It’s a new year and a new opportunity to think about what we want to accomplish in the next year. 2020 has been tough and had a significant impact, sometimes not a positive one, on many people’s lives. Many people lost their jobs and others, who have been put on long unpaid vacation by their employer, also realized that they need to take care of themselves, professionally, so they’re not at the mercy of others when push comes to shove.
It’s not an easy job market these days. According to Goldman Sachs, it could take a whopping 4 years to regain the 2 million jobs lost during the COVID-19 pandemic. This means that right now, and for the foreseeable future, millions of people around the world are trying to figure out either how to keep their jobs or break into the job market.
Reskilling is More Important Than Ever
Even before the pandemic hit us, the World Economic Forum predicted that by 2022, technology will displace 75 million jobs. McKinsey estimated that by 2030, up to 375 million workers may have to reskill because of new technologies like artificial intelligence and automation. The economic and job uncertainty of 2020 has emphasized the long-lasting importance of upskilling and reskilling, to keep up to date with industry requirements.
So yes, the pandemic has shut down businesses, and it has even canceled some jobs altogether, but on the flip-side, it has also created a demand for certain positions that is nearly impossible to fill.
Here are some of the most in-demand jobs for the coming future:
Cybersecurity Specialists
Almost every company today processes immense amounts of data, dubbing it “the new oil”, and making cybersecurity one of the top technology trends in 2021 and beyond. The demand for Cybersecurity Specialists increased by 30% since last year in the U.S., according to LinkedIn.
Cloud security and DevOps experts, a certain type of Cyber Specialists, also saw great demand for their talent due to the growth in cloud services. Employers are ready to pay more for workers who can prevent attacks before they occur by building a secure digital ecosystem from the ground up.
Data Scientists
According to research from IBM, in 2020 the number of vacant data science positions in the U.S. alone grew by to 2,720,000. Data Scientists analyze and model data to find actionable insights that are used for many purposes, such as delivering relevant products, personalizing customer experiences, and mitigate risk and fraud.
The future of products and services all around us is being driven by data and the data professionals who know how to wield it. With the shift from face to face meetings to digital interactions, exponentially more digital data is being created, and the demand for Data Scientists will rise accordingly.
Full-Stack Developers
While not a new job, the rapid change of technology has made Full-Stack Developers a valuable asset for any company. Full-Stack Developers deploy a variety of skills depending on an organization’s changing needs. Both Frontend and Backend Developers are in high demand, but Full-stack Developers are in greater demand than all.
According to LinkedIn, the hiring rate for this role has increased by 35% every year since 2015 in the U.S. and the ‘Full-Stack Developer’ job title ranks as the 2nd best job in Indeed job site.
Take Control of Your Future – Reskill to Tech
Reskilling to tech should therefore be part of your new year resolutions. If you’re considering a career change in 2021, a good bet right now would be to enroll in a tech training program that leads to lucrative tech jobs in high demand. People with advanced technical skills are sought out.
Companies are increasing their recruitment efforts for such talent while nurturing their existing technology-oriented workforce to remain competitive. This means that professionals who are willing to develop tech skills will have the upper hand in landing some of the greatest job roles, with the best terms, in the tech industry.
2020 was tough, but it brought us 2021. While change may be inevitable and come as a surprise, being prepared for what’s coming is a decision you can make. This year might have pushed us for a career change, but that’s a great occasion to reinvent yourself and come out stronger and more prosperous on the other side
