Technology jobs to lead way during year ahead

It used to be that if you wanted a technology job, you had to work for a tech company that likely was in an area of the country known for technology, such as Silicon Valley.

Now tech is everywhere — in all companies, industries and in all parts of the country — and tech jobs will continue to be among the fastest-growing sectors for job seekers in coming years, according to the 2018 forecast to be released Wednesday by job-recruiting website Glassdoor.

Software developers will be needed in retail, finance, manufacturing, consulting, biotech and other industries. That sector is expected to add 253,400 jobs by 2026, Glassdoor’s forecast said.

Competition for talent will be fierce, the report noted.

“For employers, the growing need to hire tech talent is forcing many (human resources) teams to rethink many aspects of their employer brand — their mix of perks and benefits, their management styles, openness to more flexible work environments, and more

— in order to attract indemand tech workers,” the report said. “For job seekers, this trend means many exciting new career paths will likely open for those with tech skills in 2018 and beyond, as employers in a more diverse

set of industries make investments in software and data in an effort to become more agile, automated and scalable.”

Overall, health care will create the most jobs of any other sector over the next decade, as aging baby boomers spend heavily on health care to improve their lives.

The report noted

that demand still will remain strong for many traditional jobs as well, including waiters, janitors, construction laborers, customer service representatives, truck drivers and maintenance workers.

“These positions are a critical part of the low- to medium-skill labor market in America, which serves as a starting

point for many young workers,” the report said. “Despite growing automation and technology, economists don’t expect demand for these jobs to fade anytime soon.”

But clearly, tech workers are doing better compared with workers in other sectors. They are ones getting increases in pay and benefits, while

wages for other workers remain stubbornly flat, the report noted.

Glassdoor expects automation and artificial intelligence to continue to have a significant impact on the labor force in 2018, especially among staffing firms and in finance. But the technology won’t replace workers; instead, it will complement what they

do.

Artificial intelligence will help staffing firms, for example, sort through resumes for great candidates, and also take on routine tasks in banking that can free up staff to focus on more valuable duties, the report said.