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IT knowledge will be more ubiquitous, but employers will clamor for these five specialized tech skills.
ComputerWorld, By Stacy Collett, August 23, 2010
... futurists and IT experts say that the most sought-after IT-related skills will be those that involve the ability to mine overwhelming amounts of data, protect systems from security threats, manage the risks of growing complexity in new systems, and communicate how technology can increase productivity.
1. Analyzing Data
By 2020, the amount of data generated each year will reach 35 zettabytes, or about 35 million petabytes, according to market researcher IDC. That's enough data to fill a stack of DVDs reaching from the Earth to the moon and back, according to John Gantz, chief research officer at IDC.
Demand will be high for IT workers with the ability to not only analyze dizzying amounts of data, but also work with business units to define what data is needed and where to get it.
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2. Understanding Risk
Risk management skills will remain in high demand through 2020, says futurist David Pearce Snyder, especially at a time when business wrestles with growing IT complexity. Think of IT problems on the scale of BP's efforts to stop the Gulf of Mexico oil spill, or Toyota's work to correct sudden acceleration in some of its cars, Snyder says.
3. Mastering Robotics
Robots will have taken over more jobs by 2020, according to Joseph Coates, a consulting futurist in Washington. IT workers specializing in robotics will see job opportunities in all markets, he adds.
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4. Securing Information
Since we're spending more and more time online, verifying users' identities and protecting privacy will be big challenges by 2020, because fewer interactions will be face-to-face, more personal information may be available online, and new technologies could make it easier to impersonate people, according to a report by PricewaterhouseCoopers. Teleworkers will also represent a larger portion of the workforce, opening up a slew of corporate security risks.
5. Running the Network
Network systems and data communications management will remain a top priority in 2020, but as companies steer away from adding to the payroll, they will turn to consultants to tell them how to be more productive and efficient, says Snyder, who follows predictions from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
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