Network and infrastructure roles continue to shift as enterprises adopt technologies such as AI-driven network operations, multicloud networking, zero trust network access (ZTNA), and SD-WAN. Here’s a recap of some of the latest industry research, hiring statistics, and certification trends that impact today’s network professionals, infrastructure and operations (I&O) leaders, and data center teams. Check back for regular updates.
New data released from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) shows earlier estimates of job growth were miscalculated. The agency reported this week that there were 818,000 fewer jobs added in the 12 months ending in March 2024 than previously reported. This information coupled with reports from Indeed that the unemployment rate continues to slowly increase is raising recession fears.
According to Indeed’s Hiring Lab, “on a three-month average basis, the unemployment rate has risen .55 percentage points since its low of 3.5% in January 2023.” The adjusted BLS numbers suggest weak hiring and a cooler market than previously projected, but Indeed says there are reasons for “cautious optimism” about the U.S. labor market. For instance, the amount of available job postings and growth in wages could continue to attract more workers to the labor force.
“In addition to a relative abundance of job opportunities, another factor that may be drawing workers back to the labor force in greater numbers is persistently strong wage growth, which has slowed from recent highs but remains on par with pre-pandemic levels,” Indeed reported.
The semiconductor industry could be facing a major labor shortage as industry growth has outpaced the availability of skilled workers in the US. A recent report by McKinsey & Company found that public and private investment in the semiconductor industry in the US will expand to more than $250 billion by 2032 and will bring more than 160,000 new job openings in engineering and technical support to the industry. This coupled with the steep decline of the US domestic semiconductor manufacturing workforce – which has dropped 43% from its peak employment levels in 2000 – means the industry will struggle to fill those jobs. At the current rate, the shortage of engineers and technicians could reach as high as 146,000 workers by 2029, according to the report.
August 2024
New career resources from CompTIA are designed to teach people about specific tech-related roles and empower them to tailor a career path that best aligns with their skills and experiences.
“Too many people don’t know what it means to work in tech, so they’re scared, or they think the jobs are boring or are too hard,” said Todd Thibodeaux, president and CEO of CompTIA, in a statement. “We want to educate people about the dynamic employment opportunities available in tech; encourage them to know they can thrive in these jobs; and empower them with the knowledge and skills to succeed.”
Among the new resources is CompTIA Career Explorer, which the nonprofit organization says will help professionals tailor a career path that aligns with their workstyles and lifestyles. With the tool, jobseekers can test drive “a day in the life of specific job roles and challenge themselves with real-time, true-to-life problem solving” related to the jobs.
CompTIA Career+ will provide users with an immersive, interactive video experience that “showcases a day in the life of in-demand job roles,” according to CompTIA. This resource will feature up to 30 job roles, representing about 90% of all tech occupations.
The organization announced the new resources at its CompTIA ChannelCon and Partner Summit conference. “We want people to associate CompTIA with the competencies and skills to work in technology,” Thibodeaux said.
August 2024
A new study conducted by Germany-based biotechnology provider Cytena shows that California provides the highest average salaries in the U.S. for those working in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) professions.
Cytena analyzed salary data from over 75 STEM jobs listed on the company review website Glassdoor to identify which states in the U.S. offer the highest pay for tech talents. California leads with an average salary of $124,937 across various jobs in the study, spanning roles from medical experts to mathematicians, and data scientists to network and software engineers. Washington state is a close second, with average annual earnings slightly below $124,000, followed by New York in third with an average of $114,437 annually. Other top-paying states include Nevada, Maryland, Massachusetts, Idaho, Hawaii, Colorado, and Connecticut, rounding off the top ten U.S. states for highest STEM-related salaries.
July 2024
Friday, July 26, will celebrate the 25th annual System Administrator Appreciation Day. Held on the last Friday of July, SysAdmin Day acknowledges IT professionals who ensure that both organizations and their supporting infrastructures operate efficiently. Recognizing the often overlooked efforts of these professionals, Ted Kekatos initiated this day to honor those involved in setting up and configuring hardware and software, managing networks and technological tools, assisting end-users, and overseeing the performance of entire systems.
Network and systems admins regularly handle troubleshooting calls and resolve issues for users, often without receiving much appreciation for their efforts. These IT professionals are crucial yet frequently overlooked, and truly deserve a day to be celebrated — perhaps even a small token of gratitude to recognize their dedication and behind-the-scenes hard work.
July 2024
NetBrain Technologies announced the launch of its Network Automation Certification Program, aimed at acknowledging engineers possessing sophisticated network automation capabilities. The initiative will allow network engineers to showcase their expertise and highlight their capabilities, as highlighted by NetBrain. The first examinations of this certification scheme are scheduled for October 3, following the NetBrain Live Conference in Boston.
Currently, NetBrain’s website displays three different network automation certifications.
July 2024
Skillsoft announced a partnership with Microsoft to introduce the AI Skill Accelerator program. This initiative aims to enable organizations to enhance their teams’ capabilities using Microsoft’s AI technologies such as Copilot and Azure Open AI, along with more expansive generative AI tools. The primary objective is to boost business efficiency and foster innovation via the proficient use of generative AI.
“Our collaboration with Microsoft marks the beginning of numerous AI-oriented learning opportunities we have planned, which are designed to equip our clientele and their workforce — ranging from routine end-users to executives and AI developers — with necessary expertise and resources for thriving in the AI era,” expressed Ron Hovsepian, executive chair at Skillsoft, in an official release. Skillsoft’s annual IT skills survey, which gathered insights from 5,700 technology experts globally, found that 43% believe there is a need to enhance their team’s AI capabilities.
The AI Skill Accelerator program by Skillsoft offers a comprehensive learning package consisting of on-demand courses, personalized coaching, live training led by instructors, and enactive practice labs. Skillsoft asserts that this curriculum will empower their clientele to:
“Microsoft and Skillsoft have a long-standing relationship and share a common goal to enable AI transformation across every area of business,” said Jeana Jorgensen, corporate vice president of worldwide learning at Microsoft, in a statement. “This learning experience is designed to empower individuals and organizations to harness the full capabilities of generative AI, Microsoft Copilot, and Microsoft’s AI apps and services.”
July 2024
Data from IT employment trackers shows that the technology industry added more than 7,500 new workers in June, while at the same time the overall unemployment rate for IT pros increased.
According to CompTIA, the tech industry added some 7,540 new workers in June, which marks the biggest monthly increase so far this year. CompTIA’s analysis of U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) data also shows that the positive growth was offset by a loss of 22,000 tech occupations throughout the U.S. economy. “Despite pockets of growth, the recent data indicates a degree of downward pressure on tech employment,” said Tim Herbert, chief research officer, CompTIA, in a statement. “A combination of factors, including AI FOMO, likely contributes to segments of employers taking a wait and see approach with tech hiring.”
According to a report by Janco Associates, the unemployment rate for IT professionals as of June had increased to 5.9%, which stands above the national average of 4.1%. They further estimated the addition of 7,700 IT jobs in May 2024. “The number of unemployed IT professionals escalated from 129,000 to 147,000. There remains a significant skills gap as many positions remain vacant due to the lack of trained and experienced IT professionals. According to BLS data, approximately 78,000 IT professionals were employed, however, 147,000 are still job searching,” stated Janco Associates.
July 2024
CompTIA has recently revised its Network+ certification to comprehensively cover contemporary network environments, physical network installations, and enhancements in network security and hardening.
The revised Network+ exam, known as N10-009, now includes topics such as software-defined networking (SDN) and SD-WAN. CompTIA explains, “the program now incorporates infrastructure as code (IaC), a revolutionary method that utilizes code to enhance provisioning and support of computing infrastructure.”
The recent update to the Network+ certification now includes zero-trust architecture and additional security measures. Further details can be found in the complete article: CompTIA updates Network+ certification.
June 2024
Amazon Web Services (AWS) introduced two new artificial intelligence certifications aimed at IT professionals seeking to enhance their skills and find AI-focused roles. The knowledge gained from these certifications could help professionals secure jobs commanding up to 47% more pay in IT, as outlined by an AWS study.
The AWS Certified AI Practitioner certification is a foundational course that acknowledges expertise in AI and machine learning (ML) concepts, including generative AI applications. The program, suitable for candidates experienced with AI/ML on AWS, involves a 120-minute exam with 85 questions, encompassing topics like prompt engineering, responsible AI, and security and compliance considerations for AI systems.
AWS Certified Machine Learning Engineer—Associate is a comprehensive 170-minute exam, consisting of 85 questions designed to verify the candidate’s proficiency in deploying ML solutions effectively in a production setting and operationalizing them. This certification is ideal for candidates who have a minimum of one year of hands-on experience with Amazon SageMaker and various other ML-focused AWS services. Key subjects of the exam include preparing data for ML models, feature engineering, training models, ensuring security, and more.
Registration for these new AWS certifications will start on August 13.
June 2024
The recently announced AI certification by Cisco is crafted to equip IT professionals with the skills necessary for designing, provisioning, and optimizing network infrastructures for AI/ML intensive tasks. Launched during the Cisco Live event in Las Vegas, the Cisco Certified Design Expert (CCDE)-AI Infrastructure certification is a high-level, vendor-neutral credential. It enables technology specialists to devise network architectures that are well-suited for AI applications, addressing specific business needs related to cost, power, and computing allocations versus environmental impact, as noted by Par Merat, the vice president of Cisco Learning and Certifications, in a blog post.
According to Cisco, the new CCDE-AI Infrastructure certification focuses on areas such as GPU optimization design and the creation of advanced AI network frameworks. It also covers network sustainability and compliance essential for AI support. Cisco’s AI Readiness Index indicates that 90% of organizations are making investments to address AI skills shortages. To learn more, visit: Cisco debuts CCDE-AI Infrastructure certification.
June 2024
The demand for cybersecurity professionals continues to exceed the available supply in 2024, as reported by CyberSeek, which gathers data in partnership with Lightcast, NICE, and CompTIA.
Current data from CyberSeek shows that the U.S. has enough workers to fill only 85% of its cybersecurity roles, leaving over 225,000 positions open to bridge the skills gap. Additionally, there has been a 37% decrease in tech job postings from May 2023 to April 2024.
“Although demand for cybersecurity jobs is beginning to normalize to pre-pandemic levels, the longstanding cyber talent gap persists,” said Will Markow, vice president of applied research at Lightcast, in a statement. “At the same time, new threats and technologies are causing cybersecurity skill requirements to evolve at a breakneck pace, forcing employers, educators, and individuals to proactively anticipate and prepare for an ever-changing cyber landscape.”
Positions in the highest demand include network engineers, systems administrators, cybersecurity engineers, cybersecurity analysts, security engineers, systems engineers, information systems security officers, network administrators, information security analysts, and software engineers, according to the CyberSeek data.
“Building a robust cybersecurity presence often requires changes in talent acquisition strategies and tactics,” said Hannah Johnson, senior vice president, tech talent programs, CompTIA, in a statement. “That can include upskilling less experienced cybersecurity professionals for more advanced roles, or hiring people who demonstrate subject matter expertise via professional certifications or other credentials.”
June 2024
Recent employment data shows that the median salary for IT professionals is now $100,399, with total compensation (including bonuses and fringe benefits) reaching $103,692. Management consulting firm Janco Associates, Inc. reported that IT salaries have risen by 3.28% in the past 12 months, even while the unemployment rate for IT workers hits 5%. Executives continue to see the biggest paychecks with total compensation packages increasing by 7.48% and median compensation reaching $184,354.
“Salary compression” is another trend Janco Associates noted. This occurs when new hires are offered salaries at the higher end of the pay range for existing positions, often getting paid more than current employees in the same roles.
Midsized enterprise companies are seeing more attrition than their large enterprise counterparts, while salaries in midsized companies are also rising faster than they are in large enterprises. Salary levels in midsized enterprises increased 5.46% versus 2.56% in larger enterprises, according to Janco Associates.
May 2024
New research and survey results from IDC indicate that a growing shortage of in-demand IT skills could be adversely affecting businesses’ financial performance.
The IDC report, Enterprise Resilience: IT Skilling Strategies, 2024, highlights the most sought-after skills in enterprise organizations currently. From a survey of 811 individuals, artificial intelligence was noted by 45% of respondents, with IT operations at 44% and cloud solutions-architecture at 36%. Other currently demanded skills include API integration (33%), generative AI (32%), cloud solutions-data management/storage (32%), data analysis (30%), cybersecurity/data security (28%), IoT software development (28%), and IT service management (27%).
Approximately 63% of IT leaders from North American firms reported that the absence of these skills has postponed digital transformation projects, typically between three to 10 months. The survey participants also reported other negative consequences due to the lack of skilled IT personnel.
Following these findings, IDC forecasts that by 2026, 90% of organizations globally will experience the adverse effects of the IT skills shortage, potentially leading to as much as $5.5 trillion in delays, quality issues, and revenue losses. “Securing the right people with the appropriate skills for the right roles has become exceedingly challenging,” notes Gina Smith, PhD, research director for IDC’s IT Skills for Digital Business practice, in a statement. “With widening IT skills gaps and rapid introduction of new technologies, organizations must creatively recruit, train, upskill, and reskill their workforce. Establishing a culture of continuous learning is the most effective strategy to address this challenge.”
May 2024
A lack of specialized technology skills concerns IT executives, who feel they might be unable to adopt new technologies, sustain legacy systems, capture business opportunities, and retain customers if the skills shortage continues.
According to a recent study conducted by online professional training provider Pluralsight, 96% of technologists reported an increase in workload due to the skills shortage, and 78% have had to abandon projects midway because they lacked employees with the necessary IT skills for successful completion. Although most organizations (78%) stated their skills gap has lessened since the previous year, leaders still identified cybersecurity, cloud services, and software development as the primary areas with noticeable skills deficiencies. IT executives expressed concerns that the ongoing skills gap could challenge their organizations’ capabilities significantly.
Pluralsight surveyed 1,400 executives and IT professionals across the U.S., U.K., and India to gather insights into the technical skills shortage and how it is being addressed in terms of lacking expertise in specific technological domains.
May 2024
Network automation continues to challenge IT leaders, primarily due to insufficient skilled personnel.
A survey by Enterprise Management Associates that included 354 IT professionals revealed that only 18% consider their network automation strategies very successful, while 54% recognize partial success. The other 38% are either unsure of their success level or have acknowledged failures in their network automation initiatives.
Approximately 26.8% of those surveyed cited issues like skills shortages and high turnover rates in staff as significant challenges. A network engineer from a midsize business services firm mentioned in the EMA study expressed, “The toughest part for me is the scanty number of network engineers who have automation skills. It’s a small community, making it difficult to find help when tackling issues.”
April 2024
CompTIA, a leader in IT certification and training, is broadening its offerings to include more products and programs aimed at the burgeoning field of AI skills development.
As AI becomes increasingly fundamental to various job roles, new specialized positions are beginning to emerge within the industry. “We are seeing the rise of new professions such as prompt engineers and AI systems architects, which are critical to the AI strategies of numerous companies,” stated Teresa Sears, vice president of product management at CompTIA.
Thomas Reilly, chief product officer at CompTIA, noted that millions of IT professionals must develop new AI competencies to stay relevant in the evolving job market. He mentioned, in a statement, “Our plan is to offer a variety of certifications and training that cover the full spectrum of career development, from basic knowledge for those just starting out to advanced expertise for seasoned professionals.”
February 2024
The number of new IT jobs created throughout 2023 leveled out, with a modest increase of 700 jobs, underscoring ongoing economic unease and a shift towards skills in burgeoning technologies. This is a stark contrast to the 267,000 jobs that were added in 2022, with the significant decline attributed to technological layoffs and cost reduction strategies.
Janco Associates reported that although there was a late surge with about 21,300 jobs added in the last quarter of 2023, the total growth for the year was only 700 new positions.
“The current state of the IT job market and the prospects for IT professionals are, at best, dismal. Over the last year, the telecommunications sector shed 26,400 jobs, content providers were down by 9,300 jobs, and other information services dropped by 10,300 jobs,” explained M. Victor Janulaitis, CEO of Janco. “On the flip side, computer system design companies added 32,300 jobs, and hosting services grew by approximately 14,000 jobs.”
January 2024
Robert Half indicates that the job market will stay robust as we enter 2024. Their latest survey reveals that over half of U.S. companies are set to expand their workforce in the early months of 2024. Although the study isn’t specific to the IT industry, it notes that 57% intend to create new permanent roles during the first half of the year. Furthermore, 39% plan to recruit for existing vacancies, and 67% aim to employ contract workers as part of their recruitment strategy.
Zooming in on the technology sector, 69% of the over 1,850 hiring managers surveyed said they plan to open new permanent positions for tech professionals. Despite this growth, recruitment hurdles are expected to continue, as reported by Robert Half; 90% of managers struggle to find qualified candidates, and 58% observe that it now takes longer to fill positions compared to the previous year.
December 2023
Cloud expertise and security proficiency are essential for developing modern networks, and these abilities are highly remunerated, as reported by Skillsoft’s annual list of the most lucrative IT certifications. Leading the pack of the 20 highest-paying IT certifications is the Google Cloud-Professional Cloud Architect, boasting an average annual salary of $200,960.
The list also features a mix of several other cloud-based, security, networking, and system architect certifications among the top 20.
November 2023
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