In-demand Tech Skills Needed to Master a Career in the Technology Sector

India over the years has had a strong focus on science and technology, realising that it is a key element for economic growth. India ranks third among the most attractive investment destinations for technology transactions in the world. The technology sector has made tremendous contributions toward the growth of the country, generated employment and accounted for 8% of India's GDP in 2020. The sector directly employs more than 4.5 million people with an estimation of generating over 12.0 million indirect jobs. 

Mobility restrictions during the peak of COVID-19 spread forced enterprises to rethink their business strategies and move much of their operations online. What started as a temporary solution to sail through the turbulent phases due to the outbreak of the Covid-19, has now become the new normal. With most of the economy operating online, the criticality of technology has increased exponentially opening new career avenues for aspirants who want to be part of an ever-evolving dynamic ecosystem. 

Data Science was called the hottest job once upon a time, but with metaverse and Web3, the tech skills have now evolved. With National technology being celebrated, let's take a look at in-demand tech skills to master a career in the tech industry:

1. DevOps: As per Markets and Markets, “the DevOps market size is expected to grow from USD 2.90 Billion in 2017 to USD 10.31 Billion by 2023 at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 24.7%. The demand for DevOps solutions and services among enterprises is expected to gain huge traction, due to the increasing need for fast application delivery with high quality.” DevOps is a necessity in the current era as it plays a significant role in increasing customer satisfaction by delivering business value efficiently and effectively in real-time without compromising the user experience. DevOps is of great importance to businesses across sectors as it encourages business innovation and propels continuous improvements. 

2. Cybersecurity: Most companies have an online presence in some form these days. The integration of new-age tech like cloud computing in the virtual workplace has made businesses efficient and enabled them to deliver quick and better results. The rapid shift has meant that most of the companies today have a presence online and are powered by software. While the online world has opened endless opportunities, the digital world remains a playground for cybercriminals. Several reports suggest that there has been an exponential increase in cyberattacks since the first lockdown. With the world driven by data, it is imperative that we have trained professionals to protect this information, and defend enterprises and networks. A recent report by Garter estimated that cybersecurity spending in 2021 totalled about $150 billion, up more than 12% from 2020. The report further suggests that spending in 2022 will continue to grow rapidly, as the number of threats, as well as cybersecurity solutions and their costs, increase. There is a global shortage of trained cyber security professionals and it has created an in-demand market for professionals to challenge and build career-advancing skill sets in this area.
   
   
3. Blockchain- Blockchain is a digital ledger of transactions that is duplicated and distributed multiple times across a network. It records information in a way that secures the data and difficult to change or hack the system. Blockchain development is one of the fastest-growing sectors. Organisations are actively seeking trained blockchain developers to make new implementations, upgrade their current systems, and stay ahead of the curve. Recent reports by Markets and Market cite that the global blockchain market size is expected to grow to USD 39.7 billion by 2025, at a 67.3% CAGR. 

4. Robotic Process Automation (RPA): Robotic process automation or RPA is the process where a combination of automation, computer vision, and machine learning is implemented to automate repetitive, high-volume tasks. RPA automates mundane tasks once performed in a rote, time-consuming fashion and boosts efficiency for organizations. Reports by PR News Wire suggest that the RPA market is expected to grow  at 21.3% CAGR to reach 1930 Million USD by the end of 2025. The role will be in demand in the coming decade and will offer great opportunities to the aspirants.
   
   
5. AR/VR in online gaming: With the advent of user-focused technology, every aspect of our lives seems to evolve at a rapid pace. AR and VR have revolutionised the gaming industry that was once considered to be impossible. AR/VR is a creative and immersive experience that allows users to interact with the digital environment. It is a combination of visuals along with the audio content with the user's environment in real-time. Online gaming is an evolutionary episode in the Indian sporting culture that has thrown open a plethora of opportunities for the developers' community in India. The video game industry has been thriving post the lockdowns imposed due to Covid-19 across the country. The global VR in gaming market size was valued at USD 11.56 billion in 2019 and is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 30.2% from 2020 to 2027. Familiarising yourself with skills in AR/VR will help one to start a career in a rapidly growing gaming industry. 

A career in the IT sector while being challenging is equally rewarding. Today most businesses are dependent on new-age technologies to stay competitive in the dynamic market and are looking at employing candidates with key skills. There is a huge gap between the demand for trained professionals and the availability of professionals in the mentioned fields. There is an exciting and rewarding future in the technology sector and the growth of the industry will present exciting opportunities to aspirants who are willing to invest in upskilling their skill sets. There are a plethora of learning opportunities, online and on-campus that candidates can enroll on and equip themselves with industry-relevant skills and master a career in the ever-evolving and growing industry. 

The article has been written by Kavita Viswanath - General Manager, JFrog India