V3.CO.UK [25/01/13]
by V3 Staff
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| (SOURCE: v3.co.uk) |
One of the best things about the technology industry is the breakneck pace at which it moves, offering up new innovations, ideas and products with regularity.
However, this can also mean that no sooner have you got your head around one trend or new skills to take on board than three more have come along that need attention and understanding too. Blink and you'll miss it.
For those in charge of numerous aspects of their organisation's IT operations 2013 looks set to be no different. So, we at V3 have come up with what we see as 10 of the top skills worth honing for the year ahead, and which just may land you that dream job. If you have your own ideas, please leave a comment at the bottom of the article.
Even though IT support roles are likely to decrease in the future as business users become more tech savvy and use their own devices in the workplace, IT support professionals are still currently very much in demand. As enterprises embrace bring-your-own-device (BYOD) strategies, and allow employees to adopt their own chosen cloud applications, there is often actually increasing work for IT support professionals.
General IT management skills also continue to have a place in businesses. IT managers will be especially valuable to a business if they have demonstrable knowledge of which applications best suit the cloud and experience in deploying a BYOD strategy. Digital asset management is also useful knowledge to have as business users adopt more and more profiles on line.
Predictions made that the corporate IT department will soon die off are a long time coming.
10. Windows 8
Following the release of Windows 8 last year, organisations are having to face up to the likelihood that they will see systems with the new platform hitting their network sooner or later, even if it is much, much later, if IT chiefs have any say in the matter.
Microsoft maintains that Windows 8 client devices will fit easily into an existing Active Directory domain alongside earlier versions of Windows, but it is the stark difference in the user experience that marks out Windows 8, and users will be looking for guidance to help them make the transition.
However, Windows 8 will also call for other skills in the area of app development and support, if organisations wish to take full advantage of the new "Modern" user interface and its associated app model.
Not only do the new apps use a different development process from existing Windows apps, but large organisations will need to get to grips with the process of "sideloading" in-house apps to Windows 8 clients on their network, a process that is not as simple as it may first sound.
9. Open source and Linux knowledge
Microsoft's Windows may rule the corporate market, but there is growing interest in using open-source platforms, especially in education and public sector bodies, where cost of licensing may be a concern, but openness is also a factor.
The most well-known open-source software is the Linux operating system, which is surprisingly pervasive in the online world, especially in the field of web hosting. Here, the open-source Apache server software also still drives more websites than any other.
Open-source and Linux calls for a different set of skills than those required for running and maintaining a Windows network, but perhaps the biggest opportunity for IT professionals will be in integrating the two.
Linux PCs have for some time been able to integrate into a Windows domain and even act as file servers to Windows clients, but only recently have Linux systems gained the ability to operate as a full Active Directory Domain Controller.
Those with the necessary know-how to splice together open-source tools, especially Linux, with proprietary platforms such as Windows will likely find their skills in demand in future.
8. Data protection awareness
Data protection is one of those areas that will probably never be "cool" but is undoubtedly a vital part of any IT workers knowledge base.
Understanding how to ensure data is protected and segregated as necessary is a core aspect of many firms day-to-day operations, particularly as more data than ever before is created and collected.
However, despite its importance, issues arise with alarming regularity with unencrypted USB stick and laptops often the cause of data losses, which can lead to fines from the ICO. This is no empty threat as to date the organisation has fined the public £2m already.
As such, the IT worker than can demonstrate a knowledge of the necessary legislation and how to adhere to it - by ensuring relevant employees have the necessary device protections and the right technology is used - could pay for themselves if just one USB stick is lost.
What's more, with the European Commission currently consulting on new laws that could further alter the data protection landscape this is an area with definite growth potential.
7. User interface development
There was a time when users of enterprise software accepted design aesthetics would take a back seat to functionality and muddled through staring at dour corporate screens - but not anymore.
Now, with the rise of well-designed and easy to use consumer tools, ranging from social sites like Facebook and Twitter, operating systems like Android and corporate software like Salesforce.com, firms need systems to be well designed and easy to use, as well as functional.
As such, firms with an ability to design good-looking systems that mix functionality and form well be ahead of their competitors. Therefore IT pros with the ability to meet this demand could find 2013 a lucrative year.
6. Security
Since the UK IT education reforms began, MP Chloe Smith has pushed for cyber security to be a key part of the new curriculum claiming we are already woefully short of cyber security experts.
Smith's sentiment has been mirrored by numerous security experts and big name companies. For years now numerous vendors, including Symantec, Spiderlabs and Trend Micro have warned us that there is a difference between being a good coder or manager and being a good security officer.
For this reason, we're thinking key security skills like penetration testing and security minded coding will be among the most in demand skills this year.
5. Mobile Software development
The need for mobile software developers is growing as professionals become increasingly accustomed to accessing their business applications on a range of different devices. Enterprises often support staff in this uptake of mobile applications with BYOD strategies.
Mobile applications range from giving access to a specific database to complete web access. Some of the larger enterprise IT departments will hire their own mobile software developers to create such applications.
Other mobile software developers will find work opportunities with software providers themselves, who increasingly launch standardised mobile apps to the business market, through app stores or as part of a software suite package.
Mobile software development skills involve programming and interface design. The professionals most in demand will be those that can provide complete mobile applications for mobile devices including iOS and Android-based smartphones.
4. Cloud skills
Cloud computing offers businesses a number of potential benefits, like cost-cutting and agility, but adopting the cloud is not always easy and can present considerable challenges.
Increasing numbers of businesses are looking to hire professionals with cloud computing expertise. According to IDC, around 1.7 million IT jobs could not be filled in 2012 because candidates lacked the training and experience needed to work in a cloud-based environment.
The analyst firm believes this demand will grow by 26 percent per year through to 2015, creating up to seven million cloud-related jobs worldwide.
A large variety of jobs are currently on offer in the cloud computing market. Service-oriented-architecture (SOA) testers and virtual system administrators are sought after, with knowledge of web service tools and standards to integrate new architectures. They will also need experience in leveraging existing legacy assets within a SOA context, as well as experience in testing services and verifying processes.
Additionally cloud architects who have strong knowledge of the cloud provider landscape are needed to design the use of cloud services, bringing developers and IT leadership together. Cloud developers need a core understanding of how platform-as-a-service offerings are designed and implemented.
3. Data analyst and Big Data skills
Big data is hitting the IT industry hard. As the amount of data businesses produce grows and the use of data analysis applications increase, so too does the demand for big data specialists.
According to recent e-skills research, sponsored by business intelligence firm SAS, the demand for big data staff is forecast to increase by an average of 18 percent per year for the next four years. This would equate to the generation of approximately 132,000 new job opportunities in total by 2017.
The profession is also worth some consideration because its salaries for permanent jobs are generally around £52,000 per annum, compared to £43,500 for IT staff more generally, according to the report.
Big data roles include developers, architects, analysts and administrators.
Skills required for such roles include knowledge of NoSQL, Hadoop, Oracle, Java, SQL and C++. Specialist data and analytical skills are also needed in the area of modelling, artificial intelligence and data mining.
2. Java Software developers
Java software development was recently said by US job site Dice.com to be the top IT skill in demand. The programming language is in use by most enterprises as today's business applications continue to run on Java servers. The benefit of Java is it allows developers to write software on one platform and run it on virtually any other type of platform. Java developers are increasingly needed to support web-based applications, as well as for integration purposes and application vulnerabilities.
According to the Java website, there are now nine million Java developers worldwide and 1.1 billion desktops running Java.
Java developers need to have an understanding of core APIs like java.lang and Exceptions, as well as APIs for web application development. They need to also be familiar with different development methodologies like Agile and SCRUM.
1. HTML 5 knowledge
It's no secret the UK's currently short of decent coders. Worse still, of the precious few we have many aren't that clued up on HTML5.
This is a wee bit of a problem as HTML5 is becoming a core internet technology and the language of choice when creating webpages and smartphone and tablet applications.
Worse still the problem is only going to intensify, with many big name companies like Google and Mozilla touting HTML5 as the future of the internet.
For this reason the need for HTML5 savvy coders is only going to increase and it could well become one of 2013's most desired IT skills.
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