trending-technologies — Thu Sep 09 2021
10 TECH SKILLS IN DEMAND TO LEARN IN 2021
Post by — Joy Krinbut

Think of starting a career in the tech industry but don’t know where to start or what skills you would need to start your tech career?
Secure your future by pursuing tech skills in demand.
There are lots of jobs available in the tech industry, there are hundreds of thousands of them going unfilled every year. An estimated one million tech jobs went unfulfilled in 2020, signalling a huge technology talent deficit. Recent research shows that the job growth projection of the tech industry would increase by 120% by 2026.
One of the biggest problems the tech industry is facing is that there is an extreme talent shortage in the industry right now.
In today’s post, we will be looking at the 10 tech skills in demand in 2021.
Now let’s get started
1. Automation

With an increasing number of potential cases, initiatives towards self-driving vehicles would be a priority for many organisations across the world. This ensures that the cost of human labour is reduced. There will also be an increase in the incorporation of robots in the care and assistant living sector. Drones are also expected to be for the delivery of medicine, groceries and other essential goods. Some of the popular companies in the field of automation are Siemens, Honeywell, ABB and Mitsubishi.
To get into Automation, you will need skills like
- Programming and Scripting skills
- Configuration Management Software
- Understanding of testing tools
2. Quantum computing

It is a form of computing that takes advantage of quantum phenomena like superposition and quantum entanglement. In banking and finance, quantum computing would help manage credit risk for high-frequency trading and fraud detection. Quantum computers are now thousands of times faster than regular computers. The revenues for the global quantum computing market is projected to surpass 2.5 billion dollars by 2029
To get into quantum computing you need to have experience with
- Quantum mechanics
- Linear algebra
- Probability
- Information theory
- Machine learning
3. Cybersecurity

Cybersecurity is going to be a major focus for many organisations. There would be a focus on protecting smaller organisations from cyber attacks. Protecting the identities and devices of remote workers, preventing access to confidential patience records, protecting the Smart Supply chain and so much more. The need for proper cybersecurity is so high that according to cybercrime magazine, it is expected that by 2021, 6 trillion dollars will be spent globally on cybersecurity.
To get started with cybersecurity, you will need skills like
- IT and Network fundamentals
- Coding skills
- Cloud security
- Malware Analysis
4. Augmented Virtuality (AR) and Extended Reality (VR)

In 2021 we can expect these forms of technologies integrated into our daily lives. AR and VR are playing a huge role in the field of healthcare by providing training simulations to help medical professionals and for opticians to perform eye tests. It also plays a huge role in the educational sector by greatly improving interactivity. The VR video and gaming market is expected to grow to 2.9 and 2 billion in 2021 respectively.
To get started with AR and VR you need skills like
- Software development
- AR/ VR maintenance support
- Designs/ graphics
- Hardware engineering
5. Blockchain

This is the tech behind Bitcoin, it has so much more to offer than just cryptocurrencies. It is also used for file storage, peer-to-peer payments, crowdfunding and identity management and banking. We are seeing widespread adoption of blockchain for transactions as it removes the need for an intermediary and improved security. The global blockchain market is expected to grow from 3 billion dollars in 2020 to 39.7 billion dollars by 2025 with a CAGR of 67.3 from 2020 to 2025.
To get started with blockchain you need to be experienced with
- programming languages
- the fundamental of Oops
- flat and relational database
- data structures
- Web App development
- Networking.
6. Artificial Intelligence (AI)

Ai is the field that is expected to see the most amount of growth in the coming years. Ai can help interpret and understand the enormous amount of content produced. Machine learning Algorithms would become better informed and perform much more sophisticated operations.
It is expected to be used to analyse interactions to determine underlying connections and insights to help predict demand for services like hospitals and enable authorities to make better decisions about resource utilisation.
AI would be used by businesses to detect the changing patterns of customers behaviour and for detecting the various ways that they can be satisfied. Global spending on cognitive and Ai systems is expected to reach 57.6 billion dollars by 2021.
To get started with AI, you will need skills like
- Programming Languages
- Linear Algebra
- Probability
- Big Data
- Machine Learning Algorithms
7. Intelligence of Things (IoT)
IoT software and hardware are expected to see great growth which is a result of the changing industry dynamics, economic stimulus and remote access demand. IoT is expected to be adopted by smart manufacturing and healthcare. AI-enabled medical IoT devices can have applications like clinical decision making, thermal image recognition, surgical assistance, smart clinics and telemedicine centres. It is expected that there will be 35 billion IoT devices installed worldwide by 2021 and 75.44 billion by 2025.
To get started with IoT you need to learn about
- Information security
- AI and Machine learning
- Networking
- Hardware interfacing
- Business intelligence tools
8. DevOps

New software is rapidly being developed to meet the changing needs of companies and their customers. Learning software development skills like software testing and debugging would be incredibly valuable this year and into the future
To get started with DevOps you will need skills like
- Coding and Scripting skills
- Deployment and network operation skills
- Familiarity with DevOps tools like Jenkins, Azure, AWS, Kubernetes
- Linux or Unix System Administration
9. Product Management
According to a report by the Product Management Institute, there will be a demand for 88 million professionals for product management roles by the end of 2021. Product management helps to determine the perimeters and features that a product must-have. Product management is just like the bridge between the development, marketing and the business development sector of an organisation.
To get started with Product Management you will need skills like
- Strong understanding of Product Lifecycle Management (PLM)
- Strong Analytical skill
- Knowledge of product management tools like Jira, Asana etc
10. Data Analytics

Over the years, there has been exponential growth in data which has led to the adoption of analytical tools. Organisations are analysing data for complex decision making and gaining consumer confidence. Despite the slowdown in the job market, data science and analytics professionals' demand remains high.
To get started with Data Analytics you need skills like
- Data cleaning and preparation
- Data analysis and exploration
- Strong statistical knowledge
- Creation of data visualisation
Now I’d love to hear from you
Which of the tech skills mentioned in today’s post would you love to start your tech career in?
Let me know by leaving a comment below right now