The only thing that’s constant is change, particularly in IT. As a new year dawns, it’s important that professionals in IT careers keep a weather eye on the horizon and stay well-equipped with knowledge about upcoming trends in the technology sector, as well as the latest areas of growth. So where should you look for the most promising tech opportunities in 2017?
Australia is forecast to see close to a 3 per cent increase on IT spending in 2017 compared to the previous year.
Aussie IT sending on the rise
According to new research from Gartner, 2017 is likely to see Australia investing more into IT than ever before. It’s predicted that the country will spend close to $85 billion in the coming year, which is an almost 3 per cent increase from 2016. Gartner suggests that the areas to watch will include software, IT services, data systems and communication services, all of which should see a notable increase in spending. Gartner’s Senior Vice President and Global Head of Research Peter Sondergaard says that this opens up significant opportunities for digital business.
“The battle for ownership of digital platforms, where networks of stakeholders bring value to each other, has begun,” he said. “The good news is that there’s incredible opportunities for those companies that innovate, lead and ultimately succeed in the creation of new digital platforms that meet their customer’s needs better than their competitors.”
The IT job market for 2017
Technology professionals resource Modis points out the technology that is expected to see an increase in demand in the next few years. Top of the list is web development, which is forecasted to experience a 27 per cent growth in opportunities by the year 2024, particularly for positions such as interface design director, app developers and software developer roles. Modis also expects a 21 per cent growth in analysis jobs, an 18 per cent increase in IT security opportunities and a 15 per cent rise in opportunities in Health IT and project management, respectively.
For both experienced IT professionals and those looking to enter the industry in the future, this provides valuable direction for the next step to take in their career.
Software developers are among the growing IT roles for 2017.
Tech skills in demand for the coming year
Yet to reach their full potential in the new year, IT candidates also need to know the skills that will get them there. LinkedIn recently identified some of the most important skills for employability in 2017, and interestingly, IT skills took out the majority of the top 10 spots both in Australia and globally. Statistical analysis and data mining is the most in-demand ability for next year, and has been in this position for the past two years in a row. Also high on the list is middleware and integration software skills, information security expertise, mobile development and web architecture skills.
To find out more about the latest IT opportunities for job hunting in the new year and beyond, contact the team at Talent International.