Once again in 2024, information technology is projected to be among the fastest-growing, highest-paying and most in-demand fields of employment.

Based on its recent survey, ComputerWorld reports that “companies … are increasing full-time IT head count by an average of 9%.” It goes on to say that, “Most respondents (86%) have increased the number of IT employees over the last three years, growing their teams by 44% on average. Looking ahead, 71% expect continued growth of their IT workforce over the next 12 months. … Strong hiring is accompanied by a steady stream of promotions and salary increases.”

It's An AI World

Information technology influences almost every facet of our business and personal lives, and that presence is only increasing: take the way artificial intelligence, or AI, has captured the imagination and attention of the world in 2023. To very little surprise, AI—and its siblings, machine learning and prompt engineering—are predicted to be among the most in-demand IT skills in 2024. In fact, Gartner predicts that “by 2026, generative AI will significantly alter 70% of the design and development effort for new web applications and mobile apps.”

For an individual, the career value of acquiring an AI skill set cannot be overstated. According to ComputerWorld, prompt engineering—improving human-machine interaction with generative AI tools (in other words, teaching AI how to behave)—will be 2024’s fastest-growing career skill. The World Economic Forum concurs, saying prompt engineering is at the top of its list of rapidly-growing jobs. And, LinkedIn reports a stark rise in demand for prompt engineering skills, with an average of 75% month-over-month growth in its users adding “generative AI,” “ChatGPT” or “prompt engineering” to their profiles.

Ten Essential IT Skills for 2024

A review of predictions by IT industry experts, journalists and educators yields a clear consensus of the top five essential skills for 2024 (in alphabetical order):

• AI / machine learning / prompt engineering
• Cloud computing
• Cybersecurity / ethical hacking
• Data science and analytics
• DevOps

Again, in alphabetical order, the next group of five essential skills includes:

• Blockchain
• Digital marketing
• Robotics process automation (RPA)
• Sustainability
• User experience (UX) design

What This Means for Workers

Information technology is a sprawling field that is changing and growing rapidly, and that is great news for current IT workers and those who are moving into this industry. Not only is there tremendous potential for challenging and rewarding employment, but with technology changing so fast, those looking for consulting or full-time positions are in the driver’s seat. Taking the initiative to gain or firm up new skills in some of these hot areas will pay off quickly.

What This Means for Employers

Putting IT to work effectively has become a key business strategy in just about every industry. With the potential for AI about to be unleashed, employers must not only be on the lookout for new hires with appropriate skills, but must also seek to build up their existing employee’s skillsets. Erick Brethenoux, an adjunct professor at the Illinois Institute of Technology and vice president analyst at Gartner, advises organizations to focus on upskilling their existing employees, because they “have domain experience. You already have technical experts … who already know your business."

How our Talent Academy can help

To meet the ever-changing skill needs in the IT industry, Talent Groups has created Talent Academy, an initiative that offers our talent and clients access to industry-leading learning programs with the goal of helping workers master new, in-demand IT skills. We upskill and reskill our talent to ensure that they have the skill sets required to support our clients’ evolving technology needs. This service is completely free to our clients and our talent.

For our existing talent who are currently on assignment with our clients, we provide targeted training that builds in-demand skills, adding value to their work and better meeting the goals of the client. And for prospective candidates, we provide the opportunity to gain valuable new skills through full-time immersive courses that prepare them for specific employment opportunities with our clients.

“For candidates and talent who take advantage of Talent Academy, the benefits are very direct: master new skills, accelerate your career,” says Matthew Ripaldi, CEO Talent Groups. “And for our clients, the benefits may be somewhat less immediate, but are nonetheless substantial. When our talent gains essential new skills at Talent Academy, our clients reap faster, more targeted hiring of candidates with the exact skill set they seek. They can make sure brand-new hires stay engaged and motivated during vetting and onboarding. They can map out distinctive career paths to help retain and grow existing talent. Talent Academy even supports our clients’ DEI initiatives by helping them hire top talent with the right skills from a more diverse pool of candidates.”

Connecting Great Talent with Great Opportunities

As we say at Talent Groups, we never forget to view talent as people and jobs as opportunities. To that end, our innovative Talent Academy helps people gain the right skills to build amazing careers, while it helps businesses find and keep the right-skilled talent to get the job done, today and tomorrow.