As a potential job seeker, it is always ideal to research the trends and changing demands in the labour market.
The research will expose you to jobs that are likely to be in higher demand, guiding you to make informed decisions as to which area to upskill.
We never anticipated that technological advances and the rapid adoption of digital technology would cause a significant shift in business operations and workplace culture, this development has caused employers to rethink recruitment.
In fact, employers are now looking for certain skills in your resume.
Regardless of your first-degree background, modern reality presupposes that a potential employer places a premium on your proven skills, not your degree.
That being said, with research and having discovered the labour market trend, you can build a new set of skills by upskilling in relevant, in-demand areas and preparing yourself for jobs in the tech age.
As long as the use of technology continues to increase, most jobs hitherto performed manually are now being done with a significantly high percentage of digital technology tools, presenting a challenge to an employer without the needed skill. The consequence in this case is the possibility of job loss.
Coursera, an online learning and training platform, has identified areas of skills that will be in high demand in 2024 and beyond, and cybersecurity is top (No. 1) on the list. Other skills in the top 10 are React (Web Framework), which is the ability to create intuitive user interfaces with the React open-source web framework from Meta; Software Architecture, the skill of translating software characteristics into a structured solution that matches business and technical requirements; Computer Security Incident Management, which involves creating a comprehensive and robust IT security infrastructure; Django (Web Framework), the use of Django, a high-level Python web framework that enables rapid development of secure and maintainable websites.
How the skills were identified:
Providing a background to the report, the CEO of Coursera, Jeff Maggioncalda, said the report identifies the year’s fastest-growing skills, based on insights from five million enterprise learners affiliated with 3,000 businesses, 3,600 higher education institutions, and governments in over 100 countries.
“These learners, who access Coursera through institutions focused on employment readiness and upskilling, represent a significant subset of Coursera’s total learner base of more than 136 million. This foundation of learner data enables us to identify meaningful skill trends. In addition to examining the fastest-growing skills in the business, technology, and data science domains, this year’s report also explores the fastest-growing AI, cybersecurity, and leadership skills,” he said.
I am not surprised at the conclusion by Coursera: the internet has made the world globally connected; nations and continents are very close to each other because of networks of computers. The Internet of Things (IoT) is a technology that allows us to remotely access our homes and other connected appliances (devices) from any part of the world where we are.
This global connectivity is not without security and privacy implications.
Cloud computing, a technology where remote network servers provide individuals and businesses the possibility of migrating traditional on-premises IT to the cloud to enjoy cost-savings, agility, reliability, efficiency, and a lot more, is not without security concerns—data security, privacy, etc.
As we continue to leverage digital technology in our daily lives, we are inadvertently at the mercy of bad actors (hackers) who are becoming sophisticated, using zero-day exploit mechanisms to launch attacks in cyberspace.
This is why the demand for cybersecurity security professionals will continue to rise.
In the future, the scale of cyberattacks on even small businesses and individuals will leave no option but the need for security professional services.
In conclusion, as you plan out your 2024, reconsider your self-development plan, especially in the area of skill development, and align your goals to meet the challenges of tomorrow.
I am,
Technology Operations and IT Infrastructure Engineer
