The unemployment rate in the technology sector hit 2.2 percent in June, outpacing the national unemployment rate of 5.9 percent.
According to CompTIA, which analyzes the tech job market, the tech sector has enjoyed job growth in 10 of the past 12 months. “The demand for workers extends beyond technology-related companies into industry sectors such as finance and insurance (32,100 postings), manufacturing (24,970), retail trade (10,081), healthcare and social assistance (7,659), public administration (6,549) and educational services (5,820),” read the group’s breakdown of the numbers.
Moreover, demand for technologist roles seems evenly spread across the country. “Major metropolitan areas, including New York, Washington, Dallas, Los Angeles and San Jose accounted for the largest number of postings in June,” the breakdown added. “But markets in Alabama (Huntsville, Birmingham and Montgomery) and Colorado (Colorado Springs, Boulder and Fort Collins) were in the top 10 metro areas with the largest month over month increases in tech job postings.”
But which tech roles are actually in demand? For an answer, we can turn to Burning Glass, a platform that collects and analyzes millions of job postings from across the country. Based on data from the past 90 days, it’s clear that employers are seeking technologists with a variety of skills, from network engineering to mobile app development:
Based on data from job postings, it also seems that employers are interested in very common technology skills, including Java, Python, and JavaScript. That’s good news for technologists who might otherwise fear they can’t land a job unless they have a very esoteric and specialized skill-set.
That being said, specializing in cutting-edge technologies such as artificial intelligence (A.I.) and machine learning can open up lots of opportunities in industries from healthcare to finance, as companies seek new ways to automate their internal processes and “smarten” their existing apps and services. As you plot your learning journey, keep an eye on those skills that might break into the mainstream a few years from now; they could have a huge impact on your later career.
