70% of executives say employees lack the IT skills needed — this is your opportunity
Employers can’t find new candidates with the tech skills that they need, and 70% of executives say current employees lack the IT skills required for important business projects. With the right tech skills and expertise, you can become a highly needed candidate in the industry.
In the infographic below, find out the reasons behind the tech skills gap, how it affects businesses, and ways to close the tech skills gap — starting with you!
The tech skills gap
The job market is on fire for tech skills right now. The United States (and other countries) have been through great commerce times since the 2008 recession recovery. Established businesses are expanding as a result, and many startups have sprung up to fill in gaps.
To meet the needs of that expansion, businesses have to hire talent. 40% of businesses said they were unable to take on additional work due to the skills gap. This has a direct negative result on their bottom line — they’re having to leave money on the table.
Even if businesses have talented employees, 70% of executives said that their current employees lack the tech skills needed for key projects. This is a massive problem that costs companies (and the economy) billions of dollars in opportunity costs.
How does this present you with opportunity?
There are three ways that businesses deal with this skills gap problem:
- Upskilling existing IT team members
- Providing continuous training to staff so their skills don’t become outdated
- Hiring new talent
This presents you with a lot of opportunities whether you are looking for a new job or whether you are looking to rise in the ranks of your current organization.
If you’re looking for a job
If businesses are hurting for talent, doesn’t that mean it should be easy to get a job? Yes and no.
Unless you have the skills businesses need, you’re not as likely to get the job you’re looking for. Employers are trying to close the skills gap after all, not hire more individuals who aren’t getting them closer to closing the gap. You’ll need to bring a set of skills to the table that they are in need of.
But how do you do that? According to TechGenix, these are some of the most in-demand tech skills right now:
- Coding skills
- Database management
- Linux
- DevOps and Container technology
- Multicloud environments and integration
We’ve seen a surge in need for these skills even in just the last year alone.
Certifications have become increasingly accessible and important as well. When it comes to cloud certifications, these are currently the leaders:
- AWS Certifications
- Azure Certifications
- Google Cloud Certifications
You don’t need to have all of these skills under your belt, but building skills in these areas will go a long way in helping you land that dream job. We’ve seen many people go from little to no IT experience to jobs at well-known companies in a matter of months.
“I want to give a HUGE thank you to Linux Academy! Last month I was hired at a very well known company in downtown San Francisco as a Linux System Administrator. There is absolutely no way this could have happened without Linux Academy.” -Eric Gundersen
It’s not easy, but the resources are out there to help you succeed in building new IT skills. If you’re ready to take your career to the next level, sign up for our 7-day free trial and learn these skills by doing.
To pick up cybersecurity skills and get cybersec certifications, check out our platform Cybr.
If you’re looking to rise in the ranks of your current organization
Remember that many organizations are looking to upskill their existing IT staff in order to meet today’s and tomorrow’s business needs. Different organizations handle this differently, but as a team member, we recommend you do the following:
- Ask your organization to cover the cost for training
- Invest in yourself
IT training has become far more affordable over the last few years, so organizations (and yourself) don’t have to spend thousands of dollars on a 3-day workshop anymore. Instead, you can get access to online, self-paced and hands-on training. As a result, your organization is more likely to approve training. At the very least, it never hurts to ask.
If your organization rejects your request for training, or even if they approve it but you’re looking for more training, remember that:
“The most important investment you can make is in yourself.” — Warren Buffett
Not only will receiving training help increase your chances for rising in rank (and getting raises!) because it is making you more valuable to the organization, but it will also build a solid foundation for your career in the long run, even if you decided to change organizations in the future.
Close your skills gap today
Technology is moving at a pace that cannot be matched in the academic and business worlds, and we’ve gone over some of the impacts that this is having. While there are many things in life that are out of your control, getting the skills you need is not one of those things. Take control of your skills, don’t get left behind, and make yourself stand out.
