Introduction

As someone deeply entrenched in the ever-changing landscape of technology, I’ve learned firsthand that the industry is constantly in flux. What were once the hottest tech skills quickly becoming outdated as innovations emerge. In today’s highly competitive technology sector, employers expect candidates to stay up to date on the latest trends and possess in-demand technical skills.

Staying ahead is essential, with thousands of candidates competing for a limited number of positions. The key lies in continuously updating your skill set and staying informed about the skills employers seek. By keeping a finger on the pulse of the industry and proactively honing your abilities, you can craft an impressive resume and position yourself as a standout candidate in the competitive job market.

Learners receive an average Salary hike of 58% with the highest being up to 400%.

That is why to launch a stellar career, you need to acquire the top technical skills of 2024.

In the coming times, the field of technology is expected to grow to 1.3 trillion USD by 2025 (Source).  The projections are going to be really high due to the high innovations happening in the field of tech today.  There are new advancements, and new technologies that organizations are quickly receptive to, and in order to include, develop or run these advancements there is a huge requirement for skilled professionals. 

The industry of technology is famous to be one of the top high-paying careers in the market. And the industry of technology has many sub-fields where professionals can make out a great career depending on their interests. The average salary of a tech professional is 7.8 LPA and the salary ranges from 0.2 LPA to 25.9 LPA (Source). The more someone gathers experience and more they develop their skillset, the more career progression gets upwards. 

There are various sub-fields available in the technology industry depending upon one’s interest the professionals can make a career in any field of their interest. The available sub-fields are-

1. Electrical and Engineering
2. Information and communication technology
3. Chemical Technology
4. Computer Science
5. Data Science
6. Cloud Computing
7. Software Engineering
8. Network Security
9. Database Management
10. Computer Programming

Top technical skills candidates should learn in 2022 

Here are the top technical skills you must master to kick-start your career in the tech industry:

1. Building a Chatbot

You must have noticed that Artificial Intelligence deals with customer service interaction and queries on many reputable websites. This trend is expected to grow further in 2020-2024. 

Chatbots pop up the moment you visit these websites. They’re designed to emulate human conversation unerringly and the technology that drives chatbots is Artificial Intelligence. Also, learn how chatbots are making a stir in social media.

The reason chatbots are so popular is that they can be utilized for 24/7 service. They flawlessly handle customer queries, a higher volume of operations, and other administrative tasks without the element of human error. 

AI-operated chatbots are being extensively deployed by all the major industries, from retail and healthcare to manufacturing and finance. That is why chatbot technology is one of the top technical skills of 2022.

Chatbots draw on a wide database of instructions that are usually given to computers by humans. To construct nifty chatbots, you need Artificial Intelligence technologies such as –

• Natural Language Processing
• Data Mining
• Machine Learning

Further skills needed to form a team that can develop chatbots are –

• Node.js Skills and Node.js Developer 
• JavaScript
• Knowledge of DialogFlow or Wit.ai

Building a chatbot is one of the demanded skills in tech,  as the name suggests chat +robot, is used by almost every organisation to increase the better user experience for their customers. These chatbots that are developed simulate the conversations either through speech or texts.

The profession in the chatbot industry is one of the most thriving careers to follow if one has to begin a career in the AI/ ML industry. Almost every organisation is adopting technology to bring a better user experience. 

Chatbots are game changers, they create a channel to allow the users to interact with the digital services in a similar way a human does. Chatbots in today’s times are used in almost every industry such as healthcare, transportation, education, e-commerce, etc.

Chatbots are used in the healthcare industry to facilitate the interaction between patients and doctors. This can be done to schedule appointments, get recommendations, etc. Along with that e-commerce industry uses chatbots for many purposes, such as customer care service, grievance redressal, etc.

The market for chatbots is very huge and is constantly growing, the market is expected to reach US$ 4.2 Bn in 2032 (Source). There are many professions in the chatbot industry, that the professionals can go for and start their career in the industry. The average salary of a chatbot developer is 5.0 LPA and the salary ranges from 3.0 LPA to 15.6 LPA (Source). Apart from the skills mentioned above, chatbot developers should also be knowing about Rasa, Microsoft Bot, Google DialogFlow Cognitive Service, etc.

It would also help if you have a thorough understanding of the requirements of the potential users and the probable problems that they might face. Learn how to make a chatbot in Python.

2. Python

Python is a hot skill at the moment and the reason it is so sought after is that it is crucial to Artificial Intelligence and Data Science, which form the cornerstone of technology. A few other compelling reasons why you should invest yourself in machine learning with Python –

• It is the fastest-growing programming language at the moment, so it is in high demand. 
• Python is immensely versatile. It is used in almost all fields of technology such as gaming, website development, machine learning, and scientific computing. Once you have acquired this skill, you will have the opportunity to exercise your choice and land a rewarding job, with great pay in any segment of the vast technology industry.
• Some of the world’s most famous tech behemoths such as Amazon, Google, Facebook, NASA, Netflix, Instagram, and Dropbox rely on Python and hire people well-versed in it.

Python is one of the most growing programming languages in the tech world today. And is one of the top programming languages used by programmers. There are various reasons behind Python’s growing popularity, such as its easy syntax which is not complicated. This allows the programmers to write and run the codes very easily as compared to the other programming languages.  

The growth of Python is getting advanced by each day. As it is one of the most demanding skills in IT industry.  It has various applications such as the development of the web, game development, business applications, machine learning, AI, etc. Also, there are various benefits of using Python such as easy to code, easy to read, portable, and many libraries.

3. TensorFlow

In connection with Python, it should be noted that another hot skill that is going to be very popular in 2020-2024 is TensorFlow. 

Google developed this software, which is open-source, and it acts as an AI library. It helps developers craft neural networks that contain multiple layers. With graphs indicating data flows, models can be created. Companies use TensorFlow for –

• Perception
• Classification
• Understanding
• Discovering
• Predicting
• Creation 

Tensorflow has the features of pre-builtin functions that it provides the scope of operations to run. This allows to build neural network models. This helps to build an ecosystem or infrastructure to build applications. Tensorflow boasts of having one of the most extensive libraries which the programmers can use to develop more applications.

It is one of the most relevant tech skills to learn in 2022, as Tensorflow has wide applications. It can be used for deep learning or machine learning problems. It can also be used to visualise objects in a photograph by running certain algorithms.

Tensorflow provides a wider support, it is scalable and simplifies the production and deployment options. It is is vastly used by the businesses, startups, etc. It is a powerful tool to transfer ideas from concept to code.

The great thing about TensorFlow is that there are numerous books and tutorials available that can help you acquire this skill. Learn more about Tensorflow project ideas for beginners.

4. Cybersecurity

The reason why the demand for candidates with an extensive understanding of cybersecurity is high is that even today there are major holes in cybersecurity that pose as significant a threat to companies. Companies are likely to increase their investment in cybersecurity to plug these holes and safeguard company technologies and secrets. 

Even police departments are hiring cybersecurity experts to help crackdown on crime.

To make a career in cybersecurity, you need to possess these skills –

• Analysis of malware and its reversal
• Detecting intrusions, breaches and attempted data theft with backdoor codes and Trojans
• Fundamentals of programming language 
• Risk analysis
• Expertise in cloud security

Cybersecurity is one of the most important aspect that organisations today are paying their attention to. Almost every organisation public or private is data driven and data has become central. This data has many information that are sensitive which the organisatons wants to safeguard and do not want to be comprised. 

It allows the organisations to protect their data from damages or any potential breaches or unauthorised access from the attackers. Some of the data is sensitive such as of personal information of identity, banking, healthcare, biometrics, etc. And these kinds of data if leaked canbe misused and is a threat to the society as well. As the organisations have the respobsiiblity of keeping the data safe. So they take all appropriate measures to protect the data. And in today’s time it is one of the  top IT skills in demand 2022.

The demand for the cybersecurity is growing by each day and the market is expected to reach US$298.70bn by 2027 (Source). Cybersecurity is a profession that is highly in demand and comes under one of the top paying careers. The field is so diverse that the relevancy of the skill is applicable to every industry and the professionals can have many options. 

Read: Top 6 Programming Languages to Learn

5. Microsoft Azure

Another hot skill of 2022 is Microsoft Azure. Cloud computing is a rage right now and that is why Microsoft has entered the fray with its own platform to help in this kind of computing. With the help of data centers managed by Microsoft, Azure can be used for-

• Creating applications
• Testing apps
• Managing the apps 

The reason Azure gives you an edge is that you can create applications and services with any tool, language or framework of your choice. Microsoft Azure is the current favourite of the IT industry because it is cost-effective and extremely functional. 

6. Blockchain

When you think of electronic payment, electronic currencies or cryptocurrencies, the word that pops to the mind is blockchain, which is the foundation of the technology that powers electronic payment. 

It is a data structure that acts as a ledger and records transactions in many databases. It offers complete transparency and security. 

This technology is also utilized to create cryptocurrencies. Major banking and other financial institutions are making the most of blockchain, which is what makes it one of the top technical skills of 2022. Learn why blockchain is the future.

Blockchain technology is rapidly growing and so is its market. The market for blockchain is expected to reach  USD 163.83 billion by 2029 (Source). There are many reasons for the growing technology of blockchain, it increases the trust, security, transparency and portability of the data. This can be shared across networks.

There are various applications of blockchain, that are in demand. It can be sued to transfer money, smart contacts, healthcare, logistics, etc. The profesiobals can develop their career in any field of their choice. But they be investing their time and effort in developing the skillsets. 

The industry is growing at a rapid pace because of its vast applicability. And it comes under one of the high paying careers. The average salary for a blockchain developer is 6.5 LPA and the salary can go upto 20.5 LPA or more (Source) The more experience, skills would be possessed the better chances are there to grow. 

7. Neural networks

Just like the neural pathways of our brain control all the functions of our body, Artificial Intelligence to needs something similar so that it can be operated. This is where neural networks come in, and today it is one of the most crucial top technical skills. 

They are the computer equivalent of the complex network of the brain’s neural pathways. Algorithms and deep learning can be used to make AI ‘think’ and develop insight. 

A programming language like Python or a framework like TensorFlow can create an intricate web of neural networks that transmit data. 

The neural network is a hot skill because it can be used for-

• Predicting market trends
• Verification of data
• Detecting fraudulent activities
• Forecasting sales
• Analyzing risk

Know more: Neural Network Tutorial

8. Linux Professional Institute Certification

The one operating system that will never fall out of favour is Linux. Linux is here to stay and you had better brush up your Linux skills. Linux forms the foundation of all other software in any computer, be it your average laptop or a supercomputer.  

To prove that you are a qualified individual with an extensive understanding of Linux, you need the stamp of approval from the Linux Professional Institute, which comes in the form of a certificate. It is likely to be one of the top technical skills in the upcoming years. 

9. Splunk technology

No list of top technical skills can be complete without including the Splunk technology. The big data of most companies is not generated by humans because we cannot handle the immense volume of monitoring, searching, analyzing, correlating, indexing, and developing reports. And all of this has to be done in real-time! 

That is why software like Splunk is deployed to mine staggering amounts of data. 

The technology of splunk is used to work with Big Data and its various processes such as searching, examining, monitoring, etc. Splunk is a software platform and it also generates graphs, dashboards, alerts,  etc. by capturing, indexing and correlating the data in  a real-time basis. 

Splunk can be used for management of applications, security, busines analytics, web analytics, etc. Splunk is popular because of its scalability as well and it is available on multiple platforms and can be run very efffortesly. It is installation speed is also very high. In the commonly asked question “What technical skills should I learn?” , Splunk should definitely should be in the list.

Conclusion

In conclusion, staying updated with the hottest tech skills is imperative for success in the fiercely competitive IT sector. Fortunately, acquiring these skills is feasible with dedicated effort and attention. By mastering the in-demand skills of 2024, you open doors to an exciting and fulfilling career in technology.

If you’re ready to embark on this journey, explore upGrad’s machine learning, data science, and blockchain courses for working professionals. These courses offer practical projects and job assistance with leading firms, providing you with the tools and opportunities to excel in your career. Take the first step towards achieving your professional goals and unlocking new opportunities in the dynamic world of technology.

Check out upGrad’s courses on Machine Learning, Data Science, Blockchain designed for working professionals. Get your hands on practical projects and get job assistance with top firms.