The big data era marked by 5G is arriving, and data processing, cybersecurity, keeping employee skills up to date, and more will all influence future employment development. Freelance platform Upwork recently released its latest hot skills index, with Hadoop (a big data application) topping the list.
On February 12, freelance platform Upwork released its latest quarterly index of the 20 most in-demand skills in the U.S. job market, of which 17 are technology-related. Even more striking is that 75% of the skills in Q4 2018 were entirely new, offering real-time validation of current trends in the labor market and the tech industry.
Upwork CEO Stephane Kasriel said this rapid change highlights the importance of reskilling. He explained that since many "companies may not be able to train their employees quickly enough," they are likely to rely on freelancers, who are "more likely than traditional employees to pursue training in relevant skills."
In the tight U.S. labor market, finding someone with the right skills to get the job done can sometimes be harder than the skills themselves. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, there are currently more than 7 million unfilled positions in the United States. So while it is a great time to find a job, having the new skills employers are looking for is equally important.
Upwork also analyzed five major trends shaping the future labor market and how the rapidly evolving 5G era is driving demand for these new skills.
Investment in Big Data Solutions Is Increasing
Hadoop, an open-source software used for storing, processing, and analyzing big data applications, was the fastest-growing skill among more than 5,000 skills offered by freelancers on Upwork.com in Q4 2018.
Enterprises are continuing to invest in solutions that can leverage the value of their data, particularly freelance Hadoop experts. According to market research firm Transparency, the global Hadoop market is projected to grow at an average year-over-year rate of 29% over the next five years, reaching USD 38 billion by 2023.
Retraining Is Surging
Among freelancers with a four-year college degree, 93% find skills training useful, while only 79% say their college education is relevant to their current work.
As companies recognize that employee reskilling is critically important, they are turning to freelancers who specialize in employee training and learning management solution (LMS) consulting to help create curricula that foster a culture of continuous learning. Growth in this area signals a new trend of more people receiving on-the-job retraining.
Mobile Optimization Meets Customer Expectations for Less Time Spent
Consumers now spend more than five hours a day on their smartphones, with apps on these devices accounting for more than 90% of internet time.
To meet consumer demands, companies are doubling down on reducing the time spent on mobile tasks, such as through app store optimization and app usability analysis to improve efficiency and minimize time consumption.
Companies Are Elevating the Customer Experience
As more companies undergo digital transformation, they are recognizing that design can not only create value and drive better business outcomes, but also help them survive.
Reports show that organizations achieving the highest return on investment have adopted data-driven design approaches and successfully integrated design into their business strategies.
This is underscored by the significant surge in demand for Invision and Intercom. Invision is a digital design platform; Intercom is a customer messaging platform that provides applications for sales, marketing, and service, enabling businesses to more effectively acquire, engage, and retain customers.
Rising Cybercrime Is Driving Growth in Demand for Security Skills
By 2021, the world is expected to spend USD 6 trillion annually to combat cybercrime, and global cybersecurity job openings are projected to reach 3.5 million in the same year.
To find seasoned professionals with a comprehensive understanding of the IT industry who can help reduce risk, companies are hiring Certified Information Systems Security Professionals (CISSPs) to design, implement, and manage cybersecurity programs.
Another precautionary measure companies are adopting is enhancing security through OAuth, which enables token-based authentication and authorization online and provides employees with a safer and more secure way to access data.
Top 20 Fastest-Growing Work Skills
• Hadoop (big data application);
• Dropbox API;
• Genetic algorithms;
• Microbiology;
• Computational linguistics;
• Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP);
• Digital signal processing;
• Intercom systems;
• Interactive advertising;
• Invision (digital design platform);
• Employee training;
• Kubernetes (managing containerized application deployments);
• OAuth (open authorization);
• Autodesk Revit (architectural design software);
• App store optimization;
• App usability analysis;
• Vue.js framework (progressive framework for building user interfaces);
• Learning management solution consulting;
• 3D scanning;
• React.js framework (progressive framework for rendering data as HTML views).
Source: Upwork Skills Index