As the tech industry is growing, the demand for skilled candidates is also increasing. Currently, the UK tech sector employs over 1.7 million people and adds over £150bn to the UK economy every year, which could grow to a further £41.5 billion and create 678,000 additional jobs by 2025.
So, what are some of the most in-demand tech skills for 2024?
Data analytics is the collection, transformation, and organization of data to draw conclusions and make predictions which allows companies to make more strategically guided decisions. This includes looking at what happened, why it happened, what is going to happen, or what should be done next. One increasingly popular type of data analytics is cloud analytics which involves deploying scalable cloud computing with powerful analytic software to identify patterns in data and new insights. In cloud analytics systems, all generated data is collected and securely stored in the cloud, where it can be accessed from any internet-connected device. The system then cleans, processes, and analyses the data, then displays the insights for the user.
Skills required in data analytics roles:
Software engineering involves creating, designing, improving, maintaining, and debugging programmes, applications and software. Good software engineers will be able to easily identify the best programming language and platform to deliver on for each client and generally work collaboratively with other engineers and developers. Their role is to execute the full software development life cycle and analyse user requirements.
Skills required in software engineering roles:
Software development is often thought of as the same as software engineering, however they are slightly different. Software developers use their programming and coding skills to create new software and improve existing software applications. However, it also usually involves more debugging and coding than software engineering and they constantly looking at ways to improve systems. Developers tend to work on a smaller scale than engineers and focus on designing application software or specific systems. There are lots of different paths to go down in software development, such as front-end, back-end, full-stack, or mobile development.
Skills required in software development roles:
Artificial Intelligence is the science and engineering of making intelligent machines and computer programmes that simulate human intelligence processes. AI systems work by ingesting large amounts of data and analysing this data to create patterns and correlations to make future predictions. One example is live chat bots that interact with people and understands the questions you are asking and can reply with the most common answers to those questions. Chat GPT is another example of where AI is used. It is beneficial to businesses as it can automate tasks done by humans, such as customer service and quality control with relatively few errors.
Skills required in AI roles:
Cybersecurity is becoming increasingly more important as cybersecurity attacks are on the rise and can include identity theft, extortion, the loss of or stealing of data, phishing, or malware. A successful cybersecurity approach has multiple layers of protection spread across the computers, networks, programs, or data that one intends to keep safe.
Skills required in cybersecurity roles:
Unfortunately, whilst there is an increasing demand for tech skills, there is still a lack of diversity in the industry with 73% of jobs being held by men and 62% of jobs held by white employees. This means companies are missing out on all the benefits a diverse and inclusive workplace offers. Having different perspectives, viewpoints and ideas allows for increased innovation and faster problem-solving. A variety of skilled workers will also increase productivity as they can upskill each other, increasing employees knowledge and ability to solve problems. Forbes have even stated that companies with above-average diversity had a 19% innovation-related advantage over companies with below-average diversity. Having a diverse team also allows you to connect with your customers better and successfully target a larger customer base, which can increase the company’s profitability and give your business a competitive advantage over rivals.
However, it isn’t just the company that benefits from a diverse team, the employees also benefit. This is important in the technology industry as they experience one of the highest turnover rates. Working in an inclusive environment allows everyone to feel valued, included, and appreciated, which in turn, will encourage staff to continue to work within the company and create a sense of trust and belonging. It also allows employees to create a wider network which can help them to develop and progress in their careers and gain more opportunities.
The demand for technology skills doesn’t seem to be going away any time soon. So, whether you want to start a career in tech, change to a new tech role, or simply add to your current knowledge, there are many great skills to choose from going into 2024!