In the space of mere weeks, the global economy has been transformed and millions of workers have lost their jobs due to the coronavirus pandemic. Yet it has also highlighted the long-term security of other professions. Click or scroll through as we look at the recession-proof jobs that will survive the current crisis.

Doctors are more in demand now than ever. In the UK, retired doctors have been called back to work for the National Health Service (NHS) and final-year medical students have finished their degrees early to help fight coronavirus. Meanwhile Italy, the worst-affected country, has rushed 10,000 student doctors into service, scrapping their final exams. Yet it’s far from being a safe job, with 3,000 doctors being infected in Wuhan and 14% of Spain’s confirmed coronavirus cases being medical professionals.

One of the world’s oldest jobs, dating back to the Roman and Ancient Greek eras, teaching is likely to stand the test of time. It requires creativity – when lesson planning, for instance – dexterity, and the ability to manage complex relationships with people, which keep it safe from the threat of automation. As many nations have gone into lockdown, teachers are having to adapt to providing online lessons and support to pupils, and some are still having to go into schools, such as in the UK, where children of vital workers are still attending school. 

Across the world, scientists are scrambling to find a vaccine for coronavirus, with the first human trial for a vaccine announced on 17 March by Kaiser Permanente research facility in Seattle, Washington. Yet beyond the pandemic, scientists’ jobs are likely to remain in demand. Artificial Intelligence (AI) and robotics are likely to play a bigger role, yet scientists will always be needed to work out solutions to the problems of the future and to decide which areas research should develop.

Although in-person appointments may have been replaced by video or phone appointments, demand for psychiatrists remains high. As well as paid workers, in some countries volunteers have signed up to provide support to medical workers. In the UK, 1,000 volunteer therapists are giving mental health advice to strained NHS staff via telephone, while in the US, New York governor Andrew Cuomo has called on psychologists and therapists to offer their help in the state.

School may be out at the moment in many countries but university teachers and professors are still working hard to provide students with course material. The increased of AI might cause some to assume professors’ jobs will be at risk one day, with AI chatbots being used on UK university campuses and AI tutors being tested in Belgian schools. However, lecturing and tutoring involve a high degree of creativity, the ability to think on the spot and to discuss complex ideas, all of which are difficult to automate. 

This health and social care-based role involves helping people to overcome barriers, such as physical or mental health problems, in order to complete day-to-day tasks more effectively. The demand for occupational therapists is growing, with an expected increase of 27% between 2017 and 2024 according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics. Why? An ageing population is a key contributor to the increased demand, as is the realisation that the practice helps to reduce hospital readmission rates.

Surgeons, like many other healthcare roles, are urgently in demand at the moment. In the UK, all routine operations have been cancelled for three months to free up beds for coronavirus patients, while routine operations have also been cancelled in Italy and Spain. It’s a job that’s likely to remain during the current pandemic and beyond – in fact, during a recession, increased rates of stress tend to have a negative impact on general public health and there's increased demand for health workers.

Social workers are considered essential and many are still going to work in countries that are in lockdown. The role involves helping those who have suffered violence, abuse, neglect, or mental health issues, so it requires a high degree of compassion and emotional intelligence. The role is likely to be safe as times get tougher, as the stresses placed on families by recession tend to result in higher rates of child and adult behavioural and emotional difficulties.

IT workers in general, including computer systems analysts, network administrators and database analysts tend to be safe in times of recession as networks, databases and websites still need constant maintenance. Moreover, they’re well-placed to work remotely, which is an advantage during the current pandemic.

Find out about the jobs that no longer exist

As the current pandemic has meant more people staying are at home, and panic-buying habits are depleting supermarket shelves, supermarket workers are in high demand. While the job isn’t entirely recession-proof, it’s highly likely that most grocery stores – especially value stores – will weather a recession as people will always need food and essentials. Walmart, for example, fared extremely well during the 2008 recession, with its stock price increasing by 20% that year.

Some who are self-isolating have become completely dependent on grocery deliveries, with many stores struggling to cope with demand. Similarly, e-commerce sites such as Amazon have seen a huge spike in orders and are hiring in the thousands to get deliveries out on time. According to a LinkedIn analysis of job postings in the US from 15-21 March, delivery driver was the 10th most in-demand job.

As few of us are heading out to stores and more are buying online, those working in warehouses that deal with processing and packaging orders are seeing a spike in demand. The LinkedIn analysis lists delivery managers as the sixth-most in-demand job in the US right now.

Most developed nations have an ageing population, which means there’s highly likely to be a need for senior care workers for many years to come. As care homes face new challenges during the current pandemic, such as people being unable to have visitors due to the high risk of infection, demands are being placed on senior care providers all over the world.

Fires don’t just stop happening because there’s a recession happening – in fact, research shows they make even be more likely during times of economic hardship. According to a 2018 report by the US National Fire Protection Association, fires in vacant buildings peaked in 2008 and gradually declined after that. Vacant buildings are more susceptible to fires, with half of these fires started intentionally.

As once-ordinary activities like social gatherings and non-essential travel have suddenly become illegal in many parts of the world, police officers are busy ensuring citizens are adhering. It's also considered a fairly recession-proof job in general.

For those dealing with sewage, gas, electricity and waste management, working remotely isn’t exactly on the cards. In fact, during just about any recession these trades have been fairly stable, since usage of these services doesn’t see much of a reduction during recession.

Similarly, garbage collectors and waste treatment workers are unlikely to see much of an impact on their jobs during the pandemic or the ensuing recession. However, these workers may be at higher risk of contracting COVID-19. According to UK and Ireland trade union Unite, there have been “numerous reports of workers being expected to travel with three or four other workers in the cab of refuse wagons, which is clearly in contravention of social distancing rules. There is also a major problem with a lack of gloves, hand sanitizer, deep cleaning of wagons and other issues”.

Pharmacies are among the essential businesses allowed to stay open in countries under lockdown. What’s more, coronavirus has increased demand for many products in pharmacies, especially thermometers, hand sanitisers and paracetamol. The job is considered generally recession-proof since people prioritise essential expenses like prescription drugs during times of economic hardship.

Serving on the medical frontline, paramedics across the world are seeing an unprecedented rise in calls as many people are having to be hospitalised for COVID-19. Yet according to one UK paramedic, writing for newspaper Metro, not all calls are genuine emergencies – some are “exaggerating their symptoms on the phone to fraudulently gain ambulance attendance”. 

Along with other medical staff, nurses the world over are under immense strain at present. While their jobs definitely aren’t going anywhere, the profession comes with its dangers, as many nurses have contracted the virus, and some have tragically died.

As doctors, nurses, supermarket staff and other workers need to keep going to work, public transit needs to keep running – despite governments across the world advising against non-essential travel. The role is considered generally recession-proof, since if anything more people are reliant on public transit during times of economic downturn.

The veterinary medical industry is said to be recession-proof, given that it’s suffered minimal impact from economic downturns during the 20th and 21st centuries. During the coronavirus crisis, many veterinary practices remain open, although they are urging pet owners to only come in for essential treatment, with many giving appointments remotely.

The role of a logistician is to oversee and analyse a company’s supply chain. With many organisations’ supply chains thrown into flux due to rapidly changing demands at the moment, they’re more needed now than ever. During the Great Recession, logisticians saw a 16% increase in jobs according to analysis by job site ZipRecruiter.

Regardless of the economic circumstances, people still need accountants. In the US, the unemployment rate for accountants and auditors is just 2.2%, which is less than half of the national average.

Similar to accountancy, auditing is considered fairly recession-proof. The role involves helping companies to file quarterly financial statements, as well as reviewing companies’ accounts to ensure they are valid and legal.

In LinkedIn’s recent analysis of the most in-demand jobs in America at the moment, the role of academic advisor came in ninth place. With many students’ schooling arrangements changing drastically due to lockdown measures, academic advisors can help students to set and achieve their goals, explore career options and support their development.

Take a look at the new jobs the AI and robot revolution is creating

With much of the world in lockdown many tech companies are experiencing a boom time as people use their plaftorms to communicate for both work and pleasure. Microsoft currently has more than 4,000 open positions listed on its website, some of which are for its communications platform Microsoft Teams, while Zoom and Slack are also hiring right now. 

Many public buildings are increasing and intensifying their cleaning procedures to make spaces safer during the COVID-19 outbreak. Hence the role of cleaners has never been more necessary and these jobs are likely to remain stable during the pandemic.

Companies are facing unprecedented challenges in recent times, with ending contracts or seeking advice about deals which are under threat. As a result, lawyers have reported a 25% increase in calls and client queries following the outbreak. The profession has stood the test of time and is widely considered recession-proof.

Take a look at the world's oldest jobs that are still around today