Career Advice

On-Demand: 6 Best IT Skills to Have in 2024

Written by

ODG Team Contributor

Published on

5 Sep 2023

In the wake of technological advancement, industries worldwide are experiencing transformative shifts in their operational tools and methodologies. The wave of digital transformation has ushered in a new era of work, particularly within the realm of Information Technology.

As a professional in this industry, keeping pace with these changes can pose a challenge. Questions like which skills need development and what emerging ones you should invest in often arise. If this is a question often on your mind, this article will explain the top 6 best IT skills for 2024 as well as the tools to master them.

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Thriving in the Evolving IT Landscape: Why Staying Ahead Matters

In IT, staying ahead is a necessity. As we approach 2024, adapting to ongoing transformations isn’t just about keeping pace; it’s about being indispensable. Innovation and advancement are constants in IT. In fact, Gartner projects industries will spend an 8.8 percent growth on IT services, software, hardware, and emerging technologies in 2024.¹

CompTIA’s Tech Job Report also echoes this statement, with tech jobs in the categories of IT, software, hardware, and emerging technologies continuously on the rise.² Thus, your ability to anticipate shifts, master emerging technologies, and envision solutions gives you an edge that defines success.

Clients rely on visionary consultants. And mastery of advanced skills positions you as a strategic partner, capable of offering insights that align with long-term goals. Additionally, today’s challenges require multidisciplinary expertise. By diversifying your skill set, you build resilience, navigate complexities, and pioneer creative solutions.

6 Best IT Skills to Have in 2024

IT encompasses a wide scope of working opportunities. This makes it easy to feel overwhelmed with all the possible skills one can learn and master. To help you in your journey of self-improvement, the following are six in-demand skills are related to the field of information and technology.³

1. Cloud Computing

This skill pertains to the ability to deliver computing services such as data storage, software, data analytics, and networking over the Internet. IT professionals give users access to different resources on-demand without needing any hardware. This is important in today’s world of work considering how fast-paced data can be gathered. Some examples of programs you can master for this skill are the following:

PaaS

PaaS or Platform as a Service, provides a centralized platform for customers to run, develop, and manage applications. This is a good cloud computing service to study since it includes databases, middleware, and developmental tools you can use in most jobs in the field of IT.

Kubernetes

Kubernetes, also called K8s, is an open-source platform that automates various duties such as scaling, deployment, and management of applications. It offers many benefits for companies such as automatic scaling and rolling updates which many institutions are searching for. This makes it an excellent tool to practice your skills in cloud computing.

2. Programming Languages

These are instructions professionals use to input commands and build applications. Different languages have different rules and codes so it’s important to target vital ones so you can be prepared for different working opportunities. This skill is also useful in more than just one job position. The following are examples of programming languages you could focus your skills on:

Golang

Commonly referred to as Go, this is an open-source programming language that was initially developed by Google to be a fast and efficient way of providing concurrency capabilities. It’s widely used for web development, networking applications, and system programming which is almost always needed in every business.

Rust

Developed by Mozilla Research, Rust is a programming language that focuses on providing safe and high-performance alternatives to other famous languages like C++. The great thing about mastering this tool is that it prevents common errors in programming. If you find yourself in opportunities that deal with low-level systems, this is a great tool to know about.

3. Web Development

In the era of the internet’s dominance, it’s now become a necessity for companies to create their own websites that would best represent their missions and vision. As a result, web development has evolved into an indispensable skill within the realm of IT.

This proficiency revolves around crafting websites, encompassing everything from content creation to design finesse. Beyond creation, web developers also uphold the critical role of sustaining websites and applications, guaranteeing seamless functionality and optimal user experiences. Some examples of tools for web development are:

MapReduce

One of the possible tools a website developer should learn about is MapReduce. It is a data processing technique that can be used for distributed computing based on Java and Script. This program is divided into two parts namely ‘Map’ and ‘Reduce’.

In the first phase, the tool takes existing data and converts it into a different set of data. It focuses on breaking down individual elements. Meanwhile, Reduce combines the smaller sets of data into smaller sets.

JavaScript

JavaScript is a prevalent and versatile programming language, empowering professionals to seamlessly incorporate intricate functionalities into websites and web pages. Proficiency in JavaScript not only enhances the visual representation of data but also equips you to fulfill clients’ demands for dynamic and interactive online experiences.

4. Data Science and Analytics

Having skills in data science and analytics is highly useful since it can be utilized in many jobs and tasks. For example, it can be used to help companies make data-driven decisions. It also proves that a person has the ability to accurately collect, clean, and analyze data given to them.

This makes it possible for candidates to be prepared for more than one opportunity. Some examples of tools to master this skill are as follows:

Redis

Short for Remote Dictionary Server, Redis is a tool that stores in-memory structure. It’s commonly used by companies considering how it requires low-latency data access even when assuring high-performance capabilities in data analysis. It is also quite a versatile tool considering it can run a variety of data structures like sets, lists, and strings.

RDBMS

RDBMS, also known as Relational Database Management System) is a tool meant to organize data and store it in structured tables. As a candidate, it’s good to learn about this program since it follows the same principles used in other relational models and programming languages. By mastering this skill, you’ll have more knowledge and entry-level skills in using other tools.

5. DevOps and Automation

DevOps refers to the practices of combining software development and information technology operations. This is crucial because to be qualified for most IT-related jobs, you need to improve your skills in streamlining development and deployment. You also need to be knowledgeable about automation to maximize your potential as a candidate.

The following are some tools that can improve this skill:

Chef

As an open-source configuration management tool, Chef is a powerful instrument that is ideal for you to learn since it automates many company processes. For example, it can automate the management, configuration, and deployment of different applications. It can also ensure the successful state of systems to match the goals set by your employers.

Apache Kafka

Used by thousands of organizations and companies for their performance pipelines and streaming analytics, Apache Kafka is an open-source streaming platform that focuses on real-time streams of vital data. This is one of the important tools you can learn as it allows you to master data integration and analytics.

6. Robotic Process Automation (RPA)

RPA isn’t just technology; it revolutionizes how businesses define their operations. Consultants well-versed in RPA can design and implement automated workflows that elevate efficiency and precision across a spectrum of function from data extraction, verification, and documentation— RPA, ensures accuracy while drastically reducing processing time. Key RPA platforms and tools include:

UiPath

Empowers you to harness the power of automation and sculpt streamlined business operations. Think intricate financial reconciliations executed seamlessly, customer interactions elevated through swift responses, and supply chains optimized to precision—all streamlined with the precision of UiPath.

Blue Prism

Capable of executing a wide range of tasks be it data entry or decision-making processes. Imagine data flows seamlessly across departments, where compliance checks are executed with unerring precision, and strategic decisions are supported by data insights delivered by this digital ally.

FIND THE BEST IT OPPORTUNITIES WITH ON-DEMAND GROUP

On-Demand Group has been providing people in the tech community with various opportunities to fulfill their career goals. We’ve built strong partnerships and connections any IT candidate can benefit from. Whether you are looking for long-term and direct employment or short-term, contractual stints, we can help you in your journey. Reach out to us now to begin!

References

1 STAMFORD, Conn.,”Gartner Forecasts Worldwide IT Spending to Grow 4.3% in 2023.”Gartner. 19 Jul. 2023, https://www.gartner.com/en/newsroom/press-releases/2023-07-19-gartner-forecasts-worldwide-it-spending-to-grow-4-percent-in-2023?_its=JTdCJTIydmlkJTIyJTNBJTIyNDU2Y2U4YWQtYTI4My00OTBjLWEyY2UtYzkxOTRkMWIyZjg1JTIyJTJDJTIyc3RhdGUlMjIlM0ElMjJybHR%2BMTY5MjY3NTcyMn5sYW5kfjJfMTY0NjVfc2VvXzM4OTgzYTE2MzI5YjI0MmU3YzNiNjI0MmE3YjU2Yjk1JTIyJTJDJTIyc2l0ZUlkJTIyJTNBNDAxMzElN0Q%3D

2 CompTIA. “Tech Jobs Report.” Aug 2023. https://www.comptia.org/content/tech-jobs-report.

3 White, Sarah K. “10 Highest-paying IT Skills for 2023.” CIO, 11 May 2023, www.cio.com/article/475586/10-highest-paying-it-skills-for-2023.html.