The challenge of finding skilled talent is not a new phenomenon in the information technology sector, but recent global labor shifts have dramatically intensified the competition. This has left technology leaders in a difficult position, struggling to hire the workers they need to drive their organizations forward. It is no longer just conventional technology companies seeking IT expertise; businesses across every industry, from retail to healthcare, are now competing for the same pool of talent as they look to drive efficiency, scale operations, and digitally transform. This widespread demand has added a significant challenge to filling critical IT roles, which in turn creates a domino effect of negative consequences.
These consequences are not trivial. Unfilled roles can directly lead to delays in project deliverables, stalling innovation and slowing time-to-market for new products and services. This can directly affect a company’s growth trajectory and its ability to satisfy customer expectations. When projects are delayed and internal systems are strained, customer satisfaction often declines. In this way, having open roles can be exceptionally costly to an organization, impacting everything from internal morale to the external brand reputation and the bottom-line revenue.
The Compounding Problem of Skills Gaps
While the competition for skilled workers remains high, another challenge continues to worsen in parallel: the persistent and widening skills gap. The issue is not just that roles are open; it is that the skills required for these roles are evolving faster than the workforce can keep up. Most IT teams report having significant skills gaps, but what is truly staggering is how these gaps directly impact the organization’s performance. The consequences are tangible and severe, with many IT leaders reporting direct losses in revenue due to these shortages. When a team lacks the necessary expertise, it may be unable to implement advanced solutions, forcing the business to forgo opportunities.
This skills gap crisis extends beyond lost revenue. A significant percentage of business leaders admit that they have seen business go to a competitor who was better equipped with the necessary technical skills. Furthermore, these internal deficiencies are felt by the customer, with a large number of organizations seeing measurable declines in customer satisfaction. This combination of a shallow talent pool and a widening skills gap makes the need for professionals in certain key roles even more dire. The challenge is no longer just about hiring; it is about survival and remaining competitive in a landscape where technological prowess is a primary differentiator.
The Strategic Imperative to Reskill and Upskill
Faced with the twin challenges of talent scarcity and skills gaps, IT leaders are forced to adapt their strategies. The conventional “hire-to-fill” model is no longer sufficient when qualified workers are simply not available or are prohibitively expensive. This reality forces organizations to focus their attention on the talent they already have. Upskilling, which involves enhancing an employee’s current skill set, and reskilling, which involves training an employee for a new role, have become business-critical strategies. Hiring junior-level engineers and investing in their growth, while simultaneously developing the skills of existing team members, is a proven approach to building a sustainable and resilient workforce.
This “grow-your-own” strategy has been shown to improve employee retention significantly, as it provides clear pathways for career growth and demonstrates a company’s investment in its people. It also serves as a powerful tool for attracting new talent, as job seekers are increasingly drawn to organizations that prioritize learning and development. For the vast majority of IT leaders who acknowledge skills gaps on their teams, investing in their current workforce is the most logical and effective way to meet critical business objectives. Given the global talent shortage, the only truly sustainable solution is to look to internal people and train them into the jobs the organization needs for the future.
Aligning Training with Business Outcomes
The value of training is widely recognized. The vast majority of organizations have prioritized technical training investments because their leaders want to increase their competitive advantage, enhance their ability to deliver advanced solutions, and meet evolving client requirements. However, a significant challenge remains: many organizations have not successfully aligned their training programs with specific business goals and desired outcomes. This misalignment can lead to wasted resources and a failure to close the most critical skills shortages, leaving the organization vulnerable despite its investment in learning.
As organizations continue to invest in training, they must weigh the specific needs of the business and then consider how and when people learn most effectively. It is not enough to simply offer a library of courses. The most successful strategies provide choice and structured pathways to growth, creating a pervasive culture of learning that is embedded in the organization’s DNA. Internal career development is one of the greatest tools an organization has for attracting and retaining talent. By building a future-fit workforce from within, companies can navigate the talent shortage and achieve their strategic goals.
The Most Challenging Domain: Cybersecurity
For the past several years, one area has consistently risen to the top of the list of the most challenging areas to hire for: cybersecurity. Roles in this domain remain among the most highly coveted and in-demand, and the reasons are clear. According to annual reports on the topic, the average cost of a data breach has reached the highest level ever recorded, costing millions of dollars per incident. This figure does not even account for the long-term damage to brand reputation and customer trust. Organizations continue to prioritize these roles because of the critical, existential nature of security in a digital-first world.
Despite this priority, talent scarcity remains a massive challenge for IT leaders, leaving critical vacancies on their security teams. Research from various initiatives that gather data on the cybersecurity job market shows a staggering number of open cybersecurity jobs, with far more open positions than qualified professionals to fill them. This massive gap between supply and demand places organizations in a precarious position, forcing them to find creative ways to secure their assets while competing for a very small pool of qualified experts.
In-Demand Role 1: The Information Security Analyst
At the forefront of this demand is the Information Security Analyst. These professionals are the digital guardians of an organization, responsible for protecting its digital information, intellectual property, customer data, and internal systems from a constantly evolving landscape of threats. Their role is multifaceted, involving auditing and analyzing networks and systems to identify vulnerabilities, and then acting decisively to minimize risk. They are the front-line defenders who monitor for suspicious activity, investigate security breaches, and develop the security measures that keep an organization safe.
The demand for Information Security Analysts is exceptionally high, but as is the case with the broader cybersecurity field, the supply of qualified candidates is not keeping pace. Training data from learning platforms shows that security-related training has grown significantly year over year, reflecting the urgent need organizations have for these professionals. Furthermore, government labor statistics project that the growth for this role is much higher than the average for all occupations. Within the next decade, the number of jobs is expected to grow dramatically, at a rate more than four times the national average, highlighting the critical and expanding need for this skill set.
Key Responsibilities of an Information Security Analyst
The daily responsibilities of an Information Security Analyst are diverse and demanding. A primary function is continuous monitoring and analysis. They use a variety of tools, including Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) systems, to sift through vast amounts of log data, looking for patterns that could indicate a security threat. When an alert is triggered, they are the first responders, tasked with investigating the incident to determine its scope, impact, and root cause. This requires a deep analytical mindset and the ability to work calmly under pressure.
Beyond real-time monitoring, analysts are proactive in strengthening the organization’s defenses. This involves conducting regular vulnerability assessments and penetration tests, where they actively try to find and exploit weaknesses in their own systems before malicious actors do. They are also responsible for developing and implementing security policies and procedures, ensuring the organization is in compliance with data protection regulations. They often work with other IT teams to ensure new systems and applications are designed with security in mind from the very beginning.
Essential Skills: Penetration Testing
One of the most critical skills for an Information Security Analyst is penetration testing, also known as “pen testing” or “ethical hacking.” This is a proactive and authorized simulated cyberattack against a computer system, network, or web application to identify exploitable vulnerabilities. An analyst skilled in penetration testing thinks like an attacker, using the same tools and techniques to probe for weaknesses. This hands-on, offensive approach is invaluable because it moves beyond theoretical risks and provides concrete proof of how an attacker could breach the organization’s defenses.
By identifying and documenting these vulnerabilities, the analyst provides the organization with a clear roadmap for remediation, prioritizing the most critical flaws that need to be fixed. This skill requires a deep understanding of network protocols, operating systems, and application security. It is a highly technical discipline that separates a theoretical analyst from a practical defender. Familiarity with this offensive side of security allows the analyst to build much more effective and realistic defensive strategies.
Essential Skills: Scripting and Automation
In the face of overwhelming amounts of data and a high volume of alerts, manual processes are no longer feasible. This is why scripting and automation are essential skills for a modern Information Security Analyst. Proficiency in scripting languages, such as Python, Java, C-sharp, or automation frameworks like PowerShell, allows an analyst to automate repetitive and time-consuming tasks. For example, they can write scripts to parse log files, automate vulnerability scans, or orchestrate the initial response to a common security alert.
This automation frees up the analyst to focus on more complex and high-value tasks, such as in-depth threat hunting, forensic analysis, and strategic planning. Scripting also enables the integration of disparate security tools, allowing an analyst to build a more cohesive and responsive security ecosystem. An analyst who can code is not just a user of security tools; they are a builder of security solutions, capable of customizing their environment to meet the organization’s specific needs. This ability to automate and innovate is a key differentiator for top-tier security talent.
Essential Skills: Project Management and Interpersonal Skills
While technical expertise is the foundation of the Information Security Analyst role, it is not the only requirement. Security is not implemented in a vacuum; it requires collaboration with every part of the business. This is why project management skills are surprisingly critical. When an analyst identifies a major vulnerability, remediating it often becomes a cross-functional project that involves developers, network engineers, and business-line managers. The analyst must be able to manage this project, defining the scope, setting timelines, and ensuring the fix is implemented correctly without unduly disrupting business operations.
Strong interpersonal and leadership skills are equally important. An analyst must be able to communicate complex technical risks to non-technical audiences, from end-users to senior executives. They must conduct security awareness training, written in clear and accessible language. They must be able to advocate for security best practices and gain buy-in from other teams. An analyst who is technically brilliant but cannot communicate or collaborate effectively will ultimately fail to secure the organization. A holistic skill set, blending technical depth with strong communication and leadership, is what makes an analyst truly effective.
The Cloud-First Transformation
The second most in-demand area in technology, often following closely behind cybersecurity, is cloud computing. In the last decade, the business world has undergone a fundamental transition to the cloud. This shift has resulted in extremely high demand for professionals who can develop, implement, and manage an organization’s cloud strategy. These experts are responsible for leading cloud implementations, managing complex migrations of legacy systems, and handling ongoing upgrades and maintenance. The transition to the cloud is not a one-time event; it is an ongoing strategic function that requires specialized expertise.
This demand is confirmed by survey data. A very high percentage of IT decision-makers rank cloud computing as one of their top investment areas for the coming year, second only to cybersecurity. This financial commitment directly translates into a need for talent. However, nearly one-third of these same decision-makers report struggling to find skilled cloud professionals. The talent pool is relatively shallow compared to the overwhelming demand, and this scarcity is compounded by skills shortages in key disciplines, especially the intersection of cloud and security, which has seen a dramatic jump in demand.
In-Demand Role 2: The Cloud Solutions Architect
At the center of this transformation is the Cloud Solutions Architect. This is a highly strategic and technical role responsible for designing and overseeing the organization’s cloud computing framework. They are the master planners who develop and carry out the overarching cloud strategy. In a world of hybrid, multi-cloud, public, and private environments, the Cloud Solutions Architect must navigate a complex landscape of options to design a solution that meets the organization’s specific needs. Their primary goals are to leverage the cloud to reduce operational costs, increase business agility and reliability, and, crucially, enhance the organization’s security posture.
The demand for this role is reflected in its compensation and the value organizations place on it. In many lists of the top-paying IT certifications, cloud architects who are certified in technologies from major providers often hold some of the highest salaries in the entire IT industry. These salaries have also grown significantly in recent years, reinforcing the idea that the Cloud Solutions Architect is a critical, high-value leadership role. Estimates show a large existing workforce of solutions architects in the United States, but job boards on professional networking sites show a massive number of open positions, indicating a significant and persistent employment gap.
The Strategic Role of the Architect
A Cloud Solutions Architect is not just a senior engineer; they are a key strategic partner to the business. Their work begins long before any code is written or any server is migrated. They must first meet with business leaders and department heads to gain a deep understanding of the organization’s goals. What are the business’s long-term objectives? What are its current pain points? What are the regulatory and compliance requirements? Only with this comprehensive understanding can they begin to design a cloud solution that truly aligns with the business’s strategic vision.
This strategic planning involves making high-stakes decisions. The architect must evaluate the pros and cons of different cloud models. Should the organization go all-in on a single public cloud provider, or is a multi-cloud strategy better for avoiding vendor lock-in and improving resilience? Is a hybrid model, which combines a private cloud for sensitive data with a public cloud for scalable applications, the right approach? These are not purely technical questions; they are complex business decisions with long-term financial and operational implications. The architect must provide the executive leadership with the data and analysis needed to make these informed choices.
Expertise in Cloud Services and Providers
A core competency for any Cloud Solutions Architect is deep experience working with the major cloud services and application providers. The cloud market is dominated by a few large-scale providers, and an architect is expected to have expert-level knowledge of at least one, if not all, of them. This expertise goes far beyond simply knowing how to spin up a virtual machine. It involves a deep understanding of the vast portfolio of services each provider offers, which can include hundreds of distinct products for computing, storage, networking, databases, machine learning, and more.
The architect must be able to navigate this “menu” of services to assemble the most efficient, cost-effective, and performant solution. For example, they must decide between different database services, storage tiers, and computing options, with each choice having a direct impact on performance and cost. This also includes familiarity with the provider’s billing and cost-management tools. A key part of the architect’s job is to design a solution that is not only powerful but also financially optimized, preventing the common problem of runaway cloud spending.
The Critical Intersection of Cloud and Security
Given that security is the number one concern for most organizations, it is no surprise that cloud security is a critical skill for an architect. In fact, cloud security is one of the fastest-growing areas of training and demand. An architect must have a strong familiarity with cybersecurity best practices and principles as they apply to a cloud environment. This is fundamentally different from traditional on-premises security. In the cloud, the provider and the customer share responsibility for security, and the architect must be an expert on this “shared responsibility model.”
They are responsible for designing the security framework for the cloud environment. This includes configuring virtual private clouds (VPCs), setting up network security groups and firewalls, and managing identity and access management (IAM) policies to control who can access which resources. They must also design solutions for data encryption, both at rest and in transit. A single misconfiguration in a cloud security setting can expose the entire organization’s data. Therefore, the Cloud Solutions Architect is a key security leader, responsible for building a secure and resilient foundation for the organization’s entire cloud presence.
A Strong Foundation in Infrastructure and Operations
While the role is strategic, it is built on a strong foundation of traditional IT infrastructure and operations. A great architect cannot design a cloud-based network without first having a deep background in networking fundamentals. They must understand TCP/IP, DNS, routing, and switching. Similarly, they must have experience in traditional systems operations, including server administration, storage management, and virtualization. This background is essential for one of the architect’s most common tasks: migrating legacy applications to the cloud.
When moving an on-premises application, the architect must first understand how it is currently built and why. This “lift and shift” process is fraught with challenges, and the architect’s deep operational knowledge is what allows them to anticipate problems and design a smooth migration path. They must understand how to refactor or re-architect applications to take full advantage of cloud-native features, such as auto-scaling and serverless functions. This blend of legacy knowledge and forward-looking cloud expertise makes the role uniquely challenging and valuable.
Leadership and Project Management Skills
Like the security analyst, the Cloud Solutions Architect is a highly collaborative and cross-functional leader. They must possess strong project management skills, as they are often in charge of a large-scale migration or implementation project from start to finish. They must be able to develop a project plan, manage timelines, and coordinate the efforts of many different teams, including developers, network engineers, security analysts, and database administrators. Familiarity with modern project management methodologies, such as Agile and DevOps, is essential for managing these complex, fast-moving initiatives.
Furthermore, the architect must be a powerful communicator and leader. They must be able to “sell” their strategic vision to senior executives, explaining the business value and return on investment of a proposed cloud solution. They must also be able to collaborate with technical teams, translating the high-level architectural design into concrete, actionable tasks. This requires strong interpersonal skills and the ability to build consensus. The architect acts as the essential bridge between the business’s goals and the technical implementation, making their leadership and communication skills just as important as their technical prowess.
The Explosion of Data-Driven Decision-Making
In recent years, we have seen a dramatic spike in demand for training and expertise in data science, rivaling even the demand for cloud computing. The essentials of data science, database administration, and analytics continue to climb as more organizations realize that their data is one of their most valuable assets. Companies now rely on data to inform decision-making at every level, from high-level strategic planning to minor operational tweaks. This fuels the need for experienced professionals who can manage, interpret, and derive value from massive datasets.
This trend is not just anecdotal. Data from learning platforms shows a significant year-over-year growth in training related to data, specifically for the tools, frameworks, and core concepts that underpin the field. Demand for these skills has shown a rapid increase over the past few years. Furthermore, many IT decision-makers plan to prioritize data management, artificial intelligence, cognitive computing, and machine learning in the year ahead, placing these disciplines among the top investment areas for their organizations. This investment creates a high-velocity job market for professionals with the right data skills.
In-Demand Role 3: The Data Scientist
At the heart of this data revolution is the Data Scientist. This role is responsible for creating and applying statistical and machine learning models to help solve complex business challenges and achieve desired outcomes. These professionals have a strong, multifaceted background in gathering, cleaning, analyzing, and reporting on large, often unstructured, data sets. Their work is part-exploratory and part-prescriptive; they explore the data to find hidden patterns and insights, and then use those insights to build predictive models that can forecast future trends or behaviors.
The employment gap for data scientists is significant. Government data from 2020 showed a substantial number of data scientists and related mathematical occupations, but current job searches on professional networking sites reveal a number of listings that far exceeds the existing workforce. This indicates a massive and unmet demand. Projections show that data scientist positions are expected to grow at a very high rate through the end of the decade, underscoring the critical need for these highly specialized skills. Their work is foundational to an organization’s ability to innovate and compete on an analytical basis.
Core Skills: Predictive Modeling and Algorithms
A primary skill that defines a Data Scientist is the ability to develop predictive models and custom algorithms. A predictive model is a statistical tool that uses historical data to forecast future outcomes. For example, a data scientist might build a model to predict which customers are most likely to churn, which sales leads are most likely to convert, or which financial transactions are most likely to be fraudulent. This requires a deep understanding of statistical techniques, such as regression analysis, as well as more advanced machine learning methods.
They must also be able to develop custom algorithms to solve unique business problems. This goes beyond using off-the-shelf tools and involves a deep, creative, and mathematical approach to problem-solving. They must be able to select the right model for the job, train it on the correct data, and then rigorously test it for accuracy and bias. This ability to not just analyze the past but to accurately predict the future is what provides an organization with a powerful competitive edge, allowing it to make proactive, data-informed decisions.
Core Skills: Programming and Technical Tools
To build and deploy these models, a Data Scientist must be a proficient programmer. Knowledge of programming languages like Python is almost universally required, as its extensive libraries for data analysis, machine learning, and statistical modeling make it the industry standard. They must be adept at using these libraries to manipulate data, build complex models, and visualize results. In addition to programming, they must be experts in machine learning, statistical modeling, and data mining techniques.
This technical toolkit also includes the ability to query and extract data from various sources. This means they must be skilled in database languages like SQL to pull data from relational databases. They may also need to work with “big data” technologies and distributed computing frameworks to handle datasets that are too large to fit on a single machine. This combination of programming, statistics, and database knowledge makes the data scientist a hybrid role, part-statistician, part-software engineer, and part-analyst.
Core Skills: Communication and Project Management
A data scientist’s work is useless if it cannot be understood or acted upon by the business. For this reason, strong interpersonal and communication skills are essential. A data scientist must be a “storyteller” who can take a highly complex statistical finding and explain it in clear, simple terms to non-technical stakeholders and executives. They must be able to visualize their findings in compelling charts and dashboards that make the “so what” of their analysis immediately obvious. This communication is key to driving action based on their insights.
Project management skills are also vital. A data science project is an iterative and often ambiguous process. It starts with a vague business question, which the data scientist must then refine into a testable hypothesis. This involves managing the entire project lifecycle: defining the problem, acquiring and cleaning the data, building and testing a model, and finally deploying the solution. This requires collaboration with business leaders to define success and with engineers to integrate the model into production systems, making project management a daily part of the job.
In-Demand Role 4: The Systems Analyst
While data scientists build complex models, the Systems Analyst plays a different but equally critical role in the data ecosystem. A Systems Analyst identifies ways to increase efficiency and solve business problems by improving or automating processes. They are the essential bridge between the business side of the organization and the IT department. They focus heavily on data analysis, often working within databases to extract and interpret information that will help in decision-making and problem-solving at an operational level.
This is a highly cross-functional role. A Systems Analyst collaborates with business users to understand their needs, assesses potential technology solutions, helps establish a project plan, determines the risks and benefits of a proposed change, and then supports the development and implementation of that change. Demand for this role is strong and steady. Government labor bureaus project that systems analyst jobs will grow consistently through the end of the decade, with organizations adding tens of thousands of new jobs to the market each year.
The Analyst’s Role as a Business Translator
The primary function of a Systems Analyst is that of a translator. On one side, they speak the language of the business, understanding departmental goals, operational workflows, and user frustrations. On the other side, they speak the language of technology, understanding database structures, software capabilities, and system limitations. Their job is to translate business requirements into detailed technical specifications that a development team can use to build a solution. Conversely, they must be able to explain technical constraints to business users in a way they can understand.
This “in-between” role is critical for preventing the most common cause of project failure: misalignment between business expectations and technical reality. A good Systems Analyst ensures that the final product, whether it’s a new software feature or an automated report, actually solves the business problem it was intended to solve. This requires exceptional listening skills, the ability to ask probing questions, and the talent for documenting requirements with clarity and precision, ensuring everyone is working toward the same goal.
Essential Skills: Database and Data Manipulation
To be an effective problem-solver, a Systems Analyst must be highly proficient in database query and data manipulation. A deep and strong familiarity with SQL (Structured Query Language) is a non-negotiable requirement for this role. Analysts spend a significant portion of their time “in the data,” writing complex queries to extract information from relational databases. They might do this to analyze a business process, identify a data quality issue, or produce a custom report that a business manager needs for a decision.
Their data skills often extend beyond basic querying. They must understand database design and data relationships to know where to find the information they need. Many analysts are also expected to have advanced knowledge of spreadsheet programs, including the ability to write automation scripts, connect to external data sources, and build sophisticated data models. This hands-on data expertise allows them to diagnose problems at their source and propose solutions that are grounded in a factual, data-based understanding of the issue.
Essential Skills: Computer Programming and Business Analysis
While not always a full-time developer, a Systems Analyst benefits greatly from a background in computer programming. Familiarity with languages like Python or Java, or web languages like JavaScript, allows them to understand the development process more deeply. It helps them create more realistic technical specifications and communicate more effectively with the development team. In some cases, the analyst may even write scripts themselves to automate processes or create prototypes of proposed solutions.
This technical knowledge is paired with formal business analysis competencies. Many top-tier analysts pursue certifications that validate their skills in requirement elicitation, process modeling, and solution assessment. This formal training provides them with a structured methodology for analyzing a business problem, evaluating potential solutions, and managing the requirements throughout the project’s lifecycle. This combination of technical, analytical, and business-focused skills makes the Systems Analyst a versatile and indispensable member of any data-driven organization.
The Foundation of the Data-Driven World
While data scientists and analysts extract insights, there is a massive underlying infrastructure required to store, manage, and protect the data itself. This is where database and network infrastructure professionals play a vital role. As organizations collect more data than ever before, the demand for experts who can build, manage, and secure this data infrastructure remains consistently strong. Data from learning platforms shows a strong and sustained interest in database-related training year over year. After a rapid increase in demand in previous years, growth has remained steady, with overall data-related training growing significantly in the past year alone.
This infrastructure is the foundational layer upon which all data analytics, machine learning, and cloud computing initiatives are built. Without a well-designed, secure, and reliable database system, data scientists cannot build accurate models. Without a robust and high-performing network, cloud services are inaccessible and employees cannot collaborate. The roles that manage this foundation, though sometimes less visible than front-end roles, are absolutely critical to the organization’s success and remain a challenging area for hiring.
In-Demand Role 5: Database Administrators and Architects
When it comes to managing an organization’s data, two key roles serve as the subject matter experts: the Database Administrator (DBA) and the Database Architect. These professionals build, manage, and support the organization’s databases. The Architect is primarily responsible for the design and creation of new database systems. They work with business analysts and developers to understand the data requirements of a new application and then design a database structure that is efficient, scalable, and secure. They make high-level decisions about which database technology to use, such as a traditional relational database (like SQL) or a more modern NoSQL database (like MongoDB or DynamoDB), depending on the application’s needs.
The Database Administrator, on the other hand, is responsible for the day-to-day management, performance, and reliability of existing databases. They ensure the database is backed up and recoverable in case of a disaster, they monitor performance and tune queries to ensure applications run quickly, and they are responsible for controlling access and protecting the data from breaches. They also work with others in the organization to use data in support of business outcomes, such as resolving active incidents or automating tasks.
The Employment Landscape for Database Professionals
The need for database professionals remains strong and steady. Official government employment projections show that organizations will add thousands of new database administrator jobs per year through the end of the decade. This represents a steady growth rate that is consistent with the national average for all occupations. In 2020, organizations employed a large workforce of administrators, and current job searches on professional networking sites continue to yield tens of thousands of listings, indicating a healthy and active job market.
The nature of the role is evolving with the rise of the cloud. While traditional on-premises DBAs are still needed, there is a rapidly growing demand for “cloud DBAs.” These are professionals who specialize in managing database services on major cloud platforms. These cloud services automate many of the traditional DBA tasks like backups and patching, shifting the DBA’s focus toward higher-level activities like performance optimization, cost management, and security architecture within the cloud environment. This evolution keeps the role relevant and in high demand.
Essential Skills: Database Administration and Management
The core skill set for a DBA is deep expertise in database administration and management. This starts with a thorough understanding of database theory and design. They must also be experts in specific database management systems. For decades, this has meant expertise in relational databases and the SQL language. However, the modern DBA must also be familiar with the growing landscape of NoSQL databases, which are used for applications with large-scale, unstructured data. Each type of database has different strengths, and a skilled administrator understands which one to use for the right job.
Day-to-day management skills are also critical. This includes database installation, configuration, and upgrading. The most important responsibility is often disaster recovery, which involves designing and implementing a robust backup and restore strategy to ensure that no data is lost in the event of a system failure, cyberattack, or human error. They are also responsible for performance tuning, which involves analyzing slow-running queries, optimizing database indexes, and configuring server settings to ensure the database can handle the organization’s workload without slowdowns.
Essential Skills: Scripting, Automation, and Security
Like their security analyst counterparts, modern DBAs rely heavily on scripting and automation. They use scripting languages like Python or PowerShell to automate routine tasks such as backups, health checks, and data migrations. In a large environment with hundreds of databases, automation is not a luxury; it is a necessity for managing the workload effectively and ensuring consistency. This “database as code” approach also allows DBAs to integrate with DevOps pipelines, enabling developers to provision and manage database resources as part of their automated application deployment process.
Security is another paramount responsibility for a DBA. They are the gatekeepers of the company’s most sensitive data. This involves managing user roles and permissions, ensuring that employees only have access to the data they absolutely need to perform their jobs. They are responsible for implementing encryption, both for data at rest on the disk and for data in transit over the network. They also work closely with security analysts to audit the database for suspicious activity and to ensure it is hardened against common attack vectors.
In-Demand Role 6: Network and Computer Systems Administrator
While DBAs manage the data, Network and Computer Systems Administrators manage the pathways and platforms that data runs on. When a network goes down, these administrators are the first on the scene. They are responsible for the day-to-day operation, support, and troubleshooting of an organization’s computer networks and systems. This includes managing both wired and wireless networks, ensuring connectivity, performance, and reliability. They develop and install networking solutions, support end-users with connectivity issues, and aid in security analysis by monitoring network traffic.
Professionals with backgrounds in networking rank among the top ten most challenging areas to hire for. This may be due, in part, to this area of IT taking a lower priority for investment among some IT leaders compared to flashier fields like AI or cloud. Despite this, data from learning platforms shows a very strong increase in infrastructure-related training in the past year. This indicates the foundational importance of these roles. So much of a modern business is tethered to the network, from cloud applications to remote work, and without skilled workers to maintain its reliability, all other functions can come to a standstill.
The Evolving Employment Landscape for Administrators
The employment outlook for network and systems administrators shows slower projected growth than the national average. However, this statistic can be misleading. While some traditional on-premises tasks are being automated or shifted to the cloud, the need for skilled administrators is not disappearing; it is changing. The rise of hybrid work models and cloud computing has created new and complex networking challenges that require a high level of expertise. Organizations still need experts to manage the complex interplay between on-premises networks and cloud environments.
Government data shows that hundreds of thousands of network and computer system administrators were employed in 2020. More importantly, it is projected that organizations will still add tens of thousands of new job openings for these roles annually through 2030, largely to replace workers who retire or move to other occupations. Current job listings on professional boards also show tens of thousands of open positions. This indicates a stable, ongoing need for professionals who can manage the critical infrastructure that powers the modern business.
Essential Skills: Network Hardware and Troubleshooting
The foundational skill for a Network Administrator is deep experience managing and installing network components. This includes hands-on experience with hardware like routers, switches, and firewalls. They must understand how to configure this equipment to create a secure and efficient network. This involves setting up virtual LANs (VLANs) to segment network traffic, configuring routing protocols to ensure data flows efficiently, and managing wireless access points to provide reliable connectivity. Expertise from dominant networking hardware vendors is often a key requirement.
Strong troubleshooting skills are arguably the most important part of the job. When the network is down, the entire business is impacted, and the administrator is under immense pressure to find and fix the problem quickly. This requires a methodical and analytical approach. They must be able to isolate the problem, determining if it is a hardware failure, a software misconfiguration, or an external provider issue. This involves using network monitoring tools, analyzing traffic packets, and having a deep, instinctual understanding of how all the pieces of the network fit together.
Essential Skills: Security and Interpersonal Skills
In the modern era, the Network Administrator is also a key member of the security team. The network is a primary target for attackers, and the administrator is responsible for implementing many of the first lines of defense. This includes configuring firewalls to block malicious traffic, setting up Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) to provide secure remote access, and implementing network access control (NAC) to prevent unauthorized devices from connecting. They work closely with security analysts to monitor network traffic for signs of an intrusion and to help investigate security incidents.
Finally, because they are constantly interacting with end-users who are experiencing connectivity problems, strong interpersonal skills are critical. They must be able to communicate complex technical issues in a simple, non-patronizing way. They need to be patient, helpful, and service-oriented. This role, along with the help desk, is one of the most visible faces of the IT department, and the administrator’s ability to provide friendly and effective support has a direct impact on the entire department’s reputation within the organization.
The Centrality of Software Craft
In a world driven by digital transformation, the ability to create and maintain custom software is a primary competitive advantage. Software developers and engineers are the brains and muscle behind the mobile applications, e-commerce platforms, and internal business tools that define the modern economy. Reflecting this, “software craft” ranks among the highest areas of training consumption. This category has grown by a massive 65% since last year, according to data from learning platforms. The “programming” category was not far behind, growing 53%. This demonstrates an enormous and sustained demand for professionals who can build, test, and maintain software.
Within these categories, certain skills are in particularly high demand. Topics like Agile and project management attract a large share of learners, as they are the methodologies used to build software effectively. In programming, languages like Python, Java, JavaScript, and the C family of languages lead the way in training consumption. This high demand is logical; as every company becomes a technology company, they are all competing for the same limited pool of developers to build their next generation of products and services.
In-Demand Role 7: Software Developers and Engineers
Software Developers and Engineers design, build, and test the software applications that people use every day. An engineer often takes a more formal, high-level approach, designing the architecture and structure of large, complex systems to ensure they are scalable, reliable, and maintainable. A developer is often more focused on the hands-on creation of that system, writing the code that brings the engineer’s design to life. In practice, these titles are often used interchangeably, but both roles are fundamentally about creative problem-solving through code.
These professionals must bring to the job a deep knowledge of several coding and programming languages. The most in-demand languages, as shown by training consumption trends, are Python and Java. Python’s popularity has grown significantly, but Java training consumption has grown even faster, surpassing Python for the first time. Training for other languages like C-plus-plus also shows growth, though demand remains lower compared to the top two. Reports from technical recruiting firms show that a large percentage of recruiters plan to hire 50 or more software developers in the coming year, suggesting a sustained and high-stakes demand for these professionals.
The Employment Landscape for Developers
The employment gap for software developers is one of the largest in any industry. In 2020, government labor statistics reported that there were 1.8 million software developers, quality assurance analysts, and testers employed in the United States. This is already a massive workforce, but the projected growth is staggering. The growth rate for these roles is projected at 22% over the next decade, which is almost three times faster than the national average for all occupations. This translates into a huge number of new jobs being added to the market each year.
Current job listings on professional networking sites validate this data, with hundreds of thousands of open software developer jobs listed. This intense competition for talent has driven salaries up and has forced companies to invest heavily in training and retention. The demand spans every industry, from finance and healthcare to entertainment and retail, as all of them are building their own customer-facing apps and internal software platforms. This makes software development one of the most in-demand and secure career paths in the modern economy.
Essential Skills: Programming and Language Expertise
The most obvious and essential skill for a software developer is experience with programming languages. This goes beyond just knowing the syntax. A great developer understands the philosophy behind a language, its strengths, and its weaknesses. For example, Python is prized for its readability and its powerful libraries for data science and automation. Java is a cornerstone of enterprise applications, known for its “write once, run anywhere” portability and its robust, large-scale ecosystems. JavaScript, once just a simple web scripting language, is now a powerhouse that runs on both the front-end (in the browser) and the back-end (on servers).
Most developers specialize in a few key areas. A “front-end” developer focuses on the user interface, using languages like JavaScript, HTML, and CSS to build the part of the application the user sees and interacts with. A “back-end” developer builds the “server-side” logic, working with languages like Java, Python, or C-sharp to manage databases, process data, and handle business logic. A “full-stack” developer is a generalist who is comfortable working on both the front-end and the back-end, making them highly versatile and in-demand.
Essential Skills: Debugging and Troubleshooting
A common saying in the industry is that developers spend 10% of their time writing code and 90% of their time debugging it. While an exaggeration, it highlights a critical skill: the ability to debug and troubleshoot. Writing perfect code on the first try is impossible. Developers must be expert detectives, capable of systematically tracking down bugs and fixing issues that may arise during development or after a product has been released. This requires a deep, analytical mindset, patience, and a methodical approach to problem-solving.
This skill involves more than just fixing errors. It also includes optimizing code for performance, ensuring that an application runs quickly and efficiently. It involves troubleshooting complex integration issues, where the developer’s code must interact with dozens of other systems and services. A strong developer knows how to use debugging tools, read error logs, and write unit tests—small, automated tests that verify the correctness of their code—to catch bugs early and prevent them from reaching the customer.
Essential Skills: Collaboration and Project Management
Modern software development is a team sport. No single developer builds a complex application alone. This is why skills in collaboration and project management are essential. Developers must work closely with project managers, systems analysts, and other developers to meet business objectives. They must be able to communicate technical decisions clearly and participate in code reviews, where they give and receive constructive feedback on their team’s code to improve its quality. Strong interpersonal and communication skills are vital for this collaborative environment.
Most software teams today use an Agile methodology, which is a project management approach that emphasizes flexibility, collaboration, and iterative development. Developers must be proficient in these practices, which involve working in short cycles called “sprints,” attending daily “stand-up” meetings to report progress, and adapting to changing requirements. This collaborative, fast-paced environment is a far cry from the old stereotype of a programmer working in isolation.
In-Demand Role 8: Website Developer
A Website Developer is a specialized type of developer who works with stakeholders or clients to create web-based properties. They design, develop, test, and improve websites, web applications, and other online properties that help meet business objectives. This role is a blend of technical skill and creative design. They are responsible for both the look and feel of a website (the front-end) and the underlying technical infrastructure that powers it (the back-end). They must integrate these two systems to create a seamless, fast, and easy-to-use experience for the user.
While some data shows training consumption for specific web languages and front-end development is lower than for general-purpose languages like Java, the demand for this role remains strong. One technology jobs platform found that the average salary for web developers jumped more than 20% in the past year, the highest salary hike of any role in its report. This suggests that while the tools may be changing, the need for skilled web developers is as high as ever. Government labor statistics predict web developer jobs will grow by 13% this decade, which is almost twice as fast as the national average.
The Employment Landscape for Web Developers
The employment data for web developers shows a robust and growing field. Nearly 200,000 website developers were employed in 2020, and the projected 13% growth rate means that close to 18,000 new jobs are expected to be added annually through the end of the decade. This growth is driven by the continued importance of a digital presence for businesses of all sizes. From small businesses needing a simple informational site to large corporations building complex e-commerce platforms and interactive web applications, the need for skilled web developers is universal.
Job searches on major professional networking sites show tens of thousands of current openings for website developer roles. This demand is also fueled by the rise of the mobile web. Developers must now create “responsive” designs that work flawlessly on a wide range of devices, from desktop computers to tablets and smartphones. This added complexity requires a higher level of skill and keeps experienced web developers in high demand.
Essential Skills: Front-End and Back-End Languages
A successful web developer must be proficient in a variety of languages for both the front-end and the back-end. On the front-end, mastery of HTML5, CSS3, and JavaScript is non-negotiable. HTML provides the fundamental structure of a web page, CSS controls the styling and layout, and JavaScript adds interactivity. Most modern web developers also use JavaScript frameworks and libraries to build complex, interactive user interfaces more efficiently.
On the back-end, developers use server-side languages like PHP, Python, or JavaScript (with an environment like Node.js) to handle business logic. This includes tasks like processing form submissions, interacting with a database, and managing user accounts. A web developer must be skilled in database languages like SQL to store and retrieve data for the website. They also need to be proficient with version control systems, like Git, to manage their code and collaborate with other developers.
Essential Skills: UX/UI Design Principles
Unlike a back-end software engineer, a web developer must have a strong understanding of User Experience (UX) and User Interface (UI) design principles. UI design is concerned with the visual layout of the site—the buttons, menus, and typography. UX design is a broader concept concerned with the user’s overall experience and anwers questions like: Is the site easy to navigate? Is it intuitive? Does it help the user accomplish their goal without frustration?
While a web developer may not be a dedicated designer, they are the ones who implement the design. They must have a good “eye” for design and be able to translate a designer’s vision into a functional website. They must understand the best practices for creating a site that is not only visually appealing but also accessible to people with disabilities. This focus on the human end-user is a key differentiator for the web developer role and is critical for building properties that attract and retain visitors.
The DevOps Cultural and Technical Shift
As organizations strive to build and release software faster and more reliably, a new methodology called DevOps has emerged as a critical discipline. DevOps is a set of practices that combines software development (Dev) and IT operations (Ops). The goal is to shorten the systems development life cycle and provide continuous delivery with high software quality. This is not just a technical change; it is a cultural shift that breaks down the traditional silos between development and operations teams, encouraging them to collaborate, share responsibility, and automate processes.
The demand for this new way of working is clear. DevOps training is the third-most in-demand category within the broader “Software Craft” umbrella, according to training platform data. Broadly, project management and Agile methodologies lead this category, but DevOps has risen to the third-highest rank. This demand is also supported by survey findings. Professionals who work in DevOps not only rank among the highest paid in the entire IT industry, but they are also among the hardest to find qualified talent for. This combination of high demand, high pay, and low supply makes it a critical area of focus for hiring managers.
In-Demand Role 9: The DevOps Engineer
When it comes to managing complex projects and processes in this new paradigm, the DevOps Engineer is the one who keeps it all running smoothly. This is a hybrid role that serves as the subject matter expert who brings together developers, engineers, and operations teams to meet business objectives. Their primary goals are to streamline and automate development pipelines, balance the need for new features with the need for stability and scalability, and foster a culture of collaboration.
Because they act as the bridge between development and operations, DevOps Engineers must have a very diverse skill set. The role requires significant technical skill, but it also demands a high degree of leadership and collaboration. They are the chief architects of the “CI/CD pipeline” (Continuous Integration/Continuous Delivery), which is the automated assembly line that builds, tests, and deploys code. This role is essential for any company that wants to increase its agility and release new software updates quickly and safely.
The Employment Landscape for DevOps Engineers
The DevOps Engineer role is relatively new, but its growth has been explosive. Some market estimates show a modest number of currently employed DevOps engineers in the United States, but this is often because the title is new and many who perform this function have other titles like “Release Engineer” or “Site Reliability Engineer.” The truly telling statistic is the projected growth for this role, which is estimated at 21%—almost three times the national average growth rate reported by government labor bureaus.
This high growth is reflected in the job market. As of early 2022, professional networking sites show approximately 60,000 listings for DevOps engineer roles. This massive number of openings, compared to the smaller number of experienced professionals, illustrates the intense talent shortage. Companies are competing fiercely for these professionals because they are the key to unlocking the speed and efficiency promised by modern software development practices.
Essential Skills: Automation, Orchestration, and Cloud
The core technical skill of a DevOps Engineer is automation. They must be experts in a wide array of technologies and tools that relate to source control, automation, and orchestration. This includes using version control systems to manage code, and building automated CI/CD pipelines using tools that compile code, run automated tests, and deploy the application to production servers. This automation is what allows teams to release code multiple times per day, rather than once every few months.
This skill set is deeply intertwined with cloud technologies. Most modern DevOps pipelines are built on cloud platforms, and the engineer must be an expert in using cloud provider services for automation and infrastructure. This includes “Infrastructure as Code” (IaC), a practice where they use code to automatically provision and manage servers, networks, and other infrastructure, rather than configuring them manually. They must also be proficient in containerization and orchestration tools, which allow them to package applications and run them scalably in the cloud.
Essential Skills: Testing, Troubleshooting, and Leadership
A DevOps Engineer is relentlessly focused on quality and reliability. A strong background in testing and troubleshooting is therefore essential. They are responsible for integrating automated testing into the deployment pipeline to catch bugs before they reach customers. When something does go wrong in the production environment, they are often the first line of defense, responsible for troubleshooting the issue, coordinating the response, and ensuring the service is restored quickly. This requires a broad understanding of the entire application, from the front-end code to the back-end infrastructure.
More than just a technical expert, the DevOps Engineer is a cultural leader. They must have strong interpersonal skills and be able to coach teams on DevOps principles. They must facilitate collaboration between developers, who want to move fast, and operations, who want to maintain stability. This requires empathy, strong communication, and the ability to build consensus. They are “change agents” who help break down old, siloed ways of thinking and build a new, unified engineering culture.
Don’t Overlook Foundational Roles
While high-growth, high-salary roles in cloud, security, and DevOps get most of the attention, organizations must not overlook the foundational roles that keep the business running. Broadly, the IT industry needs more workers at every level. The talent shortage makes it difficult to find and keep talent across the board, but the organization’s reliance on technology is absolute. Organizations must have skilled workers at every level and across all disciplines to help keep end-users productive and core operations running smoothly. These roles are the bedrock of the IT department.
In-Demand Role 10: The Help Desk and IT Support Professional
The help desk remains one of the key starting places for entry-level IT professionals and is a critically important asset to any organization. Help Desk and IT Support Professionals respond to and resolve end-user issues, acting as the first point of contact for the entire technical organization. When an employee’s laptop will not boot, they cannot connect to the printer, or their software is crashing, the help desk is their lifeline. These professionals must have a broad understanding of both software and hardware, which requires a diverse skill set and strong, methodical troubleshooting abilities.
The demand for these skills is persistent and growing. One tech industry association reports that more than one-third of companies need people with these skills to support PCs and users. Another one-quarter of companies need help desk professionals specifically for mobile device support, a need that is only increasing as more organizations adopt permanent hybrid and remote work models. Training for foundational principles and practices, especially security essentials, has also grown since last year, as the help desk is a critical part of an organization’s security defense, identifying phishing attempts and user-reported issues.
The Employment Landscape for IT Support
The employment numbers for IT support are massive. In 2020, organizations employed 844,600 computer support specialists. The job growth for these roles is projected to be 9% through the end of the decade, which is slightly higher than the national average. This translates into more than 70,000 new job openings predicted each year. This makes it one of the largest IT occupations in terms of sheer volume.
A search on professional networking sites reveals the staggering scale of this demand, with over 574,000 job listings for IT support. This indicates that organizations are in a constant state of hiring for this role. The “Great Resignation” has hit these front-line roles hard, and the move to hybrid work has increased their complexity and importance. Supporting a remote workforce is significantly more challenging than supporting an in-office one, requiring support professionals to troubleshoot home networks, VPNs, and a wide array of personal devices.
The Critical Skills for IT Support
The most important skill for a Help Desk Professional is strong troubleshooting. They are presented with a wide variety of problems and must be able to quickly diagnose the issue and determine a solution. This requires a broad, “jack-of-all-trades” knowledge of operating systems, common business software, hardware (laptops, desktops, mobile-devices), and networking basics. They must be able to methodically rule out causes, walking a user through diagnostic steps.
However, technical skill is only half the job. Strong communication and interpersonal skills are absolutely critical in this role. The support professional is often dealing with users who are frustrated, stressed, and unable to do their work. They must be patient, empathetic, and able to provide clear, simple instructions without being condescending. They are the face and voice of the IT department, and their ability to provide a positive, helpful experience directly shapes the entire organization’s perception of the IT team.
Conclusion
Beyond its critical front-line function, the help desk serves another vital purpose: it is the single most important talent pipeline for the entire IT organization. The broad-based knowledge required for a support role makes it the perfect training ground for future specialists. A successful help desk professional gains exposure to networking, security, databases, and software. They learn the organization’s systems, its business processes, and its people.
With the intense skills gaps in more advanced areas, smart organizations treat their help desk as an internal apprenticeship program. They identify top-performing support professionals and provide them with the training and mentorship to grow into more advanced roles. Today’s rock-star Help Desk Analyst is tomorrow’s Information Security Analyst, Network Administrator, or Cloud Engineer. This strategy of promoting from within is one of the most effective ways to close the skills gap, improve retention, and build a motivated, highly-skilled, and future-fit technology workforce.