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The most in demand technical skill sets for 2018 that UK companies looking for

Keeping a track on the evolution of IT Jobs workforce and changes in industry trends help to navigate the complex technology job market. Within the last few years we have seen the rise of Artificial Intelligence and Augmented reality but companies are severely understaffed on technology leaders and senior product developers. 

According to the Robert Half Technology’s 2018 IT salary report, the most in demand technical skill sets that UK companies are looking for:

  • Experience with Artificial Intelligence and Augmented Reality
  • Data Science (Big Data and Machine Learning)
  • Business Intelligence (Database Technologies)
  • Mobile Application Development
  • Talent for Saas in Cloud (Amazon AWS, Microsoft Hyper–V, VMware)
  • Excelling in Cybersecurity

While IT Jobs Board recognises that the fantastic growth in the tech industry subsequently leads to employers seeking top talent continually, the need for soft skills such as great leadership and communication will pave a way into the top tech space. According to a recent study by Modis, the number of tech employment opportunities is expected to rise exponentially by 2024. The forecasted job growth in Web and Mobile development roles are expected to rise by 27% and the coding and engineering experience are now even more essential to build new and innovative products and services. App developers need to be proficient in HTML5, Objective- C, C++, and C#. According to an IT article by Scott Stiner, the desirability of Swift, UX and UI design skills has increased, as they will offer more value to project leaders and management teams.

Data Science and Business Intelligence Analysis roles are also predicted to grow by 21% by 2024. With the rise of big data and machine learning, the Data Scientist talent further consolidates Business Intelligence Analysts. This combines communication of data patterns and processes, analyses the findings to offer recommendations in improving business operations. The programming skills (Python, Java), strong analytical skills, experience with database queries, OLAP and SQL Server are ideal for a career in Data Science and Business Intelligence.

A Forbes article states that IT security has become a forefront in the media due to the recent infiltration of networks. Stakeholders are demanding companies that more investment should be made to protect the data that is being captured behind the walls. There will be unparalleled heighten in employers looking to recruit job seekers that possess expertise in all levels of IT security (Information Security Manager, Systems/Application Security Analyst) skill-set. Modis report forecasts an 18% increase within the next few years to bridge current shortage in the industry.

The production and growth of new technologies are an outlay of the Programming knowledge and analytical skills showcased by tech workers. These skills are evergreen and are continually developing and evolving as time goes by. The prominence of IT job roles coinciding with each other identifies that the adaptability in the ever-changing market is a key component to keep ahead of the game within the tech industry.