At the start of the year it’s timely to take a look at what the most in-demand developer skills and IT certificates are likely to be in 2013.
Let’s start with the development world and it would appear that Agile is on course to be one of the rising stars in 2013. CWJobs reports that if demand for Agile development skills from recruiters continues at its current trajectory it will soon overtake HTML skills and become one of the most sought after.
“With Agile continuing to be recognised by businesses as the most efficient and effective development methodology, it is set to overtake HTML as a CV prerequisite…” said CWJobs.
Meanwhile, CWJobs is also reporting continuing demand for established skills such as SQL, C, C#, .Net and Java. Demand for these has held firm for the past five years, despite the emergence new languages and techniques, and is expected to do so into the new year.
Elsewhere the respected TechRepublic web resource has identified the emerging software development skills that it recommends readers should consider learning in 2013. These are:
- Mobile development – with the growing usage of Android mobile devices together with iPhones and iPads the demand for software that can only run on a PC will inevitably diminish, with a corresponding increase in demand for mobile developers.
- NoSQL – the support of major service vendors such as Amazon means that NoSQL projects are likely to become increasingly prevalent.
- Unit testing – with the increasing use of dynamic languages, unit testing is becoming more and more important, and there are an increasingly wide variety of tools and frameworks available.
- Python or Ruby – Python and Ruby are now emerging as serious contenders for the dynamic language space, and learning one or both will provide a useful alternative and a better way to get certain projects done.
- Windows 8 – the attractions of being part of the growing move towards the Windows Store for apps are significant.
Turning to IT certifications, the TechRepublic resource has also identified its top five for 2013, this time based on expert opinion, research and Google trends. They are as follows:
- MCSA (Microsoft Certified Solutions Associate) – earning a 2012 MCSA certification in 2013 will give you a foundation in basic information technology know-how and prepare you for higher Microsoft certifications.
- MCSE: Private Cloud – this Microsoft expert certification has been reinvented for the cloud, and after only eight months it is already as popular as the rival CompTIA and CCP cloud certifications.
- Project Management Professional – a strong understanding of project management and PRINCE2® enables IT professionals to plan, budget, manage time, and reduce costs.
- VCP (VMware Certified Professional) – VMware is the industry leader in both virtualisation software and virtual certifications.
- CISSP (Certified Information Systems Security Professional) – with the shift towards storing data in cloud systems and the increasing value of corporate information, security experts have a vital role to play in ensuring systems remain secure, be they in-house or cloud-based.
The importance of the project management and security qualifications is reinforced by the Hot IT Skills for 2013 report produced by Computerworld.com which rates both of these disciplines in their top four (alongside Programming and Application Development, and Help Desk/Technical Support)
So, there we have it – a quick snapshot of some of the most in-demand skills and must-have certificates for 2013. The key is making the right choices to further your own career – good luck!
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