The 20 most important IT jobs for the future economy
Opinions
Editorial Staff Saleprof
Date: 16.08.2018
Want to advance your IT career? Invest in the skills needed for one of these roles.
Like it or not, nearly every company is now a tech company in some regard. And that means that IT jobs are in high demand, but some are more significant than others.
According to a Thursday research report from IDC (sponsored by Cisco), specific roles will rise above the rest as the best means for an IT pro to advance their career potential. After surveying IT hiring managers and examining roughly 2 million IT job postings for certain skills, IDC compiled a list of roles that will have the biggest future impact.
Here are the 20 most significant IT roles, worldwide, for the future:
Security Management Specialist
Network Engineer/Architect
Cyber/Information Security Engineer/Analyst
IoT Designer/Developer/Engineer
Business Intelligence Architect/Developer
Software Developer/Engineer
Machine Learning Designer/Developer/Engineer
Data Engineer
Transformation Consultant
Business Intelligence Analyst
Change Management
Mobile Applications Developer
Web Developer
Network/Systems Administrator
Systems Analyst
Database Architect
Data Scientist
Computer Support Specialist
Social Media Tech Manager/Administrator
UI/UX Designer/Developer
In the report, IDC also orders them by significance in North America, Latin America, Western Europe, and Asia/Pacific.
So, what’s driving the growth of these particular roles? According to the report, it’s digital transformation. Technologies like the cloud, artificial intelligence (AI), big data, and the Internet of Things (IoT) are driving digital transformation; and security and networking expertise is needed to support it. For IT professionals, that means there are many opportunities to remain in-demand in the job market for years to come.
«For many of these roles, there are skill shortages, but IT hiring managers won’t wait,» the report said. «They will fill those positions with the best skilled IT professionals they can find. To be ready for these roles, IT professionals should drive their own careers by getting certified in areas organizations are looking for.»
For many roles, CXOs may choose to train internal employees to fill them if they cannot find a proper candidate. For those looking to get hired, however, consider seeking out certifications, as 71% of hiring managers «believe certifications increase confidence that candidate has skills/knowledge,» the report said.