The tech landscape is very dynamic. Tech skills that were once highly marketable can become redundant overnight. In fact, experts predict that about 85% of the tech jobs that will be available in 2030 haven’t even been invented yet.
Therefore, it’s crucial to do an inventory of your tech skills often to ensure that your knowledge is up to date, keeping you relevant in the job market and helping you get top-dollar roles. Here, we’ll analyze the top 5 tech skills that will help you set yourself up for success in 2023 and beyond.
5 Tech Skills That Will Keep You Competitive
1. Data Analysis
Thanks to the advancement of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML), most industries are now relying on data to make crucial business decisions. A recent study shows that 93% of business leaders prioritize data literacy within their organizations.
As such, data analysis skills are in demand now more than ever. The ability to understand, analyze, and report data will make you a highly sought-after professional in the tech industry. The sub-skills that employers look for include:
- Data analysis and exploration
- Statistical knowledge
- Data cleaning and preparation
- Creating data visualizations
- Domain knowledge
- Problem-solving
You can teach yourself data analysis by taking short online courses and certifications such as the CareerFoundry Data Analytics Program, or attending data analysis bootcamps. Section4’s data & analytics essentials sprint can also give you the skills needed to get started in this field.
Popular job titles: Data Engineer, Data Architect, Data storyteller, and Data administrator.
Average starting salary: $64,743 per year
2. UI/UX Design
User interface and user experience are vital in digital selling. Typically, a UI/UX Designer is in charge of making technology intuitive and accessible to everyone, including people who don’t have experience working with technology.
As such, this skill is in demand in every aspect of business where usability and end-user experience are important. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, the skill demand is expected to increase by about 23% in the next 10 years. The sub-skills employers look for include:
- Prototyping, Wireframing, User flows, Mockups
- Visual design and design software
- User research and usability testing
- Application development
- Visual hierarchy
- Typography
- A/B testing
You can study UI/UX design from certification programs like the Google UX design professional certificate and Designlab UX Academy.
Popular job titles: UX Designer, Product Designer, UX researcher, Visual Designer
Average starting salary: $80,549 per year
3. Cybersecurity
Remote working has now become the norm, thanks to the pandemic. As a result, systems and data security is becoming more vital, and the cybersecurity market is rising exponentially. The rise can also be attributed to the advent of technology such as Machine Learning (ML) and Artificial Intelligence (AI), cloud computing, and the internet of things (IoT).
This means that the demand for cybersecurity experts will only continue to grow in the near future, with at least 10 million jobs predicted to be available in the industry by 2023. The skills employers look for in cybersecurity experts include:
- Risk mitigation strategy and threat analysis
- Ethical hacking
- Penetration testing
- Familiarity with software security
- Data encryption
- Installing firewalls and routers
- Knowledge of compliance regulations and standards like PCI-DSS, HIPAA, and CCPA
You can get your cybersecurity career off the ground by taking cybersecurity certification courses from programs such as Microsoft Certified: Security, Compliance, and Identity Fundamentals and CompTIA Security+.
Popular job titles: Cybersecurity Engineer, Malware Analyst, Pentester, Security Architect.
Average starting salary: $92,822 per year
4. DevOps
DevOps is the bridge between software development and internal IT teams. This is a special skill that helps both the IT and development aspects of an organization deliver apps and services to consumers more efficiently. For example, a DevOps engineer is in charge of supervising the entire application lifecycle, from planning to testing. Here are some of the key skills that employers seek in a DevOps expert:
- Collaboration
- Coding and scripting
- Product testing
- UI/UX
- Automation skills
- Cloud computing
- Cybersecurity
- Communication
- Understanding of relevant tools & platforms
You can start your DevOps career by acquiring a certification from DevOps certification programs such as Amazon and Microsoft.
Popular job titles: DevOps engineer, DevOps Architect, DevOps manager, DevOps software developer, DevOps system Admin, Security Engineer, DevOps evangelist
Average starting salary: $104,138 per year
5. Cloud computing
Cloud computing services, such as servers, storage, database, networking, and intelligence, are in high demand — and the demand is only expected to increase in the coming years. Cloud services are typically popular for helping businesses lower operations costs and increase efficiency in scaling their digital infrastructure.
The cloud computing industry is projected to grow exponentially from $250.04 billion in 2021 to $791.48 billion in 2028. As such, there is always a demand for cloud computing experts, both in-house and as consultants. Some of the skills you need to master as a cloud computing expert are:
- Serverless architecture
- Database Skills
- Machine Learning and AI
- Programming languages
- Linux certification
- Quality assurance
You can get started with cloud computing through free short courses or paid certification courses offered by major tech companies such as Google cloud platform, IBM, Amazon web services, and Microsoft Azure.
Popular job titles: Cloud Infrastructure Engineer, Cloud Security Engineer, Cloud Engineer, Cloud Architect, DevOps Cloud Engineer, Cloud System Administrator, Cloud Consultant
Average starting salary: $107,654 per year
It’s Time to Future-Proof Your Career
Digital transformation is quickly and effectively turning every business into a tech company and every job into a tech job. You need to augment your skills with useful tech skills to stay relevant in the job market in 2023 and the future.
It’s never too early to get started. Once you have settled on one of the career paths above, do further research and start the journey today. Updating your tech skills and staying on top of the industry is the best way to future-proof your career, income, and lifestyle.
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