Artificial intelligence is dominating conversations about the future of work, with many people wondering which jobs will disappear or change. But another emerging technology is facing a very different challenge: it may not have enough skilled people to fill the jobs it creates.
That technology is quantum technology.
Quantum computing, sensing, communications, and networking are moving steadily from research laboratories toward commercial applications. As companies develop and deploy these technologies, demand for workers is expected to grow across a surprisingly broad range of occupations.
And that creates an opportunity for job seekers.
Quantum Jobs Aren’t Just for Physicists
When people hear "quantum technology," they often think of physicists and PhDs working in highly specialized laboratories.
Those professionals will remain essential. But a growing quantum industry needs much more than researchers.
As quantum companies move from experimentation to commercialization, they need:
Software developers and engineers
Hardware and electrical engineers
Manufacturing specialists
Technicians
Cybersecurity professionals
IT specialists
Supply-chain and operations professionals
Project and product managers
Sales and marketing professionals
Human resources professionals
Business and strategy specialists
The important point for job seekers is that you don't necessarily need a PhD in physics to work in quantum technology.
You do, however, need to understand enough about quantum technologies to apply your existing skills effectively in the industry.
That makes quantum education and reskilling increasingly important.
A Growing Talent Gap
The industry's growth is already creating concerns about whether enough qualified workers will be available.
Colorado provides an interesting example. Universities including CU Boulder, Colorado School of Mines, Colorado State University, and CU Denver have collaborated on programs designed to prepare workers for the growing quantum sector.
The initiative is aimed at supporting an estimated 10,000 quantum-related jobs in the Mountain West by 2030.
According to Jessi Olsen, CEO of Elevate Quantum, the need is broader than initially expected. Colorado's quantum industry already employs thousands of people, while companies are anticipating substantial additional hiring.
That creates a familiar problem for emerging industries: technology can develop faster than the education and workforce systems needed to support it.
What Does This Mean for Job Seekers?
For career professionals, one of the most interesting aspects of quantum technology is the range of potential entry points.
Someone with a software engineering background, for example, may be able to transition into quantum software after developing relevant knowledge and skills.
An engineer working in manufacturing may find opportunities supporting the production of quantum hardware.
A supply-chain professional could potentially work for a quantum hardware company.
A marketing professional could help explain highly complex technologies to customers and investors.
The transition will look different for each person, but the underlying principle is important:
Emerging industries don't only create entirely new occupations. They also create new applications for existing skills.
Quantum Skills Could Become a Career Advantage
For people considering their next career move, this makes quantum literacy worth watching.
You don't necessarily need to become a quantum scientist. Instead, think about combining an existing professional skill with knowledge of quantum technology.
For example:
Software + quantum computing
A software developer could build knowledge of quantum algorithms, quantum programming environments, and the ways quantum systems differ from conventional computers.
Engineering + quantum hardware
An electrical, mechanical, or manufacturing engineer could develop expertise relevant to quantum hardware production and systems.
Business + quantum
Professionals in sales, marketing, finance, operations, or strategy could specialize in working with companies developing or commercializing quantum technologies.
This combination of existing expertise + emerging technology knowledge can be particularly valuable when an industry is still developing its workforce.
Education Will Have to Move Faster
There is a challenge, however.
Traditional university programs can take years to design, approve, launch, and update. Emerging technologies can change much faster.
By the time a new degree program is established, some of the technology students are learning may already have evolved.
That means universities, employers, governments, and training providers will need to work together more closely.
Short courses, certificates, continuing education, boot camps, community-college programs, and employer-sponsored training could all play a role alongside traditional degrees.
For workers, this may also create more accessible pathways into the industry without requiring a complete return to university.
The Opportunity Starts Before College
Building the quantum workforce also means introducing young people to the field earlier.
High school students making decisions about college and careers may have little idea what quantum technology actually is or what jobs it could create.
Teachers and career counselors therefore have an important role to play.
Students don't need advanced quantum physics lessons to become interested. They need exposure to the basic concepts, examples of real-world applications, and—perhaps most importantly—an understanding that there are actual careers emerging around the technology.
Career awareness can be the first step toward career preparation.
What Employers Should Be Thinking About
The talent shortage isn't only an education problem.
Quantum companies also need to rethink how they recruit.
If employers restrict hiring to people who already have extensive quantum experience, they may dramatically reduce the available talent pool.
Instead, companies may need to identify candidates who have strong underlying skills and the ability to learn the quantum-specific knowledge required for their roles.
That could open the door to professionals coming from adjacent industries.
For employers, the question may increasingly become:
"Who already has the capabilities we need and can learn the quantum component?"
rather than:
"Who already has several years of quantum experience?"
A New Technology, but a Familiar Career Lesson
The development of the quantum industry offers a broader lesson for anyone planning a career.
Technology doesn't only eliminate jobs. It also changes existing occupations, creates new specialties, and increases demand for people who can combine established skills with emerging technologies.
For job seekers, that means keeping an eye on technologies before they become mainstream can create opportunities.
You don't have to predict exactly which technology will dominate the next decade.
Instead, watch where investment, research, commercialization, and hiring are moving—and consider how your existing skills could transfer.
Quantum technology is still developing, and there is considerable uncertainty about how quickly different applications will reach commercial scale.
But one thing is already becoming clear: technology needs people to turn research into products, services, and businesses.
For professionals willing to learn, adapt, and build new skills, the emerging quantum economy could create career paths that barely existed a few years ago.
The next technology revolution may depend on breakthroughs in physics and computing.
But its success will also depend on something much more familiar:
having enough people with the right skills to build it.