Virtually every organization relies on technology in some way. The nation’s biggest companies spend millions on cutting-edge platforms for data analytics and generative A.I.; meanwhile, a coffee shop might depend on accounting software and a front-end developer to keep its website up and running. This tight integration with technology means that most workers throughout the economy need some flavor of tech skills.
But which tech skills are most valuable? According to CompTIA’s latest Job Seeker Trends breakdown, job seekers; top five perceived digital skill needs in the workforce include:
- Applications fundamentals (e.g., Microsoft Office)
- Technology fundamentals (e.g., terminology, concepts, uses, etc.)
- Data analytics fundamentals
- Software coding/web development fundamentals
- Hardware/networking fundamentals (e.g., devices, connectivity, cloud, etc.)
If you’re interested in gaining more tech skills within the context of your current job, start by asking your manager if they’d be willing to pay for training: more organizations are realizing the value of an educated workforce, and they’re often reserving the budget for classes and education. If your manager doesn’t want to pay for skills training, consider asking the tech professionals within your organization if they’ll walk you through what they do and the tools they use. (And when interviewing for new jobs, ask your interviewer if training is a benefit—you might be surprised at how many companies will say “yes.”)
Most tech specializations have an incredible variety of documentation and tutorials online. For example, if you’re interested in data analytics fundamentals, you could quickly pick up how to use data analysis and visualization tools such as Tableau, Domo, Looker, Qlicksense, and PowerBI. Once you’ve mastered some of the most common tools, you could also consider learning analytics languages such as Python and SQL, which are key to more advanced analysis workflows.
In a similar vein, there are lots of resources online for anyone who wants to learn the fundamentals of software coding and web development; some of the most popular programming languages for beginners include Python, Java, Kotlin, and JavaScript. The languages you choose are dictated by what you want to do with them; for example, if you’re interested in web development, you must learn HTML/CSS. If you want to build mobile apps (even simple ones), it’s important to learn Java and Kotlin (for Android) and Objective-C and Swift (for iOS).
Whatever your interests and pathway, keep in mind that technology is constantly evolving, and you’ll need to continuously update your skills. Learning tech is a lifelong journey, but a worthy one—especially if it opens up new opportunities.
