Since inception the I.T. landscape has been ever changing. Throw in all the drama that 2020 has brought and the I.T. jobs outlook for 2021 can be anybody’s guess. But as the French writer, Jean-Baptiste Alphonse Karr once said, the more things change, the more they stay the same. Despite much doom and gloom pervading the employment forecast, the need to hire I.T. professionals remains strong. Following are I.T. skills to gain, maintain and refrain for gainful employment in 2021.
Gain
Top gainers for 2021 are artificial intelligence (AI), Machine Learning (ML), Cybersecurity and Full Stack Development.
AI and ML are used in an extensive number of services and tools. According to LinkedIn 2020 Emerging Jobs Report, hiring growth for the role of Artificial Intelligence Specialist has increased 74% annually in the last 4 years.
Almost every major company today stores customer and company data in databases, making cybersecurity one of the top technology jobs that need to be filled in 2020 and beyond.
The cybersecurity labor crunch is expected to reach 3.5 million unfilled jobs by 2021. The demand for security professionals will be extremely high in 2021. The accelerated pace of technology change has made full stack developers a valuable asset for any company. According to Indeed, full stack developer job openings have a growth rate of 161.98% with the job title ranking 2nd for their best jobs 2020 study.
Maintain
For a sunny I.T. job outlook look to the clouds. Cloud computing jobs remain a stable work option as the list of companies switching from traditional server infrastructure to cloud solutions continues to expand. Cloud software and cloud platforms will resist the downward drag. This is because cloud computing has proven its value to companies that have had to operate with remote workforces and closed offices. Amazon Web Services (AWS) is currently the leading cloud service provider on the market. AWS-certified I.T. professionals earn more than their non-certified counterparts. Other top cloud providers include Microsoft Azure and Google Cloud.
Refrain
While not expecting to go the way of Pick, Prime, Cobol, DB2 and the like, Blockchain jobs have declined due to the weakening popularity of Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies. Another decliner in job needs is for the back-end developer. Since the pandemic began there has been severe cutbacks in back-end I.T. services as part of a shift to the cloud.
With so many changes swirling around the globe daily, the good news is technology is here to stay. Whether you are a new technology professional or a veteran I.T. pro your job outlook for 2021 is favorable. Keep an eye open for exciting I.T. job opportunities here on our careers site.
