By Craig Gotsman, Distinguished Professor and Dean of the Ying Wu College of Computing at the New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT).
For some, the technology sector’s ongoing layoffs and hiring freezes have raised doubts about pursuing a career in technology. But while unexpected career adversity is frustrating, fears about dwindling career options in the broader tech market are unwarranted. Students and young professionals should step back and remember the bigger picture: in an increasingly technological world, software engineering and IT skills will always be in high demand and this need can only grow.
Over the past decade, tech titans have come to represent the ideal employer for many job seekers, offering the “dream job” with prestigious reputations and lucrative career opportunities. While their growth and dominance have been impressive, it is naive to believe these companies would be entirely immune to turbulent economic conditions. After all, they coexist in a larger global economy affected by dynamic factors such as rising inflation, supply chain issues and geopolitical tensions.
In addition to macroeconomic shifts, a multitude of other elements – including rising competition, costly legal battles and changing consumer preferences – can threaten the cultural relevance of individual tech companies. In April 2008, Facebook and Myspace each received 115 million unique global visitors per month, a competitive race to be the most popular social media platform. One year later, Facebook successfully outpaced Myspace’s American and global userbases, going on to establish more than a decade-long ubiquitous influence on our lives as a Big Tech company.
Even if job candidates look beyond the luster and lavish perks provided by the biggest tech companies, they, including recently laid off employees, will realize they still have plenty of options in the broader job market. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects 25% growth in overall employment for software developers, analysts and testers from 2021-31, far above other occupations. In the same decade, the bureau estimates an average of 162,900 openings per year.
The IT industry is among these occupations, due to the critical need to install, maintain and protect hardware and software within organizations. To keep pace with a global dependence on technological infrastructure, hiring managers will need to find many more skilled IT professionals, programmers and cybersecurity experts. At this point in their lives, college students should feel encouraged about the pursuit of a career in tech; they enter the workforce during an increased market demand for their skills and can even specialize in new technologies such as blockchain and artificial intelligence.
At New Jersey Institute of Technology, the Ying Wu College of Computing works with both students and companies to develop an educational experience that includes hands-on experiential learning. In our years of setting up internships, cooperative educational experiences, industry-driven research partnerships and post-graduation jobs, we have seen the corporate war for talent ramp up and not only in Big Tech. In fact, we’ve seen a significant number of graduates embark on significant tech careers in traditionally “non-tech” sectors — including financial services, pharmaceuticals, energy, telecom, transportation, logistics and retail. If Big Tech doesn’t want to hire you, then Prudential will.
Given that companies in nearly all major industries are powered by software or transitioned to online services, the distinction between a “non-tech” or “tech” company becomes less relevant. Indeed, tech today is central to how we live, work, interact and play.
The COVID-19 pandemic fast-forwarded that trend, as videoconferencing, social networking, e-commerce, streaming and all manner of online services became essential — even critical — expanding the market for tech professionals. Retail giants like Walmart and Target are taking lessons learned on digital consumer behavior during the pandemic and reshaping their physical presence, signaling that digital infrastructure is now a major component of their operations — not an add-on.
Industry-wide layoffs amount to individual companies naturally correcting their course and, rest assured, affected employees will land on their feet again. Students, young professionals and other prospective job seekers should remember that, in the long run, a career in technology puts you at the forefront of what could be considered the most momentous technological revolution ever experienced by mankind, and that is here to stay.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.
Image and article originally from www.nasdaq.com. Read the original article here.