Expert opinions, TECHNOLOGY

IT Professions Navigator: Where You Can Make a Career in 2024

We tell you what technological trends determine the demand for certain professions and what skills should be developed in order to be in demand by specialists in the near future.

Photo by Luca Bravo on Unsplash

Analytics and Big Data

Every year, the amount of data available to companies is increasing. The more data, the more value you can extract from it.

The BI (Business Intelligence) market in Russia is growing by an average of 13% per year. According to some estimates, the peak of the introduction of BI systems and the transition to Russian solutions in this segment will be in 2024. This segment is expected to grow by 30-40% next year.

The big data market is also growing dynamically: it will increase from 170 billion rubles in 2021 to 319 billion rubles in 2024. This forecast was made by specialists from the Association of Big Data Market Participants. At the same time, at least 62% of Russian companies already use solutions to work with Big Data. As one of the main barriers to the development of technology, they note the lack of competencies in the team – this was stated by 22% of respondents. This means that with significant prospects for the direction and demand of technology, the business market lacks competent personnel.

Big Data and Data Science are a set of specific disciplines responsible for analyzing data and finding optimal solutions based on them. Previously, analysts used methods of mathematical statistics, then began to use machine learning and artificial intelligence, which significantly speed up the process of obtaining results. Big Data technologies, which began to be used by large high-tech corporations a few years ago, are now being introduced by various companies, including small ones.

So, today companies widely use data on user behavior. Based on the information received, you can launch digital services or loyalty programs. For example, financial app Digit analyzes users’ monthly income, current balance and habits, helping them manage their personal finances and optimize their spending and savings.

Given the upward trend in working with data, we can assume with great confidence that the following professions will remain relevant in 2024:

  • AI specialist. With the development of ML and AI, the demand for professionals capable of developing and implementing AI algorithms and models will continue to
  • Specialist in Big Data (Big Data specialist). They work with huge amounts of data, analyze them and draw conclusions that are useful for making business development decisions.
  • Specialist in the Internet of Things (IoT specialist). With the proliferation of IoT devices, the demand for specialists capable of developing and maintaining communication systems between devices will grow. They are responsible for developing network architecture, working with sensors and devices, as well as analyzing and managing data.

Business and System Analytics

To launch and develop various digital services, companies need business and system analytics. They collect and systematize the requirements of internal solution customers (stakeholders), assess the influence of various factors on the development of the product, delve into technical details – architecture and technological stack, and also write SOWs for development.

As a result, analysts are responsible for ensuring that the implementation of the IT solution strictly meets the expectations of stakeholders. The collection, systematization and coordination of requirements allows all participants in the process to be in the same information field. Without this, you will not be able to launch any application.

Therefore, today specialists with expertise in integrations and microservices, those who can potentially or already implement the architecture of integrations or databases, are especially relevant.

Programming

42% of company leaders believe that in the future neural networks will replace programmers, the Зарплата.ру survey showed. And the developers themselves are confident that AI is already capable of taking on 37% of their functions. However, in the future of the next few years, programmers are most likely not in danger.

Companies are actively hiring developers working with object-oriented languages. The most popular of them are Java and Python. Thus, Java is chosen for the development of large applications, real-time systems, mobile applications on Android, as well as websites and web applications. In 2023, Apple products and, accordingly, applications that are written in Swift or Objective-C (older versions) have become less popular among users due to sanctions restrictions. In 2023, the iOS operating system occupies 27.63% of the global market, Android – 71.74%.

In 2022, Python became the second most popular after JavaScrip in the ranking of languages ​ ​ on GitHub. Its prospects are due to the fact that it is used not only for the development of websites and web applications, but also for working with AI. So, in data analysis and machine learning, Python is one of the most popular programming languages. In other areas, such as game development or low-level programming, it is less common.

New directions in development are appearing. One of the most promising professions is the Virtual and Augmented Reality developer. With the development of VR and AR technologies, the demand for specialists capable of creating and developing such solutions will grow.

Testing

Testers who search for errors in programs under various scenarios of working with the application remain one of the most demanded professions in IT. However, manual testing becomes less frequent, and more and more there is a need for specialists who themselves make manual tests and then cover them with code.

Taking into account existing trends, it can be assumed that auto testers specializing in the development and support of automated tests will be more in demand in 2024. This is facilitated by the constant development of tools and platforms for automating the process. In addition, automated testing can provide faster and more reliable software quality verification, which helps reduce release time and improve overall development performance.

However, this does not mean that functional testers are unnecessary. They have valuable knowledge in evaluating functionality and user experience that can be difficult to automate. Companies are likely to continue to hire functional testers, especially for revising new features and custom scenarios, but will place particular emphasis on microservice architecture experience and integration testing skills.

Thus, both functional testers and auto testers will remain in demand. It may be beneficial for IT professionals to specialize in both areas.

Product Analytics

The main roles in development remain unchanged. The main trend in IT is also stable – import substitution, which requires immersion of developers in the subject area of ​ ​ the IT solution, especially if it is a large high-precision application with a large number of users.

Specialists who are ready to work with Legacy (outdated, monolithic, often self-written systems) and transfer them to the Russian stack are especially in demand. However, import substitution is a rather “painful” process, including for business, because it is important that the application not only continues to work smoothly, but also to bring profit. Therefore, a demanded professional area appears – product analytics.

Such specialists provide companies with the opportunity to extract valuable insights from data and use them to make important decisions in the field of product development and marketing. They use all the same analytical tools: A/B testing, SQL and Python, as well as Google Analytics, Adobe Analytics, Mixpanel, Amplitude, etc.

A product analyst can be a “connecting bridge” between specialists who are included in the process of improving an application, but in one way or another are not immersed in user or product expertise. They can:

  • determine which products and functions are most in demand by consumers and what improvements should be made to meet their needs;
  • predict user behavior, identify trends and understand what factors influence the purchasing decision;
  • identify problematic or unsatisfactory aspects of the product and offer specific solutions to improve it.

Cyber security

A recent survey of company executives showed that the most popular position in the IT divisions of companies is information security specialists – 54% of respondents are looking for them. This situation is likely to continue in the coming years.

The demand for cybersecurity specialists is growing around the world. This is due to the increase in the number of cyber attacks and the need to protect information and data. The number of incidents in the field of information security in Russia in the first half of 2023 doubled compared to the same period last year, according to MTS RED. The landscape of cyber threats is becoming more complicated, and businesses are more often faced with thoughtful and complex attacks by professional hackers.

At the same time, there is a shortage of qualified specialists, which forces companies to compete for personnel with the help of high salaries and bonuses.

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These are only some of the IT professions that are promising for career development in 2024 based on current technological and economic trends. The IT field is constantly changing, so it is important for any specialist to be ready for training and adapt to new technologies and labor market requirements.

By Daria Narodovskaya, Senior HR Manager, iFellow

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