Learning new skills is always a great way to give your career a push forward, and IT-related skills are among the best to master today. This is because, aside from the growing demand for IT professionals, IT skills are universal and can often be applied to other fields as well.
Coding, for example, is a great way to learn and improve your problem-solving skills. User experience, or UX, on the other hand, offers you a way to be more empathetic with the users or customers, which is always good if you are in management, sales, or marketing.
So, which IT skills should you learn for the maximum career boost in 2019? We have the complete list for you in this article.
Data Science
Everything is data-driven these days, so it is not surprising to see data science being very popular when it comes to IT skills to master. Those with the ability to gather, process, and analyze data to gain meaningful insights are in high demand right now.
Data science is a complex subject to master, but it can be further divided into smaller, more specific topics. You can master these specific topics through short courses that are now available online. Naturally, comprehensive programs – both online and offline – that take you through the entire field of data science are also available.
You don’t have to pursue a career as a data scientist to find this particular skill useful. As mentioned before, everything is now data-driven, and knowing how to chew data to produce meaningful insights is useful regardless of the field you are in.
Data Engineering
Data engineering is slightly different than data science in one important way. While data scientists deal with the collecting and processing of data, data engineers focus more on creating an ecosystem – the infrastructure – that enables such processes to happen smoothly.
Data engineering focuses on developing tools and infrastructure that can be used to process data in an effective and efficient way. Similar to data science, this too is a skill that can be mastered holistically or as chunks of specific topics.
There are a lot of courses on data engineering too. Google, for instance, has a certification for data engineers, which includes a course on Google Cloud Platform and how it can be used in a data-driven environment.
Scrum
Scrum is a big part of the agile approach in tech, and it is a robust project management approach used in IT-related developments and other tech processes. However, scrum is actually applicable in a wide range of situations with minor tweaks, which is why a skill in this methodology is viewed as highly valuable.
You can be a scrum master and lead your own development team by completing a scrum training course. There are plenty of programs to choose from on places like findcourses.com, with online and offline programs available to cater to professionals. You can be a certified scrum master by completing select courses too.
Once you have acquired this project-management skill, you can implement it in your own field. Yes, scrum is primarily designed for app or solution development projects, but the methodology allows for more effective and efficient project management in any agile environment. You will also learn a lot of soft skills along the way.
Machine Learning
We’re getting into a more specific and technical IT-related subject with this particular skill, but it is a skill that can still be incredibly useful in fields like marketing. Studying machine learning isn’t just a way to be an expert in this field; it is also a great way to learn how to devise solutions for business-related problems with the help of algorithms.
Machine learning is a very innovative field in IT. Solutions like Siri and Alexa are actually based on allowing machines to process data and learn from the insights they generate. Machine learning is being implemented in various industries too, including healthcare, education, and finance. A skill in this field will certainly make you a great candidate for more challenging positions.
Introduction to machine learning workflow is the first course you should take if you want to get into this field. It teaches you the general overview of the field, including how statistical patterns and deep learning are crucial to machine learning. It even digs deep into neural networks and how they can be utilized in different situations.
UX Design
A lot of people think UI and UX design are the same; they are not. UI, or User Interface design, focuses more on the interfaces, the visuals, and the flow of solutions (i.e. apps or websites). UX, or User Experience, on the other hand, focuses more on researching how users interact with UI elements and whether the solutions developed for them match their expectations.
As mentioned in the beginning of the article, becoming a UX expert is a great way to boost your ability to understand the customers, which is why the skill is incredibly useful in today’s market. It is a skill that can be implemented in marketing, sales, and a wide range of other fields within the company’s operations.
If you want to get into UX as a professional, focus more on UX strategy. This is where the crunching of user-related data and the formulation of the right user experience to deliver happens. The course is filled with important skills to master, from the fundamentals of UX design to the way UX-related skills can be implemented in other fields.
Other Skills
Other skills related to information technology can be useful in fields like finance and marketing too. Digital marketing, for instance, is a must-have if you are a marketing practitioner or a strategist. Knowing how to utilize the best digital marketing instruments to reach millions of potential customers online is a huge plus.
The same can be said for specific skills like Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and social media marketing. These skills are mostly useful for practical reasons. You can manage digital campaigns better when you have specific skills on the instruments being used.
Content creation is another important skill to have in today’s modern world. Everything is content-related these days, and having that ability to manage and produce your own content will be a huge plus in any field. As a finance professional, for instance, you can convey reports in a more appealing and engaging way when you know how to produce your content like a pro.
Getting Started
Regardless of the IT skills you want to master, short courses and online programs are the most convenient and effective way to get started. Sites like findcourses.com give you access to specific courses that you want to take, such as scrum training or content creation courses.
You have the option to take the available short courses online. Some of the courses are also designed for corporate users, which means they are suitable for companies who want to provide their employees with specific trainings in IT.
The wealth of options to choose from means you can compare courses based on their program structures and topics before deciding to enroll on one. You also have the ability to take multiple courses if needed. All you need to do now is find the IT skills you want to master and begin your search for the best courses to take.
