The IT industry is one of the most dynamic and ever-changing sectors of the business world. It is expected that IT professionals will continue to develop and expand their knowledge base to remain competent as software and hardware improve and become more sophisticated. In the IT industry, it is vitally important to subscribe to a philosophy of lifelong learning in order to keep up with the rapid pace of change. Put simply, every IT professional must keep abreast of new developments within their industry to continue to be effective. In this article, three of the IT skills that are in high demand will be discussed in detail. If you are seeking to start a career in IT or further your career prospects, these skills will help to make you a far more attractive proposition to prospective employers.
Cybersecurity
Cybersecurity is one of the fastest growing sectors in the IT industry, and jobs of this nature are in high demand and tend to be exceptionally well paid. For example, an information security analyst can expect to be paid an average salary of over $100k a year. The costs of a cyber attack for any business can be devastating in terms of financial costs resulting from loss of operations or the theft of sensitive data. In addition, the damage to an organization’s reputation after a cyber attack can be significant. Cybersecurity specialists are highly trained and can have a wide knowledge base of topics such as securing API gateway to minimize the risk of entry points into a company’s digital infrastructure and leading on staff training to recognize potential cyber attacks, malware, and malicious emails.
Data Analytics
In 2022 there is a growing recognition that companies of all sizes and in all industries need to do more with the data they produce and collect. The insights that can be gained from sophisticated data analysis can help organizations to understand their customers better and can improve many facets of their operations. While terms such as “big data” and “data mining” were little more than buzzwords less than a decade ago, they are now common vocabulary amongst IT professionals. Today, platforms such as Power Bi allow data to be harvested from multiple sources and in great volumes. The data is transformed with analytics programs into meaningful organizational insights that can shape the direction and success of a business.
Project Management
IT professionals who seek to reach a senior level in their chosen organization benefit hugely from sound project management skills and knowledge. This is because many medium and large IT projects require interdepartmental collaboration and a recognition of potential blocks, issues, or delays that could hamper the rollout of new systems. Having recognized and well-developed project management skills is a huge asset, as this knowledge can help to ensure that rollouts are successful to budget and projected timescales. Certifications such as the Project Management (PMP) and CompTIA Project+ are industry recognized and can be highly sought-after qualifications for employers seeking to recruit senior IT staff.
