IT continues to grow and expand with new technologies to meet the needs of the business. New skills and an expanded knowledge in existing skills will be needed to drive IT in 2010 and beyond. For those looking to keep their skill sets fresh it is a good idea to learn what skills are in demand.
Some skills continue to be in demand year after year so some in the list are no surprise. As businesses and IT departments look to recover lost ground due to the economy they have a lot of initiatives on paper just waiting for funds to implement. Qualified people with key skills and knowledge will be needed to implement and support these new initiatives.
In a recent Global Knowledge/TechRepublic 2010 salary survey one of the questions asked was “What skill sets will your company be looking to add in 2010″. Below is the list in order of ranking.
PROJECT MANAGEMENT
A lot of what IT does is project driven or involves the types of skills used in project management so it is not surprising to see project management at the top of the list. Project management certifications and skills will enhance your resumé and given you valued skills in 2010 and beyond.
SECURITY
Security continues to be a huge concern of business and IT organizations. With more advanced forms of data breaches occurring using more advanced methods, security skills are always in high demand.
NETWORK ADMINISTRATION
Networks are the backbone of IT and of the business. With more bandwidth intensive applications the demands placed on networks grow each year. So does the need for experienced network administrators and those with key network skills to upgrade and manage them.
VIRTUALIZATION – CLOUD
With IT budgets growing tighter the cost savings offered by virtualization, cloud storage and SaaS applications become more appealing.
BUSINESS ANALYSIS
The role of business analysis in solving problems and coming up with new solutions are in demand today. Business analysts once again find themselves in high demand and they seek to find more cost efficient ways to meet the needs of the business and IT.
BUSINESS PROCESS IMPROVEMENT
The role of Business Process Management (BPM) in finding ways to cut costs and improve services is expanding in a budget conscious business world. Improvements can lead to real savings for the company’s bottom line and this puts BPM professionals in high demand.
WEB DEVELOPMENT
It is no surprise with the continuing boom on the Internet that web development skills are in high demand. As businesses look to leverage the expanding mobile market in addition to new services web development skills will be in demand for a long time.
DATABASE MANAGEMENT
For a long time databases have been at the heart of important business systems. Database administrators and those with key skills in database management systems continue to be in demand. Database technology and improvements from major players such as Oracle, IBM and Sybase are driving improvements in database management and the need for the skills to implement and manage them.
WINDOWS ADMINISTRATION
As many companies look to upgrade their aging Windows platforms to newer and improved operating systems for both desktops and servers they need people skilled in these new technologies. It is not limited to OS, as many Exchange, SharePoint and other platforms will be upgraded to take advantage of increased capabilities.
DESKTOP SUPPORT
Windows 7 is expected to generate a lot of need for skills to support it as more companies roll out this new OS. Enterprise desktop support technicians will be in high demand due to Windows 7 and other applications and technologies that businesses will want to roll out.
For more information on these top ten IT skills in demand visit the Global Knowledge web site.