The IT skills gap is one of the biggest obstacles facing CIOs in 2019. Tech leaders are looking for top talent with specific capabilities to meet the needs of their companies, which can be challenging depending on where they’re located.
Well-established tech hubs like the Bay Area and New York City have an abundance of elite talent, but companies must be willing to pay top dollar for it. Growing talent markets like Charlotte or Indianapolis may have a smaller pool of tech workers to choose from, but costs of operation and living are more affordable than the tech hubs. The U.S. tech talent landscape is starting to spread beyond the two coasts, according to research from Forrester, and businesses must weigh the pros and cons of diverse locations when deciding where to recruit tech employees or open a new office.
York Solutions has identified five top tech skills, and where companies can find them, using data from the thousands of resumes collected each year. By analyzing all of the resumes we have received and categorizing them by location, we have created heat maps with these data sets – showing where tech talent with in-demand skills are based in the U.S.
1. Java
The demand for JavaScript is outpacing student expertise, according to a report from HackerRank; 48% of employers say they need JavaScript skills, but only 42% of student developers globally say they have them. This needs to be tweaked as JavaScript and Java are totally different and we pulled Java numbers rather than Javascript numbers.
2. SAP
SAP, a German-based enterprise software company, has grown in popularity in European and UK markets. As more companies adopt SAP products worldwide, the need for tech talent with SAP skills also increases.
3. Cybersecurity
As cyberattacks and data breaches continue to affect businesses of all sizes, cybersecurity remains a priority for CIOs. A study from Microsoft and Marsh found that nearly 20% of respondents worked for organizations that had suffered a successful cyberattack in the previous 12 months.
4. iOS and Android
Mobile app development – for both iOS and Android – continues to be in high demand. Stack Overflow named iOS and Android development on its list of top three desirable skills.
5. Business Analytics
Companies are tracking increasingly complex metrics and KPIs. They need tech workers who can analyze this data to predict trends, improve systems, use resources efficiently, and reduce costs.
Are you having trouble sourcing the right IT skillsets for your team? Learn more about how our MS3 service and B2E program help bridge the IT skills gap.