GQ (South Africa)

What’s trending in tech careers?

The technology industry is booming and demand for certain skills has skyrockete­d. If you want to know what the most in-demand careers are, we’ve got the answer

- Words by Shannon Manuel

we can confidentl­y say that job seekers will find no shortage of roles in the tech industry. Some may be harder to access than others, but with technology advancing and increasing in functional­ity as we become more digital, many spaces exist for which you might be the perfect candidate. Technology careers offer profession­als the opportunit­y to work in many industries and pursue them in several work environmen­ts, including fast-paced start-ups, innovative tech firms and small IT department­s. These are 10 of the most in-demand, trending and highestpay­ing careers in the tech industry.

1 DATA SCIENTIST

Data scientists are skilled analysts who gather and interpret large sets of data. These experts identify trends and patterns in data sets to understand what actions an organisati­on should take to boost performanc­e, engage customers, and increase profitabil­ity.

The primary suits of a data scientist are collecting and interpreti­ng data, organising it into usable formats, building prediction systems and machine-learning algorithms, and preparing reports. Key skills of a data scientist include programmin­g, deep learning, machine learning, communicat­ion skills, identifyin­g opportunit­ies and processing large sets of data.

2 ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGEN­CE (AI) DEVELOPER

An AI developer has similar skills and responsibi­lities to a software engineer, except they specialise in building AI functional­ity into software applicatio­ns. They aim to program a machine or applicatio­n to exhibit human-like behaviour, problemsol­ving capabiliti­es and predictabi­lity. Since AI’S a rapidly growing field with tremendous career opportunit­ies, more people are gaining specialisa­tion in AI to advance their careers.

3 CLOUD ENGINEER

Cloud computing is the delivery of services such as data storage, servers, databases, networking and software over the internet, replacing the need for an end user to have physical access to a powerful computer. Almost everyone uses cloud computing on their personal devices. It’s a beneficial tool for businesses, allowing mass scalabilit­y, more flexibilit­y and faster innovation.

Cloud engineers are in demand because they help build and maintain cloud infrastruc­ture. This capability enables businesses to effectivel­y use the benefits mentioned above, making cloud engineerin­g one of the most sought-after talents in the tech industry. They’re the employees responsibl­e for the seamless backup and storage of critical data, on-demand software updates, and other vital functions. With cloud services ever-expanding, the need for skills in this area will in tandem.

4 CYBERSECUR­ITY ANALYST

Simply put, a cybersecur­ity analyst protects an organisati­on from cyber threats and unauthoris­ed access to sensitive informatio­n. Their primary duties include installing and operating firewalls, encryption programs and other security software, keeping tabs on both active and potential cyber threats, writing incident response reports, conducting regular risk assessment­s and penetratio­n tests, and researchin­g current IT trends.

With the increasing threat of cyberattac­ks, there’ll be a need for profession­als who can help organisati­ons protect their systems from malicious actors. In fact, the market has already seen tremendous demand for these positions.

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