20 Hottest Technology Skills You Need Today & Scholarships to Learn Them
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Over the last 100 years, the world has witnessed a revolutionary transformation and turnaround in the way things are done. This was largely through the technological advancement that was witnessed over time in every facet of human endeavor.
The future and the world we live in now is solely at the mercy of Technology. The truth of the matter is that Technology has played a key role in the turnaround of events in this century. This means Technology needs to be embraced more and we need to leverage the power of Tech as a tool to advance our lives in the future both at an individual and collective level.
Technology has influenced so many aspects of our lives already and it is expedient that we prepare and position ourselves for the future by learning new skills that will be relevant to the future.
The business world is one key area that has been influenced drastically by Tech. Over the past few decades, the process and ways of working changed compared to years past.
Whew, so in essence, the power of technology cannot be overemphasized. Technology has made the world a smaller place and even more accessible.
Table of Contents
The Future of Jobs
Technology is already here. With the widespread advancement witnessed in technology and automation, certain jobs will be obsolete shortly. For example, Robots are used to build cars and even pack online orders. This means that the number of human beings needed in that area will reduce drastically unless we upskill. Chatbots have also been developed over time to help with credit card balances. This also means that humans might not be needed in the banking sector shortly.
Over 50% of the jobs we see today will shrink. They will not necessarily disappear but they will seem irrelevant as a result of the exploits of Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning. Those who will stand the test of time are those who leverage the power of tech and re-position themselves for this change. We are now in the Fourth Industrial Revolution.
We are now at the core of a fourth one that affects how technology is integrating into our lives as a whole. The emergence of Nanotechnology, Robotics, and Artificial Intelligence are key components of this fourth revolution. There will be so many opportunities for those with tech skills related to Robotics, Machine Learning, and Artificial Intelligence. The good news however is that the jobs of the future will require little academic achievement and more creativity/problem-solving skills. A fifteen-year-old today can expect to have up to 17 different jobs in five different industries.
Current Change in the Job Market
A lot of people’s perception of technology needs to change because it will be a major driver for future jobs. Let us take a walk toward the change that occurred in the job market over 20 years. Between the years 2000-2010, the top jobs include:
- Computer system and network administrators
- Computer software engineering and applications
- Healthcare professions
- Engineers
- Genetic counsellors
- Mediators
- Training specialists
- Government positions
Technological advancement placed a demand on people to learn new skills that are tech-related. The demand for most of the jobs listed above slashed drastically.
A lot happened in the job market between 2015-2019. The emergence of digital technologies birthed many hi-tech jobs such as
- Product designers
- Brand designers
- Software developers
- Social media managers (content creators)
- Cybersecurity engineers/analysts
- Data engineers/analysts
- Virtual assistants
- Uber drivers
These jobs were not in existence decades ago but became the top hi-tech jobs in our modern times. From the foregoing analysis, you will agree with me that in the next 10 years, the job market will also witness a rapid transformation, and only those who will take advantage of the drivers of the future (Data, codified money, Robots, and Humanoids will stand the test of time
Tabular representation of job trends
Below is a tabular representation of the current job trends in the labor market
| STABLE ROLES | FUTURE JOBS | DEAD JOBS |
| Organizational Development Specialist | People and Culture Specialist | Financial analysts |
| Managing Directors and CEOs | Data Analysts and Scientists | Business Services and Administrators |
| General Manager Operational Manager | Artificial intelligence, Machine Learning Specialist | Accounting, Book Keeping Payroll Clerks |
| University and Higher Education Teachers | News and street Vendors’ Lawyers | News and street Vendors Lawyers |
| Human Resource Specialists | Sales and Marketing Professionals | Business services and Administration managers |
It is no longer news again that the season of automation apocalypse is closer than we ever imagined. So many people are afraid thinking that automation will lead them to joblessness and this is not the case. The only set of people who will suffer are those who lack the required skills for the new set of roles that will emerge.
Experts in the field of futuristic analysis while trying to analyze the effects Robots and Technology will have on future jobs disclosed that the set of jobs that will be affected are jobs at the routine level. Jobs like Telemarketing and Tax Preparation fall into this category. Tasks associated with the legal profession such as legal assistants, law, and paralegals will be computerized in the next 20 years.
Jobs That Will Stand the Test of Time
One of the top futurists in the world, Henry Ford, classified the jobs that will stand the test of time into three basic categories.
#1. The first category involves jobs that require “Human Creativity”
This requires potent human intelligence, such as being a scientist, or artist and innovating new business models and strategies. Currently, when it comes to Creativity, Humans are the best at it. However, I doubt if this fact will still be valid in some 20 years’ time. There are currently computers that can paint original artworks like humans. The power of technology cannot be underestimated, you know.
#2. The second category of jobs that will stand the test of time
These jobs are the ones that require people’s skill. They involve interacting with people, such as nurses, teachers, etc
#3. The third category
This will be human jobs that are unpredictable, such as plumbers that will be needed to go to different locations to fix pipes. Others include repairers, installers, healthcare social workers, and recreational therapists. etc
The role technology plays in changing the working world cannot be underestimated. I believe personally that the 2020s will be characterized by so much redeployment of skills. The theory of the indispensability of human beings has been proven wrong by the rate at which machines replace humans in different job categories doing tasks we never imagined could be done.
SCHOLARSHIPS TO STUDY TECHNOLOGY DEGREES
One of the biggest challenges that most people face in life is the lack of adequate financial resources to pursue their dream course. To study some technological courses, one will have to apply to international universities abroad as most National universities are not accredited to take courses in line with Robotic engineering. This can be a limiting factor.
But the good news is that there are a lot of scholarships available nowadays for persons who desire to study tech-related courses.
Are you passionate about studying technology-related courses but don’t have the finances? You have no cause to worry. There are many scholarship opportunities out there, I will discuss a few here and give you a link to many others
1. Klagenfurt University of Technology Masters Scholarships in Austria
The positive development of the regional labor market in the ICT sector has resulted in an increasing demand for skilled professionals.
The University of Klagenfurt is responding to this demand by training highly qualified specialists in the ICT sector and awarding the University of Klagenfurt Technology Scholarships, which aim at
- increasing the number of highly qualified ICT professionals,
- enhancing diversity in the Federal State of Carinthia and at the University of Klagenfurt,
- increasing the number of international students at the University of Klagenfurt, and
- promoting the University of Klagenfurt’s internationalization efforts.
In cooperation with the Carinthian Chamber of Commerce and Federation of Austrian Industries, scholarship holders will be supported in finding a paid internship in the first year of their Master’s degree program. Scholarship holders shall be enabled to finance the second year of their Master’s degree program with a paid internship, which is part of the curriculum. For more details about this scholarship, click here
2. David Oyedepo Foundation Scholarships for African Students
The David Oyedepo Foundation offers full-tuition scholarships for African Students who have a sound academic background to study at Landmark University and Covenant University for Undergraduate courses. The scholarship is a full package, as it covers accommodation, books, and other major expenses. The scholarship aims to help develop leadership characteristics in the candidates so that they will be agents of change in the ward. Successful candidates will have the privilege of either studying at Covenant University or Landmark University in Nigeria
The courses covered by the scholarship include Civil Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Electronic Engineering, Information And Communication Technology, Petroleum Engineering, and Biotechnology. Candidates can apply for any of the courses listed above as special preference is given to technology-based courses.
Candidates from the following countries can apply: Chad, Ethiopia, Tunisia, Nigeria, Niger, Burkina Faso, Mauritania, Ghana, South Africa, Egypt, Mali, Tanzania, Togo, Sudan, Rwanda, Lesotho, Libya, Liberia, Kenya, and Gambia. The scholarship is for a maximum of 5 years. For more details about this scholarship, click here
3. Adobe Research Women-in-Technology Scholarship 2020 for Female Undergraduate Students in STEM Fields
To bring more gender diversity to the technology industry, Adobe is pleased to invite applications to the Adobe Research Women-in-Technology Scholarship. The Adobe Research Women-in-Technology Scholarship recognizes outstanding undergraduate female students anywhere in the world who are studying computer science.
This scholarship is intended for students studying computer science, computer engineering, or related technical fields.
4. Hack Reactor Coding Scholarship USA
If you are passionate about coding and wish to work in the information technology world, then this is for you. The Hack Reactor is a coding school that has raised over 10,000 experts scattered all over the world. The school aims to raise software engineers who are willing to herald the technology revolution that is sweeping over the ages to come. They believe in a more sophisticated and equipped workforce technologically speaking. This scholarship is for all categories of individuals. For more information about this scholarship click here
The Top 20 Tech Skills You Need Today
Below are 20 top technology skills you need to consider learning to position yourself for a life of relevance and maximum satisfaction in the years to come.
1. ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
This is a very important driver of the future. This is a hot tech skill that will be the core foundation of future jobs. Researchers reveal that artificial intelligence will be used for automation and it will eliminate over 70 million jobs by 2040. The potential application of this skill ranges from programming, development, testing, maintenance, and support.
Courses on artificial intelligence
2. MACHINE LEARNING
Machine learning is a combination of math, data science, and software engineering. It is an extensive skill that needs to be learned. It is a subset of Artificial intelligence and it involves computers using algorithms and data to make predictions without necessarily being programmed to do so.
This is a tech skill that will be a major driver of the future as its application is in advanced technologies such as robotics and self-driving cars. Research has shown that the demand for machine learning experts will increase by 70% by the end of 2020. An average AI Researcher earns nothing less than one million dollars annually while a machine learning Engineer makes nothing less than $200,000 annually.
Courses on Machine Learning
There are many resources available and courses online that you can take. Examples include:
- MACHINE LEARNING(COUSERA)
- MACHINE LEARNING A-Z(UDEMY)
- PYTHON FOR DATA SCIENCE AND MACHINE LEARNING BOOTCAMP(UDEMY)
3. Data Science/Data Analyst
This is another technology skill you need for the future. In the years to come, the world will be driven by pure data, and data scientists and analysts will be in high demand. Data science involves extracting trends, patterns, information, and insights from data using principles of machine learning and algorithms. Data scientists will be needed in industries such as banking and finance, the healthcare sector, government agencies, ministries, etc. The least a data scientist makes in a year is $250, 000
COURSES ON DATA SCIENCE
- PYTHON FOR DATA SCIENCE AND MACHINE LEARNING(UDEMY)
- DATA SCIENCE A-Z(YOUTUBE)
- INTRODUCTION TO DATA SCIENCE(METIS)
- CS109 DATA SCIENCE(HARVARD)
- DATA SCIENCE SPECIALIZATION(COURSERA)
4. MOBILE AND SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT SKILLS
This is another top technology skill that you need for the future. They are solely responsible for constructing, installing, designing, maintaining, and testing major systems for software, web, and mobiles. The normal trend now is that all world organizations and companies are developing mobile apps. The rate at which mobile apps are developed is increasing exponentially daily. An average developer will earn nothing less than $200,000 in a year.
COURSES ON MOBILE/SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT
- Mobile Design and Development(Coursera)
- Full Stack Web Design and Mobile Development(Coursera)
- Java Developer(Udacity)
- Android App Development Course(Tonex)
5. CYBERSECURITY
Experts in this field are needed especially in these times when the activities of hackers are on a high rampage. Between 2019 and 2025 over 100,000 cybersecurity experts will be needed to stop these hackers from hacking the database of organizations and stealing personal information of customers. Anyone who learns this skill will be highly sought after soon. An average cybersecurity expert earns nothing less than $100,000 annually.
COURSES ON CYBERSECURITY
- Cybersecurity course for beginner level 1 (GOOGLE, COURSERA)
- Essentials of Cybersecurity(ex)
6. Augmented Reality (AR)/ Virtual Reality (VR)
This is one major area that enhances the betterment of nature and humanity as a whole. Recent students reveal that experts in this field are not much and in 2020 the demand for VR/AR experts will increase exponentially by 30%. Learning this skill does not require much. A basic foundational knowledge of programming and coding is required.
Courses on Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality
7. BLOCKCHAIN TECHNOLOGY
This is another major driver of the future. The world is tending towards a cashless economy and cryptocurrency is the world’s future currency. Experts in this field will be in high demand from 2020 and beyond. A recent online jobs magazine revealed that blockchain-related jobs are the second world’s fastest-growing jobs.
COURSES ON BLOCKCHAIN TECHNOLOGY
8. WEB DEVELOPMENT
The world of web development is one of the fastest growing technology skill that you need in the 21st century. The demand for web developers will increase by 70% from 2020-2040. One of the fastest ways to learn web development is by joining a coding boot camp.
COURSES ON WEB DEVELOPMENT
9. CLOUD COMPUTING
This is one of the topmost IT skills that will be in high demand from 2019 as all computer workloads will be done by the cloud. The demand for cloud computing experts will increase exponentially. Learning this skill does not require much, taking some of the online courses listed below will give you an edge.
COURSES ON CLOUD COMPUTING
- INTRODUCTION TO CLOUD COMPUTING(UDEMY)
- CLOUD COMPUTING CONCEPTS(UDEMY)
- BECOMING A CLOUD EXPERT(UDEMY)
10. DIGITAL MARKETING
This is another top-notch tech skill that is in hot demand. There is a radical shift taking place in the world of digital marketing. Digital marketing experts are needed now and then to come up with new ideas, innovations, concepts, and strategies to market new products and increase the visibility of companies online.
COURSES ON DIGITAL MARKETING
11. NEW DEVELOPMENT LANGUAGE EXPERT
Learning any development language such as Python, C++, or Java will make you a valuable and desirable person in the years to come. Learning a coding language is a big jackpot for you as there is a high demand for coding language experts. Coding is a major driver of the future and anyone with this skill can never run out of jobs.
COURSES ON CODING LANGUAGE
12. DEVOPS ENGINEER
DevOps engineers use scripting skills such as Maven, Ruby, Ant, Bash, and Python to streamline and automate systems and processes already in existence. They are also responsible for maintaining and building tools for operations, deployment, and monitoring systems. This is one of the rare skills that will become more pronounced in the future, As the world is tending towards automation, there will be a high demand for DevOps Engineers
COURSES ON DEVOPS
13. SOLUTIONS ARCHITECT
This requires engineering and software architectural design skills to manage cumbersome processes making use of technology to handle and analyze business problems. Solution architects will be in high demand between 2019-2030. Take this average and learn the requisite skills that will position you toward becoming a professional solutions architect
Courses on Solutions Architect
14. Systems Engineer
This uses network hardware and operating systems combined with basic fundamental coding to modify computer systems for organizations, parastatals, and agencies. Requires system analysis and design skills coupled with business, mathematical, and communication skills.
Courses on System Engineers
15. UX DESIGNER
UX Designers use HTML/CSS and JavaScript Skills to come up with unique website concepts and designs. They give the finishing touches to websites. Also, they work hand in hand with web developers to come up with outstanding concepts for websites. They are also responsible for conducting usability tests and evaluating the success of a web design.
COURSES ON UX DESIGN
16. SYSTEMS ADMINISTRATOR
They make use of VMware skills to provide technical support for both soft and hardware issues. Additionally, they are responsible for configuring and operating client-based computer operating systems, responding to security issues, and monitoring systems. They maintain and secure data backups and monitor and upgrade systems. They are also responsible for installing and Testing new system hardware.
COURSES ON SYSTEM ADMINISTRATION
17. APPLICATION ENGINEER
This uses coding and software skills to gather sales information and customer input information to test, design, redesign, implement, and test complex software programs, software, and applications based on the needs of the user. The job duties of an application engineer include designing, developing, testing, and upgrading existing software and also providing technical support to users.
COURSES ON APPLICATION ENGINEERING
- ANDROID APPLICATION ENGINEER CERTIFICATION PRACTICE(UDEMY)
- CERTIFIED SECURE WEB APPLICATION ENGINEER(UDEMY)
18. DATA ENGINEER
This uses statistical analysis, predictive modeling, text analysis experience skills, and knowledge of Hadoop-based technologies to build systems that handle cumbersome data. They are involved in designing, developing, building, testing, and maintaining architectures (databases and large-scale data processing units and systems). They help find ways of developing high-performance algorithms for data usage.
COURSES ON DATA ENGINEERING
19. PRODUCT MANAGEMENT
They make use of software development and web technology skills to develop products from scratch. Also, they are involved in conducting market research to identify new prospects for the future in terms of products. They are also responsible for setting the pricing system to be used and developing the marketing strategies to be adopted.
COURSES ON PRODUCT MANAGEMENT
20. JAVA DEVELOPER
This uses Java development skills and knowledge of ORM and SQL Technologies to create user information systems by developing and designing low-latency and high-volume applications. They are also solely responsible for determining and defining the needs of the users and developing and implementing possible solutions to the problem.
COURSES ON JAVA DEVELOPMENT
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