The last decade saw the birth of new, innovative technologies and ideas, and the trend continues in this decade as well. New-age technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), Cloud, and Blockchain made significant inroads in multiple industries and supply chains.
As companies plan their digital transformation journey by leveraging new-age technologies, they need to build a pool of skilled tech experts to execute those plans. According to LinkedIn, “150 million tech-related jobs are expected to be added globally over the next five years.” Experienced New Age tech professionals will empower organizations to successfully drive digital operations, deploy innovative solutions, and enable intelligent decision-making.
Here is a list of the top five tech skills that will witness the highest demand for the year 2022 and beyond:
1) Cloud Computing specialists
Cloud computing has evolved into a mainstream approach for IT as it brings immense value for organizations irrespective of their size. Cloud enables dynamic and remote business operations without compromising speed or operational efficiency. Organizations will hire experts to develop and maintain robust cloud applications in the coming years. According to McKinsey, “Organizations around the world will be looking to hire or reskill at least one million new cloud developers over the next three years.” The primary focus will be on talented professionals like cloud architects, administrators, and other cloud specialists.
2) Artificial Intelligence (AI) and related technologies experts
AI has become a key market differentiator across industries today. Organizations like banks and insurance companies are leveraging AI-based capabilities to optimize their business processes and deliver a personalized customer experience. According to PwC, “AI could contribute up to $15.7 trillion to the global economy in 2030. Of this, $6.6 trillion is likely to come from increased productivity.” Companies must augment their talent pools with skilled AI experts to harness this opportunity. We can expect a significant rise in demand for talented prospects like AI specialists, data scientists, and business intelligence developers for next year and beyond.
3. Mobile application developers
The widespread adoption of smartphones has catalyzed the pervasive proliferation of applications like mobile banking, online shopping, and online government services. Mobile applications enable anytime, anywhere connectivity which leads to rapid service delivery and omnichannel user experience. As more enterprises make their services accessible through mobile devices, they will need to hire talented individuals proficient in Android/iOS development, UI/UX development, full-stack application development, and so on.
4. Blockchain technology professionals
As defined by IBM, “blockchain is a shared, immutable ledger that facilitates the process of recording transactions and tracking assets in a business network.” Blockchain technology can help deploy new and disruptive business models, especially for banks and finance companies. Gartner estimates that blockchain will generate $3.1 trillion in new business value by 2030. Enterprises are already implementing blockchain solutions like smart contracts and shared ledgers. The steady adoption of blockchain technology in the future will lead to a rise in demand for blockchain developers, blockchain architects, and UX/UI blockchain designers.
5. User Experience (UX) designers
A quality UX design is a prerequisite for companies operating across all digital platforms to enable scalability, optimize customer experience, and enhance brand recognition. A Forrester report highlights how a well-designed user interface could raise your website’s conversion rate by up to 200%, and a better UX design could yield conversion rates up to 400 percent. Seasoned UX designers can augment mobile applications and web portals by providing a consistent, structured, and seamless user interface. The need for digital transformation will necessitate enterprises to look out for talented UX consultants, product design consultants, UX researchers, and so on.
The current trends and industry outlook promise a wealth of opportunities for individuals looking forward to a fulfilling IT career. The time is just right for tech candidates to upskill themselves and prepare well for upcoming opportunities.
As more organizations undertake digital transformation, new operational requirements will emerge, leading to new technological breakthroughs. Hence, organizations and tech professionals need to stay open to emerging ideas and keep innovating to succeed in their respective journeys.
(Dr SJ Raj is senior Vice President (Human Resources Operations) at Newgen Software Technologies)
