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Diving overview:
A Pluralsight study released Wednesday found that IT workers are struggling to keep their skills current amid the fast pace of technology development. The company surveyed 500 people in current and future technology roles. Half of today’s tech workers say they struggle to learn fast enough to keep up with technological changes, and nearly a third of aspiring tech workers agree . Software engineering tops the list of priority skills for today’s technologists to develop, followed closely by cybersecurity, AI, and machine learning.
Dive Insight:
A lack of in-house skills can hinder a company’s multiple technology priorities, from deploying generative AI to cloud migration and software upgrades.
While the IT unemployment rate in 2024 has increased gradually compared to previous years, other indicators suggest a continued need for skilled technology workers across all industries. U.S. employers made more than 500,000 open technology posts in August, according to CompTIA data.
The introduction of generative AI is increasing the demand for skilled technicians. A CBRE report published in June found that while the number of tech jobs in 2024 will grow more slowly than last year, the share of AI roles across sectors has nearly doubled over the past five years.
To address talent shortages, companies are focusing on upskilling opportunities, but business leaders are concerned that training will not be able to keep up with the pace of development in rapidly changing technology categories.
Increased demand is also prompting existing AI talent to reassess their prospects, with nearly three-quarters expecting to change employers in the next year, according to a report from Dice. More than half expect the employment situation to improve this year.