The tech industry is exploding and will continue to see steady growth over the next few years. This is why it is a good idea to learn more about the top technology jobs that are open today. You want to position yourself for the jobs of the future so that you’re prepared for what comes next. Here are 4 top tech careers to keep an eye on for the future. We’ll share everything from the job description to the pay rate for these top tech careers.
Information Security Analyst
Hackers are working as hard as developers in a modern version of an arms race. Businesses need to stay ahead of those who would steal customer credit card numbers or business secrets if they want to stay in business.
This is why demand for information security analysts is growing by a third over the next ten years. This is much faster than the growth rate for the job market as a whole. Median pay for information security analysts is $100,000 a year. A bachelor’s degree is standard, but those with an associate’s degree or a massive amount of experience might be considered qualified.
If you want to work in the field, you can find tons of technology degrees online at Excelsior College. Their bachelor of science in cybersecurity is perfect for those who want to work in IT security. Or you could start with their BS in information technology, learning about programming and web development.
Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning
While singularity isn’t here yet, there are people today working on advanced artificial intelligence and intelligent systems that would have seemed like science fiction a couple of years ago. Artificial intelligence experts and machine learning engineers are at the forefront and in great demand. The average base salary for qualified professionals hovers around $150,000 a year, and job growth is over 300% percent for the next four years.
Machine learning itself involves detailed data analysis to predict future outcomes. Artificial intelligence often involves analyzing natural language queries and determining user intent with regard to search queries. These technologies are increasingly used in image recognition and economic forecasting.
Data Science
While many machine learning experts have a background in data science, you don’t have to work with AI to use this degree. Data scientists are asked to sort through the massive amounts of data that’s collected by everything from e-commerce sites to health tracking apps. They may spend their days compiling data, generating reports and explaining trends. Their average salary is a little over $120,000 a year. The number of job openings for data scientists is growing by around 20% a year.
Software Engineering
Software engineers do everything from develop smartphones apps to web browsers. They may help create the next generation of a computer operating system or move mainframe software applications to the cloud.
Software engineering is one of the most versatile tech degrees on this list. Furthermore, they are in increasing demand. Smart devices require software to operate and connect them to control centers, whether it is a CNC machine reporting to a manufacturing control center in a factory or smart power meters sending data to the power company. Median pay for software engineers is already over $100,000 a year, and demand is growing at more than 7% a year.
Tech employers are starting to value applicants with a degree in software development over computer science. They don’t just need people who can write code. They need people to create software applications that run on a variety of devices and connect to other applications. They also need developers who can think outside the box and bring in new ideas to implement, improve functionality and provide processes to a variety of businesses. As more and more businesses start to leverage the power of technology, the demand for services such as Bespoke software development could increase, requiring software developers to be constantly learning about new platforms and ways of developing software.
High tech jobs are more than the jobs of the future; they’re well-paying jobs that open up a wide range of opportunities today. So, make sure that you give these few a look, and see how you can best position yourself to fill these roles.
Infographic created by Vitality Chicago – agile training