Top 5 IT skills in demand in Australia
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- #TechCareer
- #Developer
November 9, 2022 by CLG Team
With talk of a recession, the collapse of crypto, cyber data breaches and Twitter under new management – you’d be forgiven for thinking it’s all bad news in the tech space and wondering ‘Are IT skills in demand in Australia?’.
2022 has certainly been an intense year for just about every corner of the tech industry. This year alone Meta made cuts of around 13% of their workforce, the crypto sector was up in arms after FTX collapsed, Amazon bought out Neighbours and how could we forget the year Twitter employees have had with new CEO Elon Musk mass-cutting almost 3,700 employees just 1 week after getting started.
There is good news though:
Amongst the turbulence, opportunities are popping up everywhere with tech skills increasing in value in loads of different industries. From finance to agriculture and everything in between, organisations are changing the way they interact and communicate with their customers and they need skilled people just like you to help them do it.
Whether you’re looking to transition to a tech career, want to upskill, are just out of high school planning your next move or are curious about where to start as a tech beginner, knowing what opportunities are out there and in demand could be the spark you need to make an exciting and fresh start.
Let’s explore 5 in-demand IT skills that have jobs in the industry available right now. Or if you’re not sure where to start, learn the basics to get your foot in the door of the tech industry and have a great foundation to work towards your future dream role.
1. Cybersecurity
With cyber scandals flooding the news and data security concerns at an all-time high, learning cyber security specialists are in high demand. A cybersecurity analyst is responsible for planning, evaluating, and carrying out security measures to protect an organisation from security breaches. Analysts monitor networks and servers to ensure that assets are safe, and they work to secure data in the event of an attack.
Cybersecurity skills:
Networking
Operating systems and database management
Threat detection
Risk management
Threat intelligence
Incident response
Though many jobs in cybersecurity do not require extensive coding skills, it can still be very useful to have programming knowledge. Not only can learning to code with programming languages such as python open up more opportunities having these in-demand skills can also help extend your knowledge and understanding of concepts in information security.
2. Cloud Engineering
Heard of Apple’s Cloud storage? Well learning how technology components combine to build a cloud will help you score a job with them. Cloud engineering involves creating the technology that brings in resources through virtualisation technology and how it is shared across a network – how cool is that?
Cloud engineering skills:
Database skills
Programming languages such as SQL, Java, Python, Ruby, Golang, PHP and .NET
Networking
DevOps
Virtualization
Understanding of cloud providers
Security and recovery
Web services and application programming interfaces (APIs)
3. Business Analytics (BA)
Data from Seek shows there are over 7,000 business analyst jobs available in Australia right now. Business analysts bridge the gap between IT and business teams using analytics to evaluate processes, uncover problems and use data-driven solutions to troubleshoot.
Business analytics skills:
Identifying business objectives
Data structure and algorithms
Analytical and critical thinking
Statistical programming languages such as R and Python
Data visualisation
Database and SQL
Communications
Microsoft Excel
4. Software Development
Software developers use their programming skills to create new software and update existing applications. If you’re a creative who enjoys problem-solving, a career in software development could be for you.
Software development skills:
Object-Oriented Programming like Java, Python, C++, and Scala.
Integrated development environments
SQL
Problem-solving skills
Cloud Computing Skills
Data Structure and Algorithms
Git and Github
Is web development more your thing? Check out our guide on how to start a career in web development.
5. Data Analytics
Data analysis is the process of pulling insights from data to inform better business decisions. While data analytics is similar to business analytics, the difference lies in what they each do with the data. As Talend explains, business analysts use data to make strategic business decisions while data analysts gather data, manipulate it, identify useful information from it, and transform their findings into digestible insights.
Data analysis skills:
Econometrics
Data Structure and Algorithms
Statistical programming languages such as R and Python
Data visualisation
SQL
Are you a beginner? Start with basic digital skills like learning a programming language.
If you’re not 100% sure what role or area of the tech industry you’re drawn to, learning a coding language is a great place to start. At Code Like A Girl, we offer 3 different training courses for learning to program:
an introductory course to web development teaching you the ins and outs of website development including the programming languages HTML, CSS and javascript.
as one of the most versatile programming languages, python is perfect for beginners who want to learn to code. This course will set you up to build simple applications and give you the coding confidence to move into more specialised fields.
: if you’re working towards a career in software development C# needs to be on your radar as the courses dig deeper into programming. Compared to other coding languages, C# can be a little more challenging, but if you’re someone who likes a place for everything and everything in its place, then you’ll love C#.
While the tech world may seem overwhelming right now, there’s never been a better time to learn a new skill that’ll elevate your career. If you’re ready to get started, head to our School Of Code to sign-up for a course or get in touch for more information.