IT professions: which are the most popular in 2021?

In recent years, the IT professions trend has seen constant growth. The peak was reached in 2020, when the Covid-19 pandemic obliged companies to digitalise certain internal processes in order to continue to do business.

For example, the switch to smart working has required specific updates and modifications to IT systems in order to make them compatible with the new way of working.

Considering that this trend looks set to continue for the rest of 2021 at least, it is reasonable to expect that the demand for IT experts will continue to grow exponentially, with these professionals becoming increasingly indispensable.

Which professionals will companies invest in in 2021?

Last year was characterised by a marked interest in programmers (especially those using Java and .Net), system managers and IT project management officers. In addition to the ICT sector, this trend was also seen in fields like financial services, telecommunications, pharmaceuticals and healthcare.  This demonstrates the fact that, for some time, companies have been responding to market needs by focusing on customised software and applications.

In contrast with 2020, 2021 is expected to be the year of Machine Learning which, according to many experts, represents the cutting edge of innovation; while the need to employ new programmers remains a major feature, it is thought that the most requested IT professions will be those involving specialisation in Machine Learning.

Professionals such as the Machine Learning Specialist, the Cloud Architect Specialist or Cyber Security Manager will easily find employment in the near future, thanks also to the investments in IT made by companies in order to comply with restrictions imposed due to the coronavirus. The development of applications based on machine learning and AI mainly involves sectors such as HR, Industry 4.0 and Customer Experience.

Skills required for IT professions

To become an IT professional, technical skills like software programming are not sufficient. Specific attitudes and inclinations are also required, according to the role in question. In general, the skills requested in an IT role are:

• Flexibility (allowing the employee to contribute to various projects, which may differ from their main job);
• Good communicative skills (crucial to be understood clearly by colleagues and clients, therefore avoiding errors and misunderstandings);
• The ability to work as part of a team (coordination with other programmers enables faster production);
• An aptitude for problem-solving (unexpected issues are ever present, especially in a complex environment like machine learning);
• The ability to manage stress effectively (the workload, responsibilities and strict time schedules must not form a barrier to the employee’s clear thinking).

As well as the above requirements, there are also other necessities dictated by the current period of crisis in which they will have to work. In particular, they will need to have an aptitude for the use of videoconference platforms and a willingness to engage in smart working.

‘Pink’ quotas and new recruitment methods for IT professions

Considering that recent research has highlighted how, in 2020, less than 25% of technology-based positions in companies were filled by women, many training companies have started to make an effort to help female students find equal employment opportunities in the IT professions, by introducing virtual masters and IT courses with a guaranteed ‘pink’ quota.

As far as the recruitment of new staff is concerned, companies are oriented towards the recruiting 4.0 system. The trend has become to entrust this task to Employer Branding, the use of Hackathon and Coding activities, which enable companies to find the most suitable candidate for their needs.

Translated by Joanne Beckwith