2020 was the year that no one could’ve predicted. Most elements of everyday life for people around the globe significantly changed with the COVID-19 pandemic. There was a huge shift towards conducting everyday life online, and technology ended up being the one thing able to keep us connected while we were physically apart.
While over 600,000 Australians lost their jobs during the pandemic, a study by ING has also revealed that one in three (35%) Australian adults are likely to look for a new job post-pandemic going into 2021.
So while in Australia we slowly make our way back to normal, there is no doubt that there’s been a huge shift in how workplaces are run across multiple industries, as well as a big move in popularity towards STEM-based (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) roles.
With technology proving to be the pivotal part of what kept most companies operational throughout the pandemic, it’s no surprise that in-demand skills have changed. Looking at what roles have become more popular, as well as where the future of work now lays we’ve pulled together some of our top predictions for top tech jobs to watch in 2021.
Trending Tech Jobs to Watch in 2021
Cyber Security Specialists
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission’s (ACCC) report identified Australians lost over $634 million to scams over the past 12 months, with over 100 reports of COVID-19 themed scams.
With the significant rise in cyber attacks and malicious scams, it’s no doubt that cyber security professionals will continue to be highly regarded and sought after going into 2021.
Management/Organisation Specialists & Analysts
Behind all the technology that was pivotal in keeping organisations running in 2020, the people behind the software that were able to organise and analyse teams of thousands became increasingly vital.
Tracking and analysing how teams and companies performed throughout the year, is often what separated those companies that boomed through the pandemic to those that did not. There’s been a significant increase in searches for management/organisation specialists and analysts, and given the importance they play in an organisation we don’t see this trend decreasing going into the New Year.
Software and Applications Programmers
Good programmers are always hard to find and in high demand. With the drastic changes in technology in 2020 many companies had to make the shift online, thus needing software and applications programmers to help support their overall technological growth.
Across multiple coding languages, the never-ending search for talented programmers will undoubtedly continue into and well beyond 2021.
Web Developers
A great positive to come out of 2020 was the creation of so many new small businesses. In today’s market all companies need a professional website to operate. We saw a huge rise in the amount of searches for talented web developers to support the creation of new websites, or completely overhaul existing ones to keep up with the new wave of technology. We see this trend continuing well into 2021.
Game Designers
Throughout the year we all had a lot more free time, in which a lot of us spent that time turning to video games. While being a video game designer has always been a popular job path, with a significant increase in those actively participating in online gaming platforms we predict a trend in the amount of game designers and developers needed in the future to keep up with the growing demand.
Computer User Support Specialists
With the whole world moving online to communicate and work, there was an influx of people who needed support in doing this. Computer user support specialists, helpdesk professionals, and general computer teachers were in demand throughout the year as many people wanted to be able to make the switch online with ease.
Having the ability to both understand and easily explain technology to anybody is not an easy task, and the search for talented people who are able to do both of these sufficiently grew. We predict the need for these skill sets in the oncoming years to only grow as working remotely online becomes the new norm.
Digital Marketing Specialists (eCommerce)
As most organisations transitioned into the digital world, companies that were once brick and mortar stores progressed into eCommerce platforms, needing specialist support to do just so. Digital marketers with the technical ability to build stores, analyse performance and optimise online sales were very sought after, but often difficult to find.
The search for a good digital marketing specialist, especially those with an eCommerce background will only grow as people continue to see the benefits of transitioning their stores online in order to continue sales growth beyond traditional non-digital methods.
Already looking to apply for a top trending tech job before 2021? Get in touch with the Discovered People team here for a confidential chat.
Written by Ebony McCabe for Discovered People