Wonder what skills employers are looking for in job candidates? According to an analysis of tech skills listed in over 80,000 jobs posted on Dice.com, here is a list of the top ten fastest growing tech skills in the past year.
#10 – Python – 21% Growth
Python, named for Monty Python, is a programming language that has been around 25 years but continues to remain a foundational language. Languages may come and go but one thing remains: Python.
# 9 – Information Security – 30% Growth
Security of vital information continues to be on the mind of both businesses and consumers. Professionals with a background in Information Security continue to be in high demand.
#8 – Cloud – 34% Growth
According to a survey by Intuit, it’s expected that the number of US small businesses using Cloud based solutions will increase from 37% to nearly 80% by 2020. In turn, this means large companies that develop Cloud products are racing to gain an edge in the marketplace and are hiring at a rapid pace. It’s no wonder that Cloud based skills are in such high demand.
#7 – JIRA – 35% Growth
JIRA is a project management software designed to keep teams of software developers on the same page. JIRA helps project managers track progress, assign tasks, and address issues.
#6 – Hadoop – 38% Growth
An open source Apache framework that aids in the interpretation of big data. As more and more companies begin to analyze and interpret their stored data, professionals with Hadoop experience will continue to be more and more in demand.
#5 – Salesforce – 43% Growth
Salesforce developers and architects are in already very high demand and short supply. As the shift toward cloud based solutions continues, demand for SF experts that can customize their Salesforce platform will continue to expand.
#4 – NoSQL – 49% Growth
NoSQL databases are gaining popularity due to the growth of Cloud and Big Data. “Professionals who know when — and when not to — use these new approaches will bring much-needed flexibility, efficiency and agility to their companies’ operations,” said Goli.
#3 – Big Data – 56% Growth
Big Data is the next big thing in the tech sector. Both #4 (NoSQL) and #6 (Hadoop) are actually subsets of Big Data. Big Data is the handling of large data sets and the complexities that arise from handling data sets that are difficult to process in traditional ways.
#2 – Cybersecurity – 77% Growth
With more and more companies worrying about how to keep their sensitive data safe, Cybersecurity professionals are more in demand than ever. “As an increasing number of data breaches make headlines and consumer anxiety concerning personal information abounds… It’s no surprise that two of the top 10 skills on the list,” says Goli.
#1 – Puppet – 91% Growth
“We expect tech professionals with automation and orchestration experience to continue to be on hiring managers’ wish lists into the future,” said Goli reference to the growing popularity of Puppet, an open source IT automation tool.
The technology sector continues to expand at a brisk rate and according to Dice.com, some fields are expanding more rapidly than others. “Employment for technology professionals continues to thrive,” Shrava Goli, President of Dice, said. “Yet this rising tide of job opportunities for tech pros has not lifted the prospects for all skill sets equally.”
Share your thoughts about this list of the 10 hottest tech skills for 2014 in the comments below.
