Looking to get into tech, but don’t know what skills you need to launch your career? Maximize your marketability by pursuing tech skills in demand for the future!
The 5 most in-demand skills in the IT sector are:
1: ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE(AI)
2: CLOUD COMPUTING
3: MACHINE LEARNING(ML)
4: INTERNET OF THINGS(IoT)
5: CYBERSECURITY
1. ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE:
Fifty-five percent of IT professionals say workloads are higher year over year. With so much to do, the scramble is on to develop programs that automate the more time-consuming, menial duties. Enter artificial intelligence, which frees up employees to focus on more consequential responsibilities. AI is rapidly changing the landscape of work, making it an exciting time for programmers looking for something new. Hiring growth for AI specialists has grown 74% annually in the past 4 years.
QUICK FACTS ABOUT AI AS A TECH CAREER:
Average salary: $122,000 average across various AI careers.
The amount of jobs requiring AI skills has multiplied by 4.5 since 2013.
Artificial intelligence specialties can benefit a variety of tech careers, from software engineers to data scientists to product managers.
2. CLOUD COMPUTING:
Cloud skills are in high demand and cloud salaries are the highest in IT. It intersects with every other skill on this list. Cloud computing jobs are on the rise because more and more companies are switching from the classical server infrastructure to cloud solutions. The market for public cloud services is projected to grow by 17% in 2020 to total $266.4 billion. Cloud is the ultimate enabler, opening new channels of revenue by leveraging technologies like artificial intelligence (AI) and the Internet of Things (IoT). Other topics like data analytics, networking, project management and cybersecurity—all have been greatly influenced by cloud adoption, which continues to soar.
QUICK FACTS ABOUT CLOUD COMPUTING AS A TECH CAREER:
Median salary: $146,350 for cloud computing professionals
The most in-demand cloud computing skills are Amazon Web Services (AWS), Java, Linux, software development, DevOps, Docker and Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS).
Big companies using AWS include Intuit, Netflix, GE Oil & Gas, and Time, Inc.
3. MACHINE LEARNING:
Machine learning is one of the most innovative and exciting fields moving into the future, making it one of the most profitable skills you can learn. From Siri and Alexa to chatbots to predictive analysis to self-driving cars, there are a ton of uses for this futuristic tech. 49% of companies are currently exploring or planning to use machine learning.
Machine learning can be applied to every industry, including healthcare, education, finance, etc. The possibilities are endless, and you can apply your machine learning skills to a role that suits your personality and interests.
QUICK FACTS ABOUT ML AS A TECH CAREER:
Average salary: $138K+ (Machine Learning Engineer)
In 2019, machine learning startups received more funding than all other AI systems combined ($42 billion compared to $38 billion)
Netflix uses machine learning to make recommendations to its users
4. INTERNET OF THINGS:
The term IoT encompasses everything connected to the internet, but it is increasingly being used to define objects that “talk” to each other. The Internet of Things is made up of devices—from simple sensors to smartphones and wearables—connected together. The Internet of things (IoT) is a system of interrelated computing devices, mechanical and digital machines provided with unique identifiers (UIDs) and the ability to transfer data over a network without requiring human-to-human or human-to-computer interaction.
QUICK FACTS ABOUT IoT AS A TECH CAREER:
Average salary: $101k for professionals with an IoT specialty
IoT is poised to be the next tech jobs boom.
It is predicted that IoT will have a total economic impact of up to $11 trillion by 2025.
According to a 2016 poll, 94 percent of businesses were investing in initiatives to prepare for the IoT.
5. CYBERSECURITY:
There is too much at stake when it comes to your data. That’s why security is the top concern for a majority of organizations. Cyberattacks are escalating in frequency and sophistication. As a result, companies are scrambling to hire cyber professionals, and they’re not always succeeding. As the amount, frequency, and creativity of cybersecurity breaches grow, so does the shortage of cybersecurity professionals with the appropriate skills to defend the enterprise, government and military networks. This global shortage of cybersecurity professionals has created an in-demand market for anyone who wants to rise to the challenge and build career-advancing skill sets. Within just one year, company demand for security engineers has increased by 132%.
QUICK FACTS ABOUT CYBERSECURITY AS A TECH CAREER:
Average salary: $99,800/yr
6 of the 15 top-paying IT certifications are focused on security.
Demand for security professionals is far outpacing supply: the talent gap in this field expected to reach 3.5 million unfilled jobs by 2022–tripling from 2017.
In part due to such a massive shortage, damage from cyber crimes are anticipated to cost the world $6 trillion annually by 2021. This is a career where you can truly make an impact.