In a Computerworld 2009 annual Forecast survey, IT pros were asked to name the hottest IT skills in 2009. I’ve noted the key points of each skill, and provided additional reading on each topic, in a format that’s easy to peruse for your viewing pleasure. (A nod to everyone out there who, like me, passed college thanks to CliffsNotes.)
1. Programming/application development
SAP, .NET, and C# are cited as the hottest skills in this segment right now. The study estimates that SAP experts make $35 to $40 per hour more than average senior technicians.
2. Help desk/technical support
This one shouldn’t come as a surprise—with increased outsourcing and more people expressing frustration over conversing with support staff that aren’t from America, having a sharp personality and the ability to explain complex problems simply is in high demand.
3. Project management
Many professionals, despite their experience and savvy, do not have good organization and project management skills. If you are able to acquire these skills and take on a leadership role in projects, you’ll be indispensible to your organization.
4. Networking
With the increase in unified communications, there’s a high demand for individuals who are knowledgeable in the latest networking technologies.
5. Business intelligence
When it comes to BI, individuals who can understand the systems and collect the right data are obviously valuable. Though, IT pros who can think in terms of business strategy, driving creative ideas for what data to pull and how to use it, are of extreme value.
6. Security
Security threats are abundant and always growing. Organizations not only need someone with a background in security, but also someone who can be proactive and forsee potential threats and eliminate them.
7. Web 2.0
Social networking becomes a bigger part of modern-day business every day, and it’s not just limited to Millennials. If you feel like you came to the party too late and won’t be able to keep up with the new tools, you’re wrong. Most of them are surprisingly intuitive.
8. Data center
Understanding the data center and virtualization is critical, as organizations move to cut energy and storage costs. While many general IT pros are expected to learn these skills, becoming an expert in virtualization will be a smart move.
9. Telecommunications
VoIP, Wi-Fi, WiMAX, Bluetooth—become familiar with these technologies, the devices that are using them, and what growing role they will have in the future.
Pays $12 an hour, mostly due to outsourcing, where you talk to a guy name "Sean" with an Indian accent.
Also see here :
http://www.sap-img.com/the-top-it-skills-to-have.htm
The top ten IT skills to have for the next few years
This is not a scientific survey, but merely the opinions of a few agents that we asked. If you have a highly valued skill that isn’t on here, don’t worry, this is not definitive, but merely the opinions of a few agents. I’m sure if we’d polled others the list might have been slightly different.
Skills on the Up
We polled a number of agents and other sources of information and came up with the following skills that are likely to be on the up over the next few years. Anyone with these skills is likely to be employed, at good rates, even taking into account offshore outsourcing and Fast Track Visa Workers.
1. J2EE
2. .Net
3. C#
4. Project Management
5. Oracle
6. SAP
7. Business Analysis
8. VB.net
9. NT Novell
10. Java
NOTE: It won’t harm you to put your career in mastering Microsoft tools. Three of the top 10 skills are Microsoft technology related ( .NET, C# and VB.net ).
So SAP experts make in the neighborhood of 65-70 bucks an hour?!!!
Wow, time for me to go to school I guess...
135 - 145K a year to work in SAP all day long....
Maybe that’s still not enough. I really hate school!