Let’s break off the usual and talk about the end. Religious nuts have been screaming about the end of the world for years. While they have always been hilariously wrong, an extinction level event is a real possibility in our ever-changing galaxy. There are just too many things that can wipe us out.

Pick Your Poison

An asteroid, solar storm, global pandemic, extreme weather, the mother of all earthquakes, an alien invasion, nuclear war –  these are just some of the events that can spell the end of times. While there’s always a chance that some of us will make it and rebuild, those with the right skills will have a better chance of survival than those who don’t.

If you happen to be one of the survivors, it’s up to you bring civilization back on it’s feet. You have no choice but to survive, and the only way to do it is to rebuild. Will your current job and skills allow you to be the savior of your community? Let’s find out. (Please note that this is all hypothetical and purely conjecture!)

Apocalypse Now

Right After the Apocalypse, pockets of survivors will form communities, and these communities will need people with the following skills to start the rebuilding process:

• Healing and Medicine – Survivors will have injuries that need treatment and the sick will crawl out of every hiding place. A virus can eradicate half the community if left untreated. Doctors, nurses, paramedics and other people trained to save lives and care for the sick will be needed everywhere.
• Food Production and Procurement – People will need food in order to survive, and farmers know the lay of the land well enough to grow high yield crops if seeds are available. With domesticated animals scarce, hunters will be called upon to help secure much needed protein from wild game. Fishermen can venture out to bodies of water for fish and other seafood. Cooks can be assigned to prepared the food so it won’t spoil.
• Builders – People will need solid structures to keep them warm at night and protected from the elements. Other structures such as walls and storage are also priorities, which make carpenters, masons, handymen, furniture makers and other craftsmen indispensable members of the community. Architects, engineers and contractors can help with the planning and layout of the community.
• Security – Looters, marauders and people who resorted to cannibalism will be rampant after the apocalypse. These people don’t believe in society anymore, and they will kill and take without hesitation because human life matters very little to them. Policemen, soldiers, survivalists and people with firearms training are important to keep the community safe from harm.
• Repairmen – If an alternative power source (solar, wind) is discovered, electricians can help hook up the community. Mechanics can repair anything with a motor on it and can jury-rig things together to make it work. If running water can be restored, the community will definitely need plumbers to keep the water flowing.
• Entertainers – If the new community functions well enough and the people need to have a little fun, musicians, magicians, stage actors and poets can provide it. If there’s power, sound engineers can improve on the sound quality. 
• Teachers and Writers – If there are children, they’re going to need a teacher to guide them and tell them about the history of mankind. Writers can also teach, but their primary goal is to document and archive everything for future generations.

On the other hand, these careers will be at the absolute bottom of importance during the rebuild process. If you belong here, consider learning a new skill such as survival or carpentry:

• Lawyers
• Politicians
• CEO’s, Upper Management
• Programmers
• Bloggers
• IT, Networking
• Sales and Marketing Managers
• Customer Service Representatives

No one will really need representation against a cannibal, now would they? You can’t sue if you’re dinner! Politicos will also most likely be hated because people might blame them for what happened, just like people blame the government for everything these days. Same goes for computer and networking guys, because the world wide web is no more.

So, will your current career allow you to survive and thrive after the apocalypse? What services can you offer other survivors in exchange for food or shelter?