Starting a business or startup is commendable; many people aspire to do that. Indeed many people even manage to start one or several. Great as that all is it is inevitable that not all of us can start startups or businesses. Some people will thrive as human resources. It does not always mean that they are any less. After all, it is human resources that fuel businesses or startups. As an employee or human resource, the thrust is often to become high value i.e. highly paid and sought after. Here are 5 top tech skills that can make you a high-value human resource:
Big Data Analytics
Big data is defined as data on a very large and complex scale, such that it can only be gathered or processed with computers, especially concerning its potential to allow for breakthroughs or understanding in a particular field. Analytics refers to the discovery, interpretation, and communication of meaningful patterns in data. If you have a rough idea of how digital things have become you will easily appreciate how much of a big deal all this is.
Some of the specialized skills here are Data Science, Data Analytics, Machine Learning, and Statistics, amongst others. It is also essential that one acquires skillsets in using Data Visualization tools such as Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Power BI, and Tableau, amongst others. Acquiring big data analytics skills will more than quadruple your value as a human resource. Common designations here are Data Engineer, Data Scientist, Data Administrator, and Data Architect.
Cybersecurity
This again goes back to how digital things have become. We are living in a digital age. Most of what you do daily is directly or indirectly online. There is now a general appreciation of how the real action is online. Ironically this is also part of the reason why online scams and crime in general keep spiking. This is why cybersecurity has become such an important subject matter. Cybersecurity refers to the protection of computer networks, computer systems, and digital devices from unauthorized access, theft, or damage.
The demand for human resources with cybersecurity skillsets can only grow moving forward. If you can acquire such skills you will become extremely high value. Some of the common designations here are Security Engineer, Information Security Analyst, Risk Manager, Chief Information Officer, Security Consultant, and Cloud Engineer, amongst others.
Cloud Computing
Cloud computing involves the solving of tasks using a wide array of technologies, computers, computer networks, servers, and the internet. Some of the common cloud computing platforms are Microsoft Azure, Amazon Web Services (AWS), and Google Cloud, amongst others. If you want to strategically position yourself in cloud computing you need to acquire skills aligned to such platforms. Again given the digital nature of the modern day world, the demand for cloud computing skillsets is bound to be on the rise indefinitely. Some of the common certifications here are AWS Certified Solutions Architect, Microsoft Certified Azure Engineer, Certified Cloud Security Professional (CCSP), and many more.
Artificial Intelligence (AI)
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is one of the most topical subjects nowadays. In the most basic terms, AI is the bundling of technologies that enable computers and or machines to carry out tasks like or better than human computational ability. You will not go wrong by specializing in areas to do with AI. Some of the core areas are Natural Language Processing, Machine Learning, and Robotics, just to mention a few. You can also come from the angle of focusing on certain programming languages e.g. Java, Python, and C++. There are infinite possibilities once you have the requisite skillset in AI.
I recall recently there was an AI-related job vacancy that was being advertised by Netflix. The role came with an annual income of around US$ 900,000. This is just an example of how high value it is bound to be when you have certified AI skill sets. Some of the common designations in AI are AI Engineer, Machine Learning Engineer, Data Scientist, Natural Language Processing Engineer, Deep Learning Engineer, AI Product Manager, Business Development Manager, and more.
Internet Of Things (IoT)
Simply put, IoT refers to a system comprised of interconnected computer-driven devices that can collect and exchange data over a network. This is an area we have covered before but it has been a while. Breaking down the Internet of Things (IoT) is one such article; from 2020. You can check it out to get an appreciation of what IoT is. IoT is the future and is finding countless applications in the world. Some of the interesting applications include smart homes and smart agriculture. Anyways, IoT is fast becoming mainstream in most parts of the world.
In the developing world, IoT is budding but looks promising to pick up momentum. This is an area where acquiring skills in programming languages also comes in handy. Programming languages like Java, Python, and C++. You will also be more strategically positioned if you are skilled in the other areas we discussed today. Some of the common designations here are Software Engineer, Software Developer, Solutions Architect, Technical Consultant, IoT Engineer, and more.
These are the top 5 tech skills to acquire if you want to become a high-value human resource. The good thing about these skills is that you can acquire them regardless of prior skills you may have. For instance, you can be in health, business, or humanities but you can still acquire these skills. They will make you way more valuable than you currently are. You can even end up taking new career paths.
