Possessing the correct amount and type of soft skills, technical expertise, and practical experience will help you impress your boss and land a job in the field of information technology. Every year technology grows and sees rapid changes, leading to an increased demand for new and improved IT-based skills. The entire world saw drastic changes in 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic, which led to a change in many businesses’ working environment. Some companies closed up shop, while some started adopting a work-from-home approach to stay afloat in such a bad economic situation.
Knowing what employers want will allow candidates to acquire skills to stand out between a pool of candidates applying for jobs from everywhere. If you are someone who wants to do the same, listed below are a few essential it-based skills you may want to consider to land their dream job you always wanted:
Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence Skills
One of the fastest-growing technological trends in 2021, artificial intelligence will create 133 million new career opportunities by 2025. At its core, Artificial intelligence deals with the performance of tasks such as image classification, facial recognization, speech recognition through the use of various programs. AI skills are becoming a requirement because AI machines can perform tasks faster than their human counterparts. So, you can practice real-life industrial projects like Face Detection, many assignments on RNN, TensorFlow, MLP, Keras, and many more by taking up an Artificial Intelligence Course and upskill yourself.
Machine learning professionals can acquire skills in (NLP) natural language processing, deep learning, robotics, and neural networks by specialing. Furthermore, skills such as Java, Pythons, and TensorFlow are in high demand. Even knowing how to build chatbots is another machine-learning-based skill.
Information Systems Management Skills
According to the BLS, there will be an increase in demands for information systems managers by 10 percent from 2019 to 2029. An information systems manager is responsible for creating information systems strategies related to a business’s objectives to improve its operational functions.
In addition to an IT-based degree, such as a msist (masters in information systems and technology), these managers will need to acquire knowledge and technical expertise in computer-related technologies. Some businesses may hire IT-managers with business management skills, while others prefer a graduate degree such as an MBA. Although, courses in software development, mathematics, and computer programming are a requirement.
Software Development Skills
A developer is responsible for testing, installing, maintaining, and designing web, mobile, and software systems. According to BLS research, there will be an increase in software-related jobs by 21 percent in 2028. Such growth is due to the increased demand for mobile phone applications and computer-based software.
Individuals looking to specialize in mobile software development should acquire Ios and Android app development skills. Individuals looking to specialize in web software development should gain SEM(Search Engine Marketing) and SEO(Search Engine Optimization) skills.
Cloud-Computing Skills
It is safe to say that due to the Covid-19 pandemic, many IT leaders utilized cloud-computing to conduct business operations from their homes. Furthermore, the pandemic boosted its growth and made it a must-have skill for IT professionals everywhere. The cloud-computing boom will create career opportunities for individuals who know how to plan, manage, design, support, and maintain cloud-computing software and solutions.
Gartner predicts that the cloud-computing market will become a 300 billion dollar industry dominated by giants such as Microsoft, Google, and Amazon by 2022. The most popular cloud-computing skills to have include GCP, DevOps, AWS(Amazon Web Service), Docker, Google Cloud, Microsoft Azure, Java, Linux, to name a few.
Programming Skills
A strong background in programming languages will open up a range of job opportunities for individuals everywhere. Currently, the most in-demand programming languages include Javascript, Go, Python and Java. While Java is the most popular one, Angular and React will remain high in demand for the upcoming years. Furthermore, Spring and Django are two back-end skills that also see increased use in the programming world.
Some new programming languages such as Typescript, Scala, and Kotlin are low-developer familiarity skills that will pick up pace in 2021. According to BLS research, there will a 22 percent increase in software developer jobs from 2019 to 2029. So, the future is looking bright for computer programming professionals.
Cybersecurity Skills
In the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic, companies continue to advocate for cybersecurity, making it a top priority skill to have nowadays. Almost every organization faces hackers’ threats, making it necessary to have strong cybersecurity measures in place, both in low and high-end business processes. According to a Global Knowledge study, certified It professionals have around 15 percent more salary than individuals who don’t have one. So, individuals who want to specialize in cybersecurity will find that getting certified is the easiest and best way to increase their annual pay.
Edge Computing and Internet of Things(IoT)
Due to the increase in online data, there have been more shortcomings in cloud-computing latencies. Edge computing can easily bypass these latencies via the processing of data closer to its origination. Due to such a reason, edge computing will allow IT companies to process their time-sensitive data stored in areas with little to no connectivity to its origination location.
Edge computing will also give rise to the usage of IoT devices. Around 2022, the edge computing market will be at a 6.72 billion dollar valuation. Such a thing will create more job openings, especially for software engineers, who know of the conditions and technologies required to integrate IoT devices inside a business successfully. An IoT specialist’s skills include designing IoT networks and solutions, IoT security, data analytics, knowledge of embedded systems, automation, and much more.
Conclusion
According to the World Economic Forum, education is the number one way to prepare candidates for the upcoming work decades. Continuously acquiring new skills will expand an individual’s knowledge base and capabilities, allowing them to stay two steps ahead of their coworkers. Create a game plan and start your journey today to upgrade your existing skills or acquire in-demand tech-skills that align with your career goals.
