By 2030, the world of work will look very different than what we know today.
According to the World Economic Forum 's Future of Jobs Report 2025 , the advance of artificial intelligence, automation, and the green transition will lead to a profound transformation of the labor market : an estimated 92 million jobs will disappear, but over 170 million new positions will be created.¹
This change concerns not only the quantity of work, but above all the quality of the skills required.
The weight of automation
Automation is not a threat in itself, but an accelerator of transformation.
Many repetitive or manual jobs will be progressively replaced by intelligent systems, while roles related to data analysis, sustainability, and food technology will emerge.
However, the WEF emphasizes that even traditional sectors such as catering and gastronomic craftsmanship will continue to require irreplaceable human skills : the ability to perceive, create and interpret the sensorial and cultural experience of food.²
Skills in transformation
The most significant data concerns skills: 39% of the skills required today will become obsolete by 2030.³
This means that nearly four out of ten skills will no longer be relevant.
What will grow, however, will be the demand for critical thinking , resilience , emotional intelligence , and above all the ability to continuously learn .
Automation eliminates tasks, but it does not replace curiosity, adaptability and creativity .
According to a study published on arXiv (Stephany & Teutloff, 2022), AI-related skills increase the average salary of workers by 21% , precisely because they integrate with pre-existing knowledge and do not cancel it out.⁴
Value, therefore, arises from the combination of technical knowledge and human sensitivity.
The value of training in the food industry
In this scenario, the professions of taste take on a new meaning.
Cooking, pastry making, and baking are not just manual arts, but laboratories of complex skills: precision, scientific knowledge, process management, teamwork, communication, and creativity.
These are disciplines in which the hand and the mind work together, and where automation can support, but not replace, experience.
Those who choose a higher education program in food today invest in concrete skills that combine theory, practice, and gastronomic culture.
And above all, it is trained in a sector where the demand for qualified professionals remains high, driven by the growing focus on sustainability, health, and the quality of raw materials.
Food and AI: collaboration, not substitution
Even in the gastronomy sector, artificial intelligence is quietly making its way: food flow analysis, waste control, traceability, menu optimization, and consumer behavior studies.
But the real difference lies in the human gesture, in sensory judgment and in the ability to excite through food.
Technology therefore becomes a support tool , not a substitute.
Train to stay relevant
The future of work isn't just about algorithms. It's about the ability to transform knowledge into value .
In a changing world, training remains the key to staying ahead.
Choosing a career path in food today means entering a sector that will continue to evolve, but will always require capable, curious, and knowledgeable people.
📍 Congusto Institute trains new generations of chefs, pastry chefs, and bakers, combining technique, culture, and a contemporary vision of the profession.
👉 Discover the upcoming advanced training courses
Sources:
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World Economic Forum, Future of Jobs Report 2025
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WEF, Jobs of Tomorrow: The Triple Returns of Social Jobs , 2025
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WEF, Future of Jobs Report 2025 — Skills Outlook 2030
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Stephany F., Teutloff O. (2022), AI Exposure and Labor Market Outcomes , arXiv.org
