A look at what skills are in demand for the tech industry in 2018.
As advanced technologies like AI and machine learning and complex fields like data science continue to be integrated into our daily lives, they’re also reshaping the way companies do business. Considering the business benefits these technologies provide and the emerging cybersecurity concerns facing companies in every industry, it’s no surprise that tech-based skills and roles are leading the pack as some of the hottest and highest-paid skills for 2018.
Companies like yours looking to innovate, protect vulnerable online assets, increase revenue, and improve business efficiency should hire (and budget) for the following in-demand skill sets as you strategize for success in Q3, Q4 and beyond.
- Information security and cybersecurity
The fact that information security and cybersecurity are at the top of the highest-paid and hottest Tech skills for 2018 is a no-brainer. Cyberattacks like WannaCry and hardware vulnerabilities like what we saw with Meltdown and Spectre are becoming the new normal in the cyber-driven world we live in. As we continue to rely on complex, outsourced business services like cloud providers and vulnerable, internal networks, businesses must build out a skilled security team to protect against a variety of attacks.
Network and information security skills topped LinkedIn’s list of the ten skills companies need most for 2018. The Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) role is currently the highest-paid security skill with an average salary range of $162,000 to $275,000, according to a 2018 salary report by Mondo. The next highly paid roles are the Information Security Manager with an average salary of $120,000 to $185,000, the Application Security Engineer at $120,000 to $182,500, and the Network Security Engineer role at $115,000 to $172,500.
- Devops
Another common skill found on highest-paid lists is the devops skill set. While not new, this skill continues to be a top need for companies looking to integrate and develop more internal business applications and produce more client-facing software, apps and services by minimizing issues within development teams and IT ops teams. The rise in demand for AI-driven software and solutions has made this role crucial in ensuring companies can efficiently and rapidly produce in-demand solutions with minimal delays or production issues.
Dependent on work experience and responsibilities, the in-demand Devops Lead/Engineer role commands a wide-ranging average salary of $115,000 to $250,000.
- Data science and database
Data science is now an integral element of how businesses like yours make decisions. Whether it’s deciding how to best market your next product to your target audience, dictating trends in the marketplace, or identifying and solving business inefficiencies, it’s all based on the insights pulled from big data analysis.
The transition to data-driven decision-making has driven data science-related salaries even higher, and job openings for Data Scientist roles have a 45 percent YoY growth rate, according to LinkedIn’s Most Promising Jobs 2018 report. This reliance on data for core business functions within a variety of departments has, in turn, increased demand for database architecture and development skills to ensure the data is properly organized and able to be analyzed by the Data Scientist.
The Data Architect and Data Scientist roles are the highest-paid data roles with average salaries of $130,000 to $210,000. MongoDB continues to be the most in-demand DBA skill, according to the recent salary report by Mondo. Database Architects have an average salary range of $145,000 to $200,000.
Rather than relying on only few core vendor-based solutions for internal business needs, companies are hiring Solutions Architects to build entirely customized solutions or to augment solutions they have in place to better fit business needs. Tech companies especially rely on a variety of software-based solutions and applications that require maintenance, specialized customization and dependable reliability.
The variety of skills needed to excel in business application development make this another of the highest-paid Tech skills for 2018. The current average salary for a Solutions Architect role sits at $134,000, according to LinkedIn, and can go as high as $192,500, according to Mondo’s report, which is determined by a candidate’s work experience, technical expertise, and coding fluency.
- Machine learning
The final highly-paid tech skill set rounding out this list is also one of the newest: machine learning (ML). While not all companies are hiring for this skill just yet, the demand is high from those experimenting with and uncovering the possibilities ML-driven solutions provide when it comes to data analysis and AI. As the race to get ML-powered services and solutions to the market heats up, this skill set is expected to become a crucial requirement for companies looking to remain competitive and drive innovation.
The average salaries for Machine Learning Engineers and Machine Learning Scientists in 2018 ranges from $125,000 to $175,000, based on experience and education.
(Source: cio.com)
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