Cybersecurity Experience, Older Workers, More Contractors Among IT Workforce Trends for 2017

The line between cybersecurity practitioners and IT specialists will begin to blur. Most IT staff will be required to have at least some expertise in cybersecurity.

Midmarket businesses are constantly looking for ways to deploy sophisticated mobile technology. Whether for consumer-facing mobile applications or for managing internal workforce processes and resources, mobile developers will become some of the hottest talent hires in 2017.

Given the tech industry’s tendency to hire young workers fresh out of college, the industry has traditionally overlooked the advantages of having older, more seasoned employees work alongside younger ones. Expect to see companies place greater emphasis on making great hires of all ages.

Due to the agile, project-oriented nature of technology work and the sustained technical talent shortage, client-side demand for freelance or temporary workers will continue to increase rapidly. Agile employees (contractor, consultant, temporary or freelance positions) are expected to comprise as much as 50 percent of the workforce by 2019, allowing companies access to specialized talent and skillsets that fit their precise needs.

The first representatives of Generation Z have just entered the workforce, and they are bringing a “dramatic new energy to every workplace.” Among their career direction and choices, STEM-related professions are some of the most popular. Personal technology also attracts them, and in order to satisfy Gen Z’s craving for social-media engagement, companies should consider incorporating wearables and virtual reality into a revived workplace.

Aided by big data and analytics, enterprises will automate certain IT functions, such as cybersecurity and network monitoring; however, automation won’t eliminate the need for people in the workplace. Lower-level tasks might be automated, but human intelligence will still be needed for higher-level analysis and decision-making in IT environments.

The IT field continues to boom with technological breakthroughs and innovation, and 2017 will be no different. Quickly emerging technologies such as virtual reality and the Internet of Things (IoT) will mean more demand for IT workers with these specialties. Along with the advancement of IoT will come the need to secure these devices. Enterprises will need to be agile enough to respond to shifting technology trends, both in their own workplaces and for their customers.