time data processing will help Data Engineers drive success as businesses can receive immediate insights to changing situations. 

• Data Governance Specialists 

A Data Governance Specialist manages and safeguards an organisation's data assets, ensuring compliance with regulations, data quality and accessibility. As organisations will rely heavily on AI systems, data governance roles will transition from a compliance function to a strategic AI governance role. Specialists will examine AI and Machine Learning models, design frameworks, and work with data scientists and risk teams to ensure transparency, ethical use and accountability of data.   

Data Governance Specialists will need to monitor fast-moving, dynamic data flows, not just static databases. They will be expected to provide strategic value, not just policies, by supporting digital initiatives.  

3. Information Technology 

The importance of tech will continue to grow with the fast adoption of new technologies by businesses. According to ACS Australia's Digital Pulse 2024, over 310,000 additional technology workers are needed by 2030 to meet industry demand. 

• AI and Machine Learning Engineers ​​​​​​​

AI and Machine Learning (ML) Engineers develop and implement algorithms and models that enable machines to learn from data and make decisions without explicit programming. They build systems that can process large datasets, recognize patterns, and make predictions. 

The future of AI and ML will be about integration, and employers will need engineers who can translate technical systems into business and ethical contexts. As AI will be used by most teams, engineers will need to assess how all the systems interact and change across different business functions and bridge the gap to streamline operations. They also need to have compliance knowledge and embed fairness and accountability into the models they create.  

• Software and Applications Programmers 

Software and Applications Programmers are needed to design, develop, test and maintain customised software. There will be an increase in roles for Software and Applications Programmers as more organisations turn to SaaS and cloud platforms to improve operations or custom software to better interact with customers.  

In 2026, software development will be more reliant on AI. Developers will no longer just be coders. With automation, AI-assisted coding and cloud platforms, developers can focus on strategy, innovation and decision-making.  

•  Cyber Security Specialists ​​​​​​​

A Cyber Security Specialist protects an organisation's systems, data and networks from cyber threats. Cyber Security roles will increase, driven by the sophistication of threats, handling sensitive data, increased regulatory pressure, and the adoption of cloud technologies. According to Seek, expected job growth in cyber security will be 38.9%. 

As AI can accelerate attacks, craft phishing emails at scale and impersonate leaders, AI must also be used as a defensive tool. Cyber security is moving from reactive defence to continuous readiness, as reported by Forbes, and AI can automate repetitive tasks (such as security scans), detect vulnerabilities early and prevent breaches proactively.  

• Cloud DevOps Engineers ​​​​​​​

The global market for cloud computing is expected to grow to $1.3 trillion by 2026, driven by remote work and digital user experiences. Cloud Engineers are needed to build and manage the cloud infrastructure that keeps AI systems, automation tools and data pipelines running. This enables organisations to securely store, manage and process critical data. 

The integration of AI into cloud computing will shift the focus from routine management to high-level problem-solving, designing scalable systems and improving cloud architecture. AI tools will predict failures before they happen, adjust resources in real-time and conduct routine security scans and compliance checks.  

Interested in more career advice? Read our Business Career Guide. Learn how our Career Central team can help you advance your career.  

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