According to a survey on IT skill shortages, 35% of IT leaders said that their IT functions are suffering due to a shortage of skilled workers in the cybersecurity industry. 26% respondents worried about a skill shortfall in operational change management while 22% are of the opinion that a skill deficit in enterprise and technical architecture is hurting their business.

Whether you are a fresh IT graduate or already working in the IT industry, this could be a great opportunity for you to fill in the void. For that, you will have to learn certain skills to take your IT career sky high. Interested in learning about high-demand IT skills? You are at the right place.

7 IT Skills In High Demand In 2022

Here are seven IT skills that are predicted to be in high demand in 2022 and pay rich dividends in the long run.

1.  Risk analytics and assessment

As cybersecurity risk continues to increase, so is the demand for risk assessment and analytics professionals. In fact, we have seen a 12% increase in demand for risk analytics and assessment skills in the last six months. The fast pace evolution of technology has forced businesses to catch up. This can sometimes result in losing sight of cybersecurity risks. This is when your business is most vulnerable to getting targeted by a cybersecurity attack.

A risk analyst not only helps you monitor your current risk but also keep a close watch on emerging threats which can harm your business. This is why businesses are actively looking out for risk analysts. Whether you are an IT auditor, information system audit manager, security analyst or even an IT director, having risk assessment and analytics capabilities will increase your worth. From a financial standpoint, you can earn an average salary of $83,000 per year.

2.   DevSecOps

Another IT skill that is becoming more and more popular with each passing day is DevSecOps. With businesses forced to deliver secure, high-quality applications and services faster, more and more businesses are embracing DevSecOps. This has led to an increase in the demand for DevSecOps professionals.

DevSecOps professionals integrate security into software development lifecycle instead of considering it as an afterthought. This not only helps you bring products faster to the market but also ensures their security and reliability. The average salary of DevSecOps engineers is $142,000 per year.

3.   Blockchain

Blockchain technology has become one of the hottest topics in tech circles. What really makes it stand out is its decentralized nature, transparency and security. With cryptocurrencies about to become mainstream currencies, IT professionals who are well-versed in blockchain could prove to be a highly valuable asset for your organization.

Blockchain experts help your business harness the full potential of the blockchain technology, developing unique applications and new use cases. Enterprise architects who understand how blockchain can integrate with other technologies such as artificial intelligence, machine learning and internet of things, will be an eye candy for employers. The average salary for blockchain professionals is $108,000 per year.

4.  Deep learning

Technologies such as artificial intelligence and machine learning continue to make waves, expanding the horizon of knowledge. Consider Deep Learning for instance; Deep learning mirrors the workings of the human brain and tries to identify patterns in data and make predictions based on that data. This will give machines the ability to learn from experience and examples. The average salary of deep learning experts is $115,000 per year.

5.  Site reliability engineering

Site reliability engineering has been around for years now but its role in automating IT operations and enhancing software development processes has recently been discovered. Due to this, organizations are now able to create scalable and reliable solutions for businesses.

The core responsibility of site reliability engineers is to identify and resolve infrastructure, security and operational issues. Akin to DevOps, site reliability engineering also bridges the gap between software and operations departments. It also gives you visibility into the health of the service or product you are delivering. More importantly, it gives businesses the ability to address production concerns earlier in the roadmap. As a result, your end user gets the best product or service. The average salary of a site reliability engineer is $118,075 per year.

6.  Big data analytics

The amount of data businesses work with on a day-to-day basis is mind boggling. From storage to management to analytics, it demands a lot of resources and skill to extract useful insights from large raw data sets. This is where big data analysts come into play. The demand for professionals with big data analytics skills grew by more than 21% in the last six months.

Big data analysts help you make the right business decisions at the right time, as well as help you improve your products and services. Additionally, they can also help businesses identify future trends, patterns and even uncover hidden issues. This keeps your business one step ahead of competitors. On average, big data professionals make $113,000 per year.

7.  Cloud Foundry

Cloud Foundry is an open-source native cloud application platform that helps you create cloud native apps. The biggest advantage of cloud foundry is that it can run applications created using any programming language and works across myriad cloud platforms. This gives cloud developers the liberty to use the cloud platform and programming language of their choice. The demand for individuals who possess mastery over cloud foundry has grown by 13% in the last six months. The average salary of individuals with cloud foundry skills is $93,000 per year.

Which IT skills do you think will be in high demand in 2022? Share it with us in the comments section below.