With the invasion of the computer in our life since 1990, things might have changed and we became dependent on the computer of our every single need. It has made our life simpler and better in various facets. From medical science to technology, the computer has involved in our lives so deeply.
You can start earning money with your tech skills without a computer science degree or 15, 5, or even 1 year of experience. Fact! With just the fundamentals, you’re already ready to work on real projects that people will pay you real money for.
And you don’t have to worry about being new to the tech world. You can learn what you need to know in as little as a few weeks. So, making money with new tech skills can be totally doable (remote or in person) for you in no time!
- How Can I Make More Money With Computer Skills?
- What Are The Most Profitable Computer Skills?
- How Can I Make More Money With IT Skills?
- What Skills Should a Computer Engineer Have?
- Top 5 Computer Engineering Skills
- 5 Side Hustles to Make Extra Money as a Software Engineer
- Make Money With Tech Skills
- 4 Ways to Earn Additional Income as a Programmer
- 10 Important Skills For Computer Engineers
- IT Skills In-demand
- How to Make Six Figures in Information Technology
How Can I Make More Money With Computer Skills?
1. Visual Editing and Design
Ever tweaked your family vacation pictures or helped a friend with a new resume? Then you might already have what it takes to start getting paid for image editing and document design.
Think of all the photos and graphics you see every day on the web. Creating images for social media like Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook or designing infographics, flyers, and ebooks is a perfect first step to earning in tech, especially as a side gig that you can easily adjust to fit in with your other commitments.
2. Branding
If I asked you what the color and style of the Coca-Cola logo is, you wouldn’t blink an eye before describing that exact shade of red and the unmistakable white script. And of course you can also identify McDonald’s golden arches, the Levi stamp, or the Apple apple without a second thought. That’s branding!
Read Also: Make Money As A Computer Technician
Every organization needs a “look and feel” to identify it, so coming up with branded logos, icons, style guides, and sales pages is a great way to up your income.
3. Web Design
Speaking of look and feel, if you practically feel physical pain when you see a website that still looks like it was made circa 1995, you’re probably a lover of good design.
Turn that passion into cash by looking for projects that involve designing wireframes and layouts for sites and landing pages and. Then, add just a touch of coding to earn even more with your designs.
4. UX (User Experience) Design
If you’re fascinated by the process of finding out what people want from their digital products, user experience, or UX, is for you.
The work you can do in UX includes researching users and their needs, coming up with wireframes and prototypes for sites and apps, and trying them out with users. So, this field is an excellent choice if you’re into tech and the people who use it.
5. Digital Marketing
Getting the word out about products and services is also an ideal way to profit from your tech savviness. With digital marketing skills, you can help people and organizations reach their audience and get paid well to do it!
Digital marketing is a great choice if you’re looking for smaller gigs to add to your income or experience. Or, you can turn it into your main work by taking on several clients or working with just a few on a full-time basis. And you can offer all the digital marketing services or specialize in a few to build a niche clientele.
6. Front End Development
Front-end development—building the part of the web that users actually see—is a fantastic skill for bringing home the bucks.
You can work on projects ranging from coding marketing emails to putting up blog content, making static web pages, or developing interactive websites. And, with just about everyone needing an online presence now, there’s plenty of work to be found.
7. WordPress Development
WordPress is a super versatile and highly adaptable CMS (content management system) that’s ideal for freelance development work.
With WordPress, you can create all kinds of customized sites. And, once you’ve got them built, you can hand them over to your client to update on a day-to-day basis so you can move on to your next money maker. Or you can specialize in creating WordPress themes and plugins or offer maintenance services—whatever fits your schedule and your interests best!
8. Python Web App Development and Data Analysis
If you’ve been looking for a programming language that’s beginner-friendly but also powerful and popular, Python is it.
As a Python developer, you can make a pretty penny building server-side, mobile, or desktop apps or processing and interpreting data. And, whether you prefer small projects to do on your own or working on large projects with a team, Python skills will give you all kinds of opportunities for high-paid work you love.
What Are The Most Profitable Computer Skills?
Learning a new skill or learning how to monetize an existing skill can help you land new opportunities. The best part is, you’ll likely be able to learn most of these skills for free!
Are you thinking of learning some new skills to increase your earnings? If yes, there will be quite a few to choose from. Here they are:
1. Blockchain Development
Despite being a relatively recent development, blockchain technology has become a multi-billion-dollar industry. According to Statista, global expenditure on blockchain solutions will reach $19 billion by 2024. This is partly due to its application in creating and managing cryptocurrencies.
As the world continues to figure out ways to apply blockchain technology, there will be an abundance of jobs for people with blockchain skills in 2022 and beyond.
2. Web Development
Web development skills are in high demand across a broad range of industries, giving birth to an equally wide range of careers. These include more traditional roles as front-end, back-end, or full-stack developers, cybersecurity specialists, etc.
One interesting niche to pay attention to is low-code programming—where developers are able to build highly functional, beautiful websites with little or no raw code at all.
Much of web development is now done with low-code platforms such as WordPress that make it easy for total non-techies to build beautiful, professional websites in very little time.
3. Cloud Computing
Cloud computing is an exciting new field that promises to change much about the way people work online. Essentially, what cloud computing does is allow organizations of all sizes to use remote servers and data centers, instead of having to install and maintain their own physical IT architecture.
As more and more organizations seek to modernize their operations, we can expect to see rapid and sustained adoption of cloud computing technologies. And with this, there will be a higher demand for cloud computing experts.
So how do you get into cloud computing? Well, there isn’t one skill to learn in particular. There are various pathways to consider, most of which leverage other skills such as web development or cybersecurity.
4. Content Marketing
As long as new brands continue to emerge and older brands continue to attempt to maintain or grow their market share, content marketing will remain a high-demand skill.
According to a report, content marketing will experience a whopping $417.85 billion growth between 2021 and 2025.
While the market for content is currently very competitive, with such high levels of growth, there will continue to be room for new entrants.
5. Big Data
Big Data is broadly the science of harvesting and processing massive amounts of data to derive useful information that improves decision-making, both in business and otherwise. More accurate decision-making can save money and time, and this explains why data analysts are in such high demand.
According to the World Data Science Initiative, the income of data analysts may go as high as $130,000 in 2022, making this a lucrative field for anyone seeking a new career.
6. Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning
In an age of unprecedented technological breakthroughs, few innovations offer as much promise as Artificial Intelligence (AI) and machine learning. With the aid of both, technologies such as self-driving cars, facial recognition software, and surgical robots are emerging, with a wide range of applications for business, health, the environment, and so on.
Semrush predict that the global AI market will experience a snowball effect in the next few years, reaching a size of $190.61 billion by 2025. As AI and machine learning are still emerging fields, the demand for AI and machine learning experts will likely exceed its supply for some time.
7. UX/UI Design
User Experience (UX) and User Interface (UI) design are emerging fields within web development, both geared towards ensuring that users are able to derive the most value out of their visit to a website.
Organizations all over the world are scrambling for UX/UI designers to design and help implement user-friendly experiences and products that will drive demand for their products and services.
At the time of writing this article, there are over 6,000 job listings related to UI/UX on Indeed alone. A similar search on Glassdoor and LinkedIn brings up about 3,000 and 1,500 job listings respectively, clearly showing that there is no shortage of jobs for product designers in 2022.
8. Video Marketing
Search Engines like Bing may seem like Google’s most immediate rival, but they aren’t—not even close. As it turns out, YouTube, with over 2 billion logged-in users per month—according to Search Engine Journal, is the world’s second-largest search engine.
Video is predicted to be the major source of viewed web content by 2022, amassing 85% of all web-related traffic, coupled with the fact that 86% of businesses use video as a marketing tool. Video marketing is an unsaturated gold mine that promises so many opportunities for people with the right skills.
9. The Internet of Things
The Internet of Things (IoT) is the bridge that links digitally enabled devices and enables them to communicate, share data, and so on, across the internet. In the past, the internet was mainly used on computers—but today, you can connect to devices such as watches, fridges, cars, and so on.
As you might imagine, this could have a wide range of applications including in industries such as healthcare, agriculture, transportation, consumer products, etc. This suggests Is that there will be a high volume of IoT jobs in 2022 and beyond.
How Can I Make More Money With IT Skills?
There are many other success stories out there of people who make real money online from home. Just to give you an idea of the extra income that you can bring in.
According to a survey of over 20,000 freelancer workers, the average worldwide hourly rate for freelancers is $21. If you set aside an extra hour a day to make money online, you could make upwards of $7,000 a year, with only an hour of work a day!
Think about the how much more you can put into a savings account or invested in a retirement account with that extra income.
1. Get Paid for Your Unique Skills
Before trying her hand at selling services online, Redd Horrocks was working an average job with over $24,000 in credit card debt.
Horrocks, who had done some voice acting work in college, took to the website Fiverr to try and make some money to get out of her large debt.
Little did she know that she would soon be earning upwards of $9,000 a month! Fiverr is a site where people can sell their services for $5 or more.
This can be anything from selling drawings, logo creation, tutoring, voiceover work and more!
If you enjoy doing or are skilled at a particular service, it is worth considering selling it online, because you could make some serious coin.
2. Freelance Writing
You have probably never heard of the name Bob Bly, but there is a good chance that you are jealous of his life. Bob Bly has been a freelance writer for over 25 years and currently makes over $600,000 working from the comfort of his own home. about:blank
While it’s unlikely that you’ll make that sort of money from the get-go, freelance writing is a fantastic way to make money right from your computer. Many freelancers can earn hundreds and hundreds of dollars for a single article if they are respected and have made a name for themselves in their field of interest.
The term “freelance writing” is a very broad one and you can write in a number of industries such as sports, entertainment and business. As long as there is content on the Internet, there will be a demand for writers.
3. Turn Your Blog Into an Income Stream
When he was 19 years old at home in Aberdeen, Scotland; Pete Cashmore decided to start up a little blog with a focus on social media news, and 10 years later, the same blog has millions and millions of visits per month. You may have heard of it: Mashable.
These millions of visits have translated into an estimated $95 million net worth for Cashmore, who is among the most influential young entrepreneurs on the planet.
Blogging has taken off in recent years and there are an abundance of readers out there who are interested in reading about a number of different topics.
So if you have an interest or skill that you feel people will enjoy reading about, why not start a blog and see what happens, you never know, you could even be the next Pete Cashmore.
4. Take Online Surveys
While taking short and simple online surveys isn’t likely to make you Warren Buffet, they do provide a sure-fire way to make some extra dough for your evening and weekend enjoyment.
These sites hire individuals from across the globe to complete thousands of different surveys and paying the survey-takers in a variety of ways from gift cards, to reward points to cold hard cash.
As you would expect, most online surveys pay a few dollars for a few minutes of work. Of course, the longer a survey takes or the more in-depth it is, the more you will get paid. There are hundreds of websites that you can find these surveys, including:
- MySurvey.net
- ValuedOpinions
- iPoll
- Pinecone Research
5. Craft eBooks that People Will Buy
People say that writing is a dying breed, but those people surely haven’t met or heard of Mark Dawson.
Dawson is an e-book writer and entrepreneur who has sold hundreds of thousands of copies of his series of books centered around an assassin named John Milton. Asa result of this hugely successful series of e-books, Dawson says he pockets “six figures” per year and hopes to make much more going forward.
And before you think he was some sort of brilliant writer and that’s why he is succeeding, that’s not the case.
This is a guy who used to work as a D.J, a factory hand and even a door to door ice cream salesman. This is proof that if you have a good idea for a book and a drive to make it happen, you too can become rich.
What Skills Should a Computer Engineer Have?
Software engineers can become technical leaders at startups, join large teams at well-established corporate giants, or work independently as freelancers. Some of the biggest employers include organizations in the manufacturing, IT, financial services, insurance, and healthcare industries.
Developing the following skills may help to pursue these opportunities:
1. Programming Languages
Software engineers employ a vast number of programming languages, with each offering unique features. Experts often cite Python as one of the most useful because of its simple syntax and array of prebuilt libraries that minimize the time to finish a project. Java, on the other hand, tends to be better at handling large amounts of code and has stricter rules, which reduces runtime errors.
According to PayScale, the highest salaries for engineers are correlated with expertise in Python and JavaScript. C++ and Java are also frequently cited among the most desirable languages with employers. However, new programming languages appear constantly, and engineers should understand how to adapt fundamental principles so they can make the right selection for every project.
2. Cloud Computing
A broad array of businesses rely on solutions like Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud Platform for their scalability and broad distribution of data and software. As a result, aptitude with these cloud applications has become one of the most crucial technical skills for software engineers.
Engineers should prepare to encounter challenges when striving to create applications that can be transferred across platforms or migrating existing programs to the cloud. The savvy to address issues like these is in high demand.
An analysis of job posting data from Burning Glass found that a familiarity with AWS systems and procedures was one of the top 10 distinguishing skills requested in job postings.
3. DevOps
DevOps practices have been widely adopted by technical organizations as a way to synthesize the software development and IT functions. An alternative to rolling out software over a series of stages as in the waterfall model, this approach allows production and testing to occur simultaneously, which results in fewer errors and quicker time to market.
Engineers who apply DevOps methods can foster a collaborative work environment between the development and operations teams to ensure high-quality results.
Since these skills enable professionals to apply their technical knowledge and achieve larger objectives as a team, they can be especially important for advancing into leadership positions. Burning Glass noted that DevOps skills are associated with a salary premium for software engineers.
4. Software Development
While this term is sometimes used interchangeably with software engineering, a developer’s role is usually different from an engineer’s: A developer is responsible for creating applications that target precise needs, whereas an engineer builds the overall structures in which the applications operate.
However, a software engineer’s tasks frequently encompass the development process. These technical professionals are tasked with turning the specifications from clients or employers into a product that reliably meets their needs. That can mean software engineers apply their expertise to oversee software creation, testing, and updates from the ground up.
5. Teamwork/Communication
Effective collaboration with a team is a fundamental skill for software engineers since they must work with clients, developers, and technical support to ensure a high-quality, error-free product. To keep everyone on your team on the same page, progressing efficiently toward shared goals, you need to convey instructions and expectations through clear written and verbal communication.
By adjusting how you discuss technical issues so you can engage multiple stakeholders, you may discover creative ideas from across various teams and set yourself up for success in a leadership role.
Top 5 Computer Engineering Skills
Computer hardware engineers may possess software engineering skills, but this discipline concentrates on the development of systems for a variety of purposes. Specialized knowledge in computer engineering can lead to a rewarding career:
According to BLS, the median salary for computer engineers is 24% higher than the average for all engineers. The top industries employing computer engineers include tech, government, aerospace, education, and cybersecurity. If you are willing to pursue your career in computer or electrical engineering then you should visit studyforfe. This platform will provide you course, study guide and practice exam of electrical and computer engineering which is helpful with keeping you on task and working through the material in a logical way.
Computer engineers need sophisticated problem-solving abilities and a thorough understanding of how electronic components work together. Prioritizing these skills can help professionals confront the challenges of a constantly evolving discipline and meet their responsibilities for designing, developing, and testing hardware:
1. Microprocessor Design
Since microprocessors are fundamental to computing, designing and constructing them is one of the most valuable technical skills for computer engineers. Professionals in this field are responsible for devising microarchitecture in accordance with the technical requirements for a piece of hardware. Engineers must often solve complex problems as they lay down data paths and check performance.
The ubiquity of microprocessors in the connected devices we use every day and the massive complexity of these chips can lead to dire security concerns. That’s why it’s increasingly crucial for computer engineers to have experience in incorporating cybersecurity features into their designs. Strategically implementing safety measures can prevent vulnerabilities that otherwise allow data theft.
2. Operating Systems
An operating system’s configuration and implementation can make a major difference in how various components function, so an engineer must fully understand the impact of these choices.
For instance, engineers developing workstations and personal computers need a deep familiarity with systems like Windows and React, whereas professionals who work on servers should know the intricacies of IBM i and MacOS Server.
Other considerations include cost — operating systems such as Linux and Haiku are free — and usability, with MacOS frequently cited as among the most visually appealing and user-friendly. According to a U.S. Department of Labor review of job postings, competencies in Linux, Unix, and Shell Script are all especially valued by employers.
3. Digital Design
Through computer-aided logic design, engineers find the best means to transform large amounts of data, power, current, and user input into system tasks by applying binary logic. They apply their digital design skill set for purposes such as using CMOS technology to create integrated circuit chips or laying out combinational circuits to minimize the gates, delays, or power consumption in a device.
Running optimization algorithms and tests makes it possible to see that circuits meet a device’s requirements and lay the groundwork for manufacturing processes to move forward.
4. Digital Signal Processing
Digital signal processing has become essential to wireless communications and data storage. By cultivating the expertise to ensure digital signals are sent and received accurately, computer engineers develop specialized devices and contribute to the next generation of solutions in areas like speech processing, video conferencing, image compression, and remote sensing.
Technical professionals may discover career paths through learning how to apply signal processing algorithms or design digital filters that enhance signals. Computer engineers who delve further into areas like digital communications or video can use their understanding of hardware to solve problems in how we interact with digital information.
5. Debugging
Debugging is one of the most essential skills for computer engineers, critical to keep computer systems operating efficiently and accurately. Hardware specialists should be able to spot, analyze, and fix errors or anomalies before they become problems for users.
However, a highly capable engineer also understands how to evaluate and set priorities during the debugging process. In some cases, the benefit of an operation might outweigh the downsides of an associated error, making it necessary to create workarounds that allow the system to continue functioning.
One of the most crucial capabilities for any technical professional is being able to take a step back and understand how each individual task fits into the big picture.
5 Side Hustles to Make Extra Money as a Software Engineer
A side hustle can help you level-up your skill sets or enable you to get paid to learn new skills. It can reduce your chance of burning out by giving you more autonomy than you might have at work. It’s also potentially an outlet for the creative ideas you can’t execute at your full-time job.
Here are five great potential side hustles for Software Engineers that can help you learn, grow, and make some extra income.
1. Freelancing or moonlighting Software Engineering
Getting a part-time/contractor job doing something similar to what you do at your day job is the most obvious way for Software Engineers to quickly and easily make more money with the skills you already have.
Benefits
- You’re likely to find high-paying work quickly
- It’s usually relatively easy to find part-time jobs that will expand your SE skillset and resume
- Side jobs often lead to full-time jobs if you want to change roles
- Great networking opportunities
2. Create a course
There’s no better way to be sure you really understand something than to try to teach it to someone else. And if you can make a little money doing it? All the better.
Benefits
- According to Erik Dietrich teaching technical courses can be very lucrative
- Makes you more hirable by helping to establish you as a subject-matter expert
- If you create online courses within a distribution platform that links you with editors, their feedback will likely make you a better presenter, which can help you in your career
- You’re likely to meet a lot of up-and-coming SEs who may become good friends and helpful connections later on
3. Automate your hobby
You may be able to combine the skills you use for your day job with what you love doing in the evenings and weekends and make a little cash while you’re at it.
Benefits
- A side hustle outside your professional area of expertise totally avoids potential problems around conflict of interest and non-competes
- Doing something very different from your day job can help you de-stress and provide an outlet for your creativity
- Getting out of the SE world can help you meet people you otherwise wouldn’t come into contact with
4. Blogging + affiliate marketing
Blogging and freelance writing offers many of the same benefits as course creation, including establishing subject matter expertise and networking with your peers.
Benefits
- Like creating a course, blogging helps establish your expertise on your subject matter
- Monetizing through affiliate links offers is that it can be even more lucrative and scalable than course fees
- You can blog about any topic, even if it has nothing to do with software engineering
5. Get out of tech entirely
The benefits of using your SE skills for your side hustle are many. But there’s also something to be said for leaving work at work and doing something totally different in your off hours, especially if you can rake in a bit of cash at the same time.
Benefits
- Learn totally new skills that can translate into better job performance
- Meet new people you wouldn’t otherwise meet
- You’ll be more interesting at parties
Make Money With Tech Skills
Technology is one of the most powerful industries in the world. The problem is, many people believe you have to have the degrees, forty years’ worth of experience and a magic wand to get a job worth competing for. That’s not even close to the truth.
There are plenty of ways you can use your skills to create a career for yourself. In fact, there are more people self-employed with tech skills than any other skill. Here’s where you can start.
Image Editing
Perhaps you’re a dab hand at Photoshop. Maybe you’ve done a friend a favour by creating a killer business logo and website header. These are highly sought-after skills that many people fail to make proper use of. It’s often because people are under the impression that these skills are not required anymore.
Although they seem like insignificant pieces of work to someone with the skills to do them, they are essential parts of business to people who haven’t got those skills. And, business owners will pay nicely for them time and time again.
Branding
When a business wants to be successful, it has to invest heavily in branding. When someone mentions the Apple logo, it’s not hard to picture it. The same goes for the Nike tick or the McDonald’s ‘M’.
Branding is what makes a business memorable to its customers. If you’re someone with the skills to create a brand image that will stick in the minds of clients and customers for all the right reasons, you have a ready-made business.
App Development
Developing apps has never been more lucrative. If you’re someone with tech skills and a knack for solving problems, app development could be for you. From health and fitness to parenting and augmented reality games, there are apps for most things. However, there isn’t an app for everything.
If you see a hole in the market and you know an app can fill it, mobile app developers could help you to create something that starts off your tech career. Do your research and find out what the process involves and how to patent your app idea before anyone else jumps on the bandwagon.
Website Design
Every business needs a website, so if you have the skills to create a website, you’re half way there. If you can also tell a business owner how to convert visitors and get a higher search engine ranking, you’re all the way there.
It’s no secret that web design is a highly sought-after skill, but there are a lot of web designers to compete with. If you want to enter the industry, you’ll need a stellar portfolio in your pocket first.
HTML and Digital Marketing
Did you know that every email list you’re subscribed to uses templates that are built with HTML? You may think that email is for laymen but it’s vital for businesses. It’s an easy way to start a career in design or digital marketing and build your way up from there.
4 Ways to Earn Additional Income as a Programmer
Programming is one of the most interesting career paths. There are plenty of jobs available for skilled programmers. But if you have a little extra time, you can make extra money as a programmer.
1. Freelancing
Freelancing is one of the best ways programmers can make money. Freelance project listing portals have plenty of projects to choose from. However, freelancing requires a lot of discipline and effort. You need to invest time in finding clients and projects. The biggest advantage is that you can start freelancing next to your permanent jobs.
2. Coding contests
There are dedicated platforms for developers to participate in contests and win real prize money. TechGig Code Gladiators is one of the biggest annual coding competitions with hundreds of thousands of participants. You get to work on real projects and network with like-minded people in this mega event.
3. Online courses
If you are an expert in any programming language, framework, or tool, you can also look at creating course content. Teaching people online is one of the best things that have emerged over the last few years. It benefits both, students and teachers. Experts having knowledge of JavaScript and Python have the highest demand on e-learning platforms.
4. YouTube/Podcast
Some developers like to share knowledge through audiovisual format. YouTube is the best way to share content. You can create videos about programming languages, frameworks, tools, and related content. If you don’t like to be in front of the camera, you can record your content and start a podcast channel.
Most podcasts are free to listen, but you can make money by charging sponsors. Many podcasters are on Patreon, a platform where people pay a monthly amount to support the work and unlock exclusive access to the content.
10 Important Skills For Computer Engineers
Computer engineer skills are the important attributes and abilities that computer engineers need to be successful in their field. These skills include both soft skills like communication and adaptability to hard skills like coding and cybersecurity.
Many computer engineers develop the skills they need to be successful during computer engineering programs at accredited institutions.
These are some examples of important skills computer engineers need to be successful in their field:
1. Adaptability
Computer engineers need adaptability because technology is constantly improving and changing. A successful computer engineer has the flexibilities to learn about and understand new technology as it’s introduced.
2. Coding
Coding is the process through which information technology specialists create software and programs. A computer engineer needs to know several kinds of coding to be successful in their career.
3. Communication
Computer engineers often work in teams to develop software and debug programs. A computer engineer might also need to train new employees or other engineers, making communication very important.
4. Creativity
As a computer engineer, you brainstorm with other computer engineers to solve problems and develop new software. Creativity is very helpful for computer engineers as it allows them to improve upon current computers and suggest alternative methods and formats for various information technology applications.
5. Networking
As with many careers, computer engineers are likely to find more success if they’re able to form and nurture professional relationships in their field. The ability to meet new people, communicate your value and establish a relationship is invaluable to computer engineers.
6. Problem-solving
When working together to debug programs or find glitches, computer engineers engage in complex problem-solving. Being able to identify the issue and propose several solutions that might work to remedy is important for computer engineers.
7. Research
Learning more about coding and information technology starts with research. When they are unsure of how to do something or what method may work best, computer engineers need stellar research skills to find and interpret information.
8. Resilience
There are many times when a computer engineer’s suggestion might not be the method a team uses. Resilience is important for computer engineers because it allows them to continue to provide great ideas after setbacks.
9. Security
Understanding cybersecurity is important for computer engineers, as they are often coding programs and software for companies and individuals who want to keep their information private. Security is a specialized skill within coding that many computer engineers need.
10. Software development
Understanding common frameworks for the process of developing software is important. From generating ideas to troubleshooting program issues, computer engineers need to comprehend software development structures.
IT Skills In-demand
Over the years, we can see a steady trend: the quality of talents improves. To stay competitive in a talent market, it’s not enough to be competent in a specific area. However, with hands-on IT skills on a CV, candidates can outshine the other talents. Let’s find out which skills will be in trend in 2022 and beyond.
1. Basic programming
Programming basics is a frequent in-demand skill even among non-tech jobs. Even with the programming basics, you’ll be able to read other people’s code, write your simple programs and algorithms, and have a deeper understanding of an IT project lifecycle.
Programming knowledge is like beading, which means you can learn new technologies based on your knowledge of previously learned languages. Besides, programming helps develop abstract and concept-level thinking, which is a must-have for many jobs.
According to the TIOBE Index, in September 2021, the top-5 of programming languages is the following:
1. C. It’s popular in desktop software development for Windows, UNIX, and Linux operating systems.
2. Python. In a non-tech business environment, this language is popular among managers, analysts, and marketers. They use Python to work with data in tables, databases, and even macros in Excel.
3. Java. A universal language for web and mobile application development. Most Android applications are written in Java.
4. C++. A popular technology for graphics-rich programs like photo and video editors and games.
5. C#. One of the top languages for desktop software development and games.
TIOBE Index is calculated from the number of search engines (Google, Bing, Yahoo!, MSN, Wikipedia, etc.) results for programming language queries. Thus, the more programmers use the language and search solutions, the higher the programming languages are in the rating.
2. Low-code platforms
Gartner predicts that by 2024, 65% of all software development activity will be low code.
Low-code application platforms (LCAP) like Mendix, Quixy, and Microsoft PowerApps are alternatives to complex modern software development tools. Low-code platforms require little programming knowledge and a tech mindset to develop simple business applications.
Since building software requires careful design and maintenance, low-code platforms can be a lifesaver for managers, marketers, and any users without developer skills that can create and update a codebase without the risk of breaking anything. Thus, low-code development allows to relieve IT departments and save on IT outsourcing.
3. UI/UX design
UI/UX design involves a thorough research and an understanding of the target audience to create meaningful and easy-to-use digital products. Leave those tasks to professionals, but master at least the basics of UI/UX design to keep the conversation going with professionals.
Think about it: most marketing strategies are based on digital products like landings, websites, mobile apps, and social media. For non-UI/UX designers, it’s vital to keep up with the latest UI and UX design trends and be able to convey your thoughts and ideas to professionals in this field.
4. Data engineering
Basically, data engineering is a mix of several IT professionals like software engineers, Big Data developers, data analysts, and cloud computing engineers. Working at a company that generates a massive amount of data from different sources, basic operations of Data Engineering include:
- Collecting and organizing the data.
- Combining different data formats collected from several sources and analyzing them.
- Optimizing data storage.
- Reducing the costs of data storage to optimize the company’s budget.
Essential skills for a data analyst include Python and SQL, Java or Scala, cloud computing platforms like Amazon Web Services (AWS), and Big Data processing technologies like Hadoop, Spark, and Kafka. Knowledge of algorithms and data structures and the basics of distributed systems is also a must.
5. Data visualization
Numerous studies prove that visual information is better perceived by the human brain and boosts people’s trust in the data shown.
In the business context, the power of data visualization is undeniable. For instance, research by Tableau shows that in organizations with visual data recovery tools, workers are 28% more likely to find timely information than in companies that only use managed reporting and dashboards.
That’s why data visualization skills are gaining traction among modern skills requirements. Data visualization is an essential part of data analytics that enables businesses to critically evaluate information and present it in a manageable way.
Tableau, Google Data Studio, PowerBI, Datawrapper, and Infogram are some of the most popular data visualization tools for marketers, managers, business analysts, and other occupations that involve working with a heavy amount of data.
How to Make Six Figures in Information Technology
Jobs that pay more than $100,000 per year typically require substantial education and experience. Information technology positions offer an unusually high number of these lucrative jobs especially among senior staff members.
Even though high-tech careers are often pacesetters in terms of compensation, the most common positions that have average salaries in the six figures fall into specific job categories.
Chief Information Officer
The chief information officer of a firm is an executive-level position that, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, offers a salary that averages $101,250 annually, as of 2010, with top earners making much more. It is common for the CIO to be the highest-paying IT job in a firm.
He will oversee all levels of information technologies and will work closely with the chief executive officer in budgeting and planning. This position typically requires a master’s degree and substantial experience in both technology and business.
Senior Network Administrator
Senior network administrators design and manage information delivery for a firm. They oversee network administration employees and establish network policies. A senior network administrator works with network architects to design network expansion and network security professionals to secure the company’s data.
Senior network administrators typically have a master’s degree in an information technologies field and multiple industry certifications in networking. The BLS reports that the top 10 percent of network admins averaged more than $108,090 a year as of 2010.
Senior Network Security
Network security is a hot topic for many firms with data breaches and database hacking making the news on a regular basis. These experienced IT professionals will typically have a master’s degree and several industry certifications including the CISSP. Senior network security professionals often command a six-figure salary.
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As of 2010, the BLS estimated a network security administrator’s wages to average between $85,000 and $117,750 annually. According to CIO Insight, IT auditors, also involved in information security, averaged $102,750 as of 2008.
Computer and Information Research Scientists
Computer and information research scientists are the inventors of the IT field. These research and development professionals seek to solve problems by creating and improving technologies. They typically have a professional or doctorate degree in an IT or science field. The BLS reports this position averaged $100,660 per year, as of 2010, with the top 10 percent of earners averaging more than $153,120.
Software and Application Developer
Software and application developers create and implement software to the specifications of a company or individual. These professionals typically have a bachelor’s or master’s degree in an IT field and have comprehensive knowledge of one or more programming languages.
According to the BLS, senior level software developers averaged $90,530 per year, as of 2010, with the top 10 percent of earners averaging more than $143,330. The BLS estimates that this field will grow by 28 percent due to the increased demand for applications designed for smartphones and tablets.