As the unemployment rate continues to hold steady at 50-year historic lows, all signs point to another banner year for job seekers in 2020—especially those with skills that support emerging technologies being utilized by leading companies.
Looking towards the new decade, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects employment of computer and IT occupations to grow 12% through 2028, much faster than the average for all occupations. Demand is expected to come from greater emphasis on cloud computing, the collection and storage of big data and information security, according to BLS.
Trends influence employers
Key technology trends such as these are pushing employers to hire workers with very particular types of experience, reports InformationWeek. In its IT Skills and Certifications Pay Index, Foote Partners notes that it’s “difficult to find an employer that isn't struggling to come up with its own unique tech staffing model that balances three things: 1) the urgency of digital transformation and cybersecurity threats, 2) combating ever-deepening security threats and 3)keeping increasingly complex systems and networks running smoothly and efficiently."
Just what kind of work experience are employers seeking of job candidates in 2020? What skills should candidates possess or acquire in the months ahead to land a role that supports emerging technologies?
The LinkedIn 2020 Emerging Jobs Report identifies artificial intelligence (AI) as the skill most in demand by employers right now. “Hiring growth for this role has grown 74% annually in the past four years and compasses a few different titles that all have a very specific set of skills” such as machine learning, deep learning, TensorFlow, Python and Natural Language Processing.”
The report also identifies Robotics Engineer, Data Scientist, Full Stack Engineer and Site Reliability Engineer as emerging roles in 2020.
According to CNBC Make It, the top 10 most popular tech skills of 2020 — where technologists are taking classes to further develop their skills include:
Hiring managers are having an especially hard time trying to fill roles that require skills in software development such as Python as well as those that require knowledge of AI, cloud computing and business intelligence, CNBC Make It also reports.
Training in sought-after skills Python and Java
Recognizing that our clients have a need for technology talent, specifically, software developers trained in sought-after skills such as Python and Java, Genesis10 launched our Dev10 Software Developer training program in 2018 in the Twin Cities, expanding the program to Charlotte and Dallas in 2019 and to Milwaukee, New York and Chicago in 2020.
For Dev10, Genesis10 recruiters identify local, high-aptitude, STEM-degreed U.S. citizens and immerse them in a three-month technology training program. To date, more than 100 people have successfully completed the training and are working as Genesis10 consultants for clients in banking and financial services, manufacturing, healthcare, and retail.
Planning for and leveraging the future of work – strategies to shore up tech skills and capabilities gaps as well as determining who does the work coupled with changes to how work gets done will continue to be influenced by technological, generational and social shifts. Seems like workforce planning will remain a c-suite topic in the near future. The next blog will touch on the future of work and evolving employment models. Stay tuned…