IT Job Skills In-Demand for 2017
If 2016 was a good year to be in IT, it looks like 2017 is going to be an even better year! Unemployment rates in the IT industry in 2016 were at around 1% in some areas – such as network and web security engineers and software developers and are forecast to fall even more in 2017. Given those numbers, it will come as no surprise that 81% of IT leaders have said that they have a real problem finding IT talent (as found in a recent TEKsystems survey).
10 IT skills that were in high demand for 2016:
- UI/UX designers/developers
- Full-stack Web & product developers
- Network engineers
- Security/web security professionals
- Mobile Engineers
- Data analysts
- IT project managers (vertical specific)
- Cloud architects/integration
- Data scientists
- Content Management Systems
So, even if you’re not a web security expert or a software developer, there’s still a lot of opportunity out there for you!
Interview With An Expert Recruiter
We spoke to one of the IT recruitment industry’s best in Ireland, Charlene Heaney. Charlene is Co-Founder & Managing Director at HP|konnect.
We asked Charlene to forecast what the trends for IT recruitment will look like in 2017 for our IT students and graduates:
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Do you see the same dominance for recruitment of cyber security experts and software developers so far in 2017?
Absolutely, and it’s going to get stronger as time goes on. I’ve read a few different articles across the web noting that by 2020 there will be 1 million more jobs, than IT skilled professionals to fill them. That is a massive gap for any industry. In our day to day work of recruiting IT professionals, I’m noticing this trend already. There is so much competition out there for good IT professionals, I will emphasise “good”. If your students plan their career strategy correctly, they will be in a position to chose what type of work they want.
2. Are there any emerging new trends for in-demand IT skills in 2017?
Much the same as above in 2016, UX/UI is hot right now, and a lot of people in the market moved jobs in 2016, this will slow down a little however the demand is still there.
Look at the last 5-10yrs evolution in both the IT and digital industries. With the commercialisation of the internet (digital) it has changed how we do business. Thus, if companies want to remain competitive they have to evolve with the trends which means that “practically” every business will have some sort of IT/Digital bow to their belt, hence the rise in demand of UX/UI designers. Digital is now mainstream, it’s not the privilege of the big tech companies anymore. Costs of operating a business online has never been cheaper, which in turn spurs new entrepreneurs to take the risk and creates more jobs in our economy.
So what does all this mean for your students, especially cyber security students? The more businesses online, the more demand that will generate for cyber security professionals as more laws and compliance will be introduced to protect businesses from cyber threats. This is a complex industry in itself, however very rewarding one.
For the remaining IT domains, UPC (now Virgin) released an insights report on the affects of digital economy in Ireland in 2014, forecasting a minimum of 150,000 jobs will be created by 2020 in Ireland.
3. What advice would you give to someone who is thinking of changing career to enter the IT sector?
The IT sector is a vocation, and a profession in one. I would encourage people who are thinking about changing careers to seek advice. Understand what the role entails, talk to people who are currently in the role you desire. Find out the good aspects and the not so good aspects. Does this career fit into your ideal lifestyle? Changing careers is a big decision and should be carefully considered as you may have to start at the bottom again.
The IT industry is one of the best industries to be in, you will be at the forefront of innovation, be part of something that’s bigger than yourself and could possibly change history. It’s exciting, it’s very very challenging and IT is here to stay forever…
4. What qualities do you look for in the ideal candidate?
- Education
- Skills / experience
- Attitude / personality
5. How can you best upskill to keep ahead of the pack?
Keep an eye on the market trends for your chosen field. Network and find out what you should be learning. Read industry blogs and attend events and meetups. Meetups are a great way to network, and are pretty informal/friendly atmosphere.
Have personal projects – hiring managers love to see candidates who have personal side-projects. It shows you are enthusiastic and passionate about what you do, while helping you to upskill and learn more about your chosen field.
Take The First Step To A New Career In IT Today!
To reflect the current trends in IT Skills, Kilroy’s College IT Department is proud to announce that it has just launched 2 new online CIW courses in Web Security and Data Analytics. Or take a look at our full range of IT courses to find an online course that really interests to you.
Each course can be completed in as little as 160 hours of learning effort and successful completion leads to a CIW certificate. CIW is the most recognised vendor-neutral Web technology education programme in the world.
So, what are you waiting for? Enrol today and start your journey towards a brighter future in this exciting, new and brave digital world!