Getting into IT? Top Tech Careers for 2021
Tags: career, motivation, discuss
Published: 2021-01-04 15:03:19

Many people are still trying to recover from the previous year's losses, majorly caused by the pandemic. There's no denying that people lost their jobs. Many businesses failed, and an increasing percentage of people either had health crises or lost their loved ones to the cold hands of death. 


As you already know, we're four days into 2021, and I believe that this is a good time to re-strategize and plan better for this new year. Every new season comes with new windows of opportunities. You wouldn't want anyone to pass you by probably because you didn't plan well or weren't prepared. 

Your career is one of the key areas of your life that you need to plan for and take very seriously in 2021. Without a defined career path or career plan, it might be challenging to reach new heights, or gain skills that'll make you a valuable commodity in the business world. Besides, the world of careers and work is inextricably linked to the fundamental business of survival in all sense: family responsibility, legacy, social acceptance and financial stability. 

If your career isn't related to tech, then it's high time you start considering a tech-related career. The world is already digital, technology demands are growing exponentially, and there's hardly any field you'll see today that doesn't have a touch of tech. If there's any field that'll never become obsolete, it's technology. 

In this post, I'll show you some interesting tech careers that you need to consider in 2021. Perhaps you want to reinvigorate your career, or you've got your heart set on a tech career, this article will provide the much-needed inspiration you need to get started. 

# Why should I consider a Career in Tech?

Undoubtedly, the tech job market is one of the most lucrative you can ever find. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, [the number of tech jobs will probably grow 11% from 2019 to 2029] (https://www.bls.gov/ooh/computer-and-information-technology/home.htm), much faster than the average growth rate for all occupations. 

As we progress into the future, tech careers would become abundant, many companies would itch to hire more tech talents, and there would be lots of roles to be filled. Here are some reasons you need to pursue a career in technology.


## Tech Jobs are Flexible
As remote working technologies advances, the majority of tech jobs are becoming flexible. With the help of video conferencing, cloud storage, easy accessibility to the internet, many tech companies no longer see the need for their employees to be at the office every day. Modern organizations have also rolled out flexible working schedules, allowing employees to work at the hours that best suit their schedules. 

What this means is that you can choose to work at night or even take some hours off to attend to some urgent tasks - as long as you deliver results as and when due. The most exciting part of this flexibility is that some global companies have gone fully remote, entirely forsaking the regular 9-5 or office schedule.

## Tech Jobs are here to stay
Soon, every role or industry will become heavily reliant on advanced technology (i.e. if they're not already). If you're looking for great prospects or secure work, a tech career could be the way to go. By pursuing a tech career, you'll be more rightly positioned, and adaptable to future changes. 

One good thing about technology is that it's continually developing and changing to improve our lives and also help us achieve more with less. When you decide to pursue a tech career, you can choose from lots of options, including software engineering, data science, cybersecurity e.t.c.

## Tech is a Global Opportunity
I love the tech niche because of the tons of global opportunities in the industry. Technology offers the chance to work on international projects, travel, and contribute to an internationally recognised and reputable organisation. 

There are not so many industries in the world that are continuing to expand and thrive globally. If you've always wanted a career filled with lots of travel, consider working in tech. 

> I usually feel inspired and happy anytime I see tech professionals take some time off to go for international vacations, visit beautiful places and catch some cruise. It's the happening thing. Lol. 


Without gainsaying, technology is an important field. If you want to become a marketable asset, then you need to pursue a career in technology. It’s an ever-developing, challenging and growing field and there are lots of things you can do as a tech professional. In the next section, I'll talk about some top tech careers for 2021. 


# Hot Tech Career Options
Technology is getting hotter, rapidly changing, and some specialisations are in higher demand than others. With the tons of career options available today, it's very easy for one to get lost trying to figure out a way.  If you're looking for a tech career or you want to change career, here are some in-demand skills and high-hanging fruits you should consider, ordered in no particular format. 

## Data Scientist
Businesses and organisations are collecting an incredible amount of data every day. Due to the pandemic in 2020, organisations now increasingly acknowledge that they're sitting on treasure troves of data they can leverage for business growth and advancement. This is where data scientists come into play. In a business setting, a data scientist's roles and responsibilities include exploring disconnected and disparate data sources, predicting potential trends, finding better ways to analyse different data (structured, semi-structured and unstructured) and providing insights that drive business growth.

[Harvard Business Review](https://hbr.org/2012/10/data-scientist-the-sexiest-job-of-the-21st-century) deems data science as the sexiest job of the 21st century. It's a continually developing and fast-growing career field. Without a pinch of doubt, it's also one of the highest paying jobs across sectors and industries. [In this recent survey by Analytics Insights](https://www.analyticsinsight.net/analytics-insight-predicts-3-million-job-openings-in-data-science-in-2021/), it's estimated that there'll be 3,037,809 data science openings this year alone. One good thing about data science is that it's multidisciplinary and as a data scientist, you can work in different sectors such as healthcare, banking and finance, education e.t.c.

## Software Engineer
By all measures, software engineering is one of the broadest and hottest careers to get into today. If you think about it critically, almost every industry in the world uses software, and most of the applications or infrastructures we interact with every day are handiworks of software engineers. Software engineers create several types of solutions such as web and desktop applications, games, mobile apps, network systems, operating systems, robots e.t.c. 

According to the U.S Bureau of Labor Statistics, [the number of software development opportunities is predicted to grow 24% from 2019 to 2029](https://www.bls.gov/ooh/computer-and-information-technology/software-developers.htm), much faster than the average growth rate for all occupations. This reveals that the demand for software engineers would continue to be on the rise for the foreseeable future. Just like it's for data scientists, there are several sectors you can work as a software engineer.
  
## Cloud Computing Engineer
Cloud computing jobs are currently on the rise because many companies are transitioning from on-premise server infrastructure to cloud solutions. The pandemic validated the value propositions of cloud, and millions of companies have either adopted or looking to adopt cloud services. As the cloud adoption rate increases and companies plan to speed up their digital transformation plans, the need to hire experts who can implement the necessary infrastructure, mitigate processes and perform cloud-related tasks also increases. Starting a cloud computing career is a smart and calculated way to attract some of the best global opportunities in the market and future-proof your career. 

According to Forrester Research, [the cloud computing market is projected to grow by 35% this year](https://www.crn.com/news/cloud/10-future-cloud-computing-trends-to-watch-in-2021#:~:text=The%20global%20public%20cloud%20infrastructure,pandemic%2C%20according%20to%20Forrester%20Research.), compared to 2020. Cloud computing engineers are usually titled under several roles, including cloud developers, sysops engineers, and solution architects. Sometimes, the responsibilities and roles might differ. But, cloud computing engineers are usually responsible for planning, monitoring and managing an organisation's cloud system, such as Slack, Microsoft 365, Google Cloud, to name a few. The most in-demand cloud platforms are maintained by Google (Google Cloud Platform), Microsoft (Azure) and Amazon (Amazon Web Service).

## Cybersecurity Analyst
As more organisations adopt and move their systems to cloud, security is becoming an essential element for running a successful business, especially for organisations that deal with sensitive data or collect customer information. Also known as an information analyst, a cybersecurity analyst protects information systems, sensitive information and user data from cyber threats. They leverage various strategies and tools to ensure that data is safe and modern enterprises use effective protective systems while adhering to government standards and regulations.

In this [post](https://www.forbes.com/sites/louiscolumbus/2020/11/01/what-are-the-fastest-growing-cybersecurity-skills-in-2021/?sh=68e5d3105d73), the U.S Bureau of Labor Statistics' Information Security Analyst's Outlook stated that cybersecurity jobs are among the most needed and fastest-growing career areas globally. By their estimation, demand for cybersecurity analysts will grow 31% from now till 2029. This growth rate is 7X faster than the 4% national average growth rate. They also estimate cybersecurity skills to deliver a $15,008 boost this year. The good thing is that there's a shortage of cybersecurity analysts and a market you can fill. 

## DevOps Engineer
The exponential rise of software-defined services, the need for lower costs, faster delivery and flexibility has pushed DevOps jobs into the tech-hiring spotlights. DevOps is a combination of tools, cultural practices, and philosophies related to operations and development that allows an organisation to gain competitive advantage by innovating faster, adapting to changing markets, and efficiently achieving their business goals. DevOps engineers are the bridge between engineering and coding. They collaborate across different departments and teams to improve various IT systems and eventually increase a company's productivity. 

DevOps experts have transformed how enterprises meet the increasing demands of their customers. They're responsible for speeding up development cycles and processes while maintaining high accuracy. Majority of the time, DevOps engineers spend their time analysing and developing solutions to global challenges. Because of increasing the need to make applications more efficient, DevOps is such an exciting field that'll continue to be on the rise for the foreseeable future. In this [report](https://www.burning-glass.com/wp-content/uploads/no_longer_optional_report.pdf), Burning Glass Technologies estimates that the demand for DevOps engineers will grow by 50% over the next five years to meet the job demand.  


# Summarising
The primary purpose of this post is to help you understand why a tech career is essential and expose you to some top tech careers in 2021. Even with emerging technological disruptions and the rapid market changes, I'm sure that you can build a foundational technology that keeps individuals - and businesses moving forward and ready for the future by pursuing any of the tech careers mentioned in this article. 

Thank you for reading, and I hope you find this post both useful and interesting. Please feel free to comment and discuss your expectations on the top tech careers for 2021.