In this technological era, having a good understanding of how the tech world is evolving can make a big difference in your life.
Whether you’re seeking a job in the corporate world or you have your own business, staying current with new technology trends and learning new skills is very valuable.
Here’s a list of some of the biggest tech skills to learn in 2021.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Automation
Artificial Intelligence, or AI, it’s still in its early stages, but it’s expected to impact almost every aspect of our lives soon. AI is already known for its superiority in image and speech recognition, navigation apps, smartphone personal assistants, ride-sharing apps and so much more.
As Artificial intelligence moves out of the early adopter phase and into more mainstream use, companies will look for employees who can lead more complex AI projects.
The AI market will grow to a $190 billion industry by 2025 with global spending on cognitive and AI systems reaching over $57 billion in 2021.
New jobs will be created in development, programming, testing, support and maintenance, and many more.
Machine Learning is also creating a huge demand for skilled professionals. Forrester predicts AI, machine learning, and automation will create 9 percent of new U.S. jobs by 2025, jobs including robot monitoring professionals, data scientists, automation specialists, and content curators.
Quantum Computing
Quantum computing, which is a form of computing that takes advantage of quantum phenomena like superposition and quantum entanglement, is involved in critical things like preventing the spread of the coronavirus.
Another field where quantum computing is being implemented is banking and finance, to manage credit risk, for high-frequency trading and fraud detection.
Quantum computers are now a multitude times faster than regular computers and big brands like Splunk, Honeywell, Microsoft, AWS, Google, and many others are now involved in making innovations in the field of Quantum Computing.
The revenues for the global quantum computing market are projected to surpass $2.5 billion by 2029.
Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality
14 million AR and VR devices were sold in 2019. The global AR and VR market is expected to grow to $209.2 billion by 2022, which will create many opportunities, and welcome more professionals ready for this exceptional field.
Although this technology has mainly been used for gaming, it has also been developed for training, as with VirtualShip, a simulation software used to train U.S. Navy, Army, and Coast Guard ship captains.
In 2021, we can expect these technologies to be further integrated into our lives in training, entertainment, education, marketing, and even rehabilitation after an injury.
The best thing is that getting started in VR doesn’t require a lot of specialized knowledge – basic programming skills and a forward-thinking mindset can help you land a job.
Blockchain
Blockchain is not only used for cryptocurrency but is also used in many other ways to create security.
With blockchain, you don’t need a trusted third-party to oversee or validate transactions, meaning it’s needed for peer-to-peer payments, crowdfunding, file storage, identity management, digital voting, and so on.
Therefore, more companies need skilled professionals who understand blockchain, smart contracts, and can build decentralized applications.
To get into Blockchain, the skills you should learn are networking, database design, and programming languages ranging from Java, JavaScript, and C++ to Go, Solidity, and Python.
Tech giants like Facebook, Amazon, IBM, and Microsoft are working on developing blockchain services.
5G
In the last few years, 3G and 4G technologies have made our lives better by enabling us to browse the internet, using data-driven services, increasing bandwidths for streaming and so much more.
Looking ahead, 5G services are expected to enable services that rely on advanced technologies like AR and VR, alongside cloud-based gaming services like Google Stadia, NVidia GeForce Now, and much more.
Currently, every telecom company like Verizon, Tmobile, Apple, Nokia Corp, QualComm, are working on creating and implementing 5G applications. 5G services are expected to launch worldwide in 2021.
Remember, Internet tech is for everyone! Online courses and certifications to learn new skills will take you and your career to the future.