In 2020, the rise of the coronavirus pandemic took the United States economy by storm. It precipitated catastrophic economic losses while simultaneously seeding new opportunities. Many individuals across the country were either furloughed or laid off due to employment and budget cuts. According to the US Department of Labor, 18 million people ended up unemployed by the summer of 2020.

Despite the increase in unemployment numbers, the pandemic proliferated a high Demand for high-paying tech jobs, accelerating trends that will continue through the next decade. Demand for tech jobs was more resilient than the national average in the spring of 2020, with tech job listings down 5.8% from the same time in 2019 compared to a 15.2% drop across all job listings. Within the first three months of 2020, the top 10 tech jobs on Indeed averaged a 30% increase in listings and a lucrative salary of $113,855. Thousands of these types of tech jobs will need skilled professionals to meet the high demand.

Tech Skills

As technology continues to evolve, there are more complex processes that require simplified computing. The creation of complex processes increases the demand for specialized skills. Here are ITCareerFinder’s ten most exciting areas of technology:

1. Cybersecurity – Cisco says cybersecurity is “the practice of protecting systems, networks, and programs from digital attacks.” Two of the most in-demand skills in cybersecurity are DevSecOps skills and Azure Security.
2. Big Data and Internet of Things (IoT) are two technologies that developed independent of one another but are now interrelated. Big Data is data science on a larger scale, while IoT refers to a network of objects with IP addresses connected over the Internet. This Tarea requires a combination of soft skills and technical skills.
3. Artificial Intelligence (AI)/Machine Learning (ML) – AI is an area focused on creating intelligent machines that can simulate human thinking. ML is an application of AI that allows computer-driven machines to learn from data. Natural language processing (NLP) and neural network skills draw high salaries in this area.
4. Cloud Computing – Microsoft states cloud computing is “the delivery of computing services–including servers, storage, databases, networking, software, analytics, and intelligence over the Internet (the cloud) to offer faster innovation, flexible resources, and economies of scale.” Apache Cloudstack and Cloud Foundry are two examples of non-certified skills valued in this area.
5. Software Development – IBM Research says software development is “a set of computer science activities dedicated to creating, designing, deploying, and supporting software.” There is a multitude of coding languages in this area to master.
6. Robotic Process Automation (RPA) – RPA is the term for software tools that partially or fully automate human activities that are manual, rule-based, and repetitive. RPA requires a broad skill set that includes knowledge of business processes, Microsoft .NET Framework, and various coding languages.
7. Project Management – According to PMI, project management comprises the knowledge, skills, tools, and techniques to project activities to meet the project requirements. The shift to remote work has created the need for project managers to develop the ability to run teams remotely and use a hybrid of management approaches.
8. Autonomous Driving refers to the development of self-driving vehicles and systems that do not require a human driver. This area makes use of coding skills in Python, C++. and C–. Experience and knowledge in AI/ML, algorithms, computing, and distributed systems are in demand.
9. IT Service Management (ITSM) is how IT teams manage the end-to-end delivery of IT services to their customers. People in this area need to have problem-solving skills, customer engagement skills, communication skills, and knowledge in analytics and creating business value.
10.  Marketing Automation is all about using software and technology to automate marketing. This area requires skills and experience with digital marketing, AI, RPA, and chatbot development frameworks and platforms.

Tech Jobs

According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook, computer and IT jobs will grow 11% from 2019 to 2029 by adding approximately 531,200 new positions. This projected growth is much faster than all other occupations combined. Here are ITCareerFinder’s 10 best computer jobs for the future:

1. Mobile Application Developer – As mobile technology continues to change the way we communicate, do business, and access media, the growing demand for new and innovative mobile apps makes mobile application development one of the world’s fastest-growing jobs. 
2. Software Engineer – The demand for software engineers will always be directly proportional to the increase in the number of technological advancements requiring new software.
3. Video Game Designer – The gaming industry has more than tripled in size over the last decade. Advances in the capabilities of mobile devices have contributed to the $140+ billion-dollar boom in the gaming industry.
4. IT Security Specialist – Security will always be a top concern for IT professionals as the frequency, scope, and complexity of cyber attacks continues to escalate. Computer security jobs will as be plentiful as long as advances are made in the IT world.
5. Computer Systems Analyst – As more and more sectors of the global economy increase their reliance on technology, computer systems analysts will be needed to design new systems. The U.S. Department of Labor also predicts a 43% increase in systems analyst hiring at IT consulting firms, which translates to a huge amount of freelance and contract employment opportunities in this position.
6. Web Developer – Web developers and designers will enjoy increased job opportunities as long as new products and online services continue to flood the market. The boom in social networks will increase demand for web developers as businesses look to engage new customer demographics through social media.
7. Health Information Technician – Health care will produce more new computer jobs through 2020 than any other single industry due to government pressure for medical practices to adopt centralized electronic health records, which will require the hiring of health information technicians trained and certified to use the equipment and process the data.
8. Technology Manager – Job growth for information technology managers is directly tied to the growth rates of IT workers from any of the areas mentioned in the previous section of this article or any of the jobs in this section.
9. Database Administrator – Advances in technology and software tend to increase the amount and complexity of digital data. Database administrators will always be high in demand to store, organize, analyze and secure this data.
10. Network Administrator – As long as organizations continually invest in new technology to boost productivity and remain competitive, network administrators will remain in demand. As mobile devices and cloud computing become commonplace in corporate culture, network administrators will need to help businesses securely use these emerging technologies.

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