10 Tech Skills That'll Soon Be Obsolete & 10 That'll Be Valuable In The Future
Tech Is An Ever-Changing Field
Are you thinking of a career in tech? Go for it, but promise us your dream job isn't becoming a COBOL developer. With technology evolving all the time, tech is arguably the fastest-changing industry. It can be extremely fruitful and rewarding if you choose the right specialization, but if you misjudge what's in demand, you'll end up wasting a lot of time and energy. Here are 10 tech skills that are going the way of the dinosaurs and 10 that are quickly becoming the most sought-after.
1. Entry-Level Coding
In case you weren't aware, large language models like ChatGPT can code. While they might not be able to do everything, they're perfectly capable of basic, repetitive coding that can replace the kind you'd be doing as a computer science intern.
Procreator Global UI UX Design Agency on Unsplash
2. Manual QA Testing
Manual QA testing involves testers who manually put software through tests to identify bugs. It was discipline in the 1980s and 90s, but has since dropped off with the rise of automation.
3. SEO Optimization
Search engine optimization (SEO) involves a variety of techniques focused on improving a website's visibility in search engine results. Currently, SEO specialists are employed to do this, but modern search engine algorithms that are no longer based on keywords are making this specialization obsolete. What's more, there are tons of plugins and tools that automatically optimize websites.
4. Front-End Web Development
If you've ever created a Wix or Squarespace site, you know how much coding is actually involved these days: none. Coding will always be useful for back-end development, but in the front-end of things, everything is simple drag-and-drop.
5. Basic IT Support
Without specializing in it, Gen Zers are extremely tech literate to the point where they don't really need an IT support person. They know how to fix their tech problem, or they can easily use tools like Google or AI to figure it out. What's more, automation and tech advancements are making these roles obsolete.
6. Data Entry
Data entry is one of the first jobs we can expect AI to replace because it's a simple and repetitive task that a computer can do better than an error-prone human, anyway. While it's hard to accept that a robot will take the job of a human, you can rejoice at the fact that you won't have to do this mundane task anymore.
Glenn Carstens-Peters on Unsplash
7. Flash Development
Flash development was the thing in the early 2000s and 2010s for creating interactive multimedia content. The rise of the more web-standard HTML5 put an end to Adobe Flash in 2017, but Flash developers can easily segue into similar roles using different software.
8. jQuery
jQuery is a JavaScript library used in front-end web development. It's in decline because its features are increasingly available in HTML5, CSS3, and front-end JavaScript frameworks like Vue and React.
9. COBOL
COBOL is a programming language used by banks, government agencies, and some large corporations. It's one of the oldest programming languages, and while it's still in use, it's not very desirable for modern projects, and many companies are moving away from it.
Sephiroth at Dutch Wikibooks on Wikimedia
10. Network Engineering
Network engineers are responsible for maintaining and improving computer networks. While they're still in demand, the rise of cloud computing and AI tools that automate network configuration is reducing the need for network engineers in the classical sense.
Don't give up on your tech career yet. Now that we've talked about the tech jobs that are falling off, let's talk about the ones that are sure to be in demand in the future.
1. AI & Machine Learning
The world is increasingly relying on artificial intelligence for everything from virtual assistants to healthcare. Machine learning is a subset of AI that focuses on improving the performance and learning abilities of machines. Specializing in either of these technologies will make you indispensable to businesses looking to leverage them.
Possessed Photography on Unsplash
2. Cybersecurity
With our increasing reliance on technology, we will need to find creative ways to protect ourselves from fraud and cyberattacks. New technologies are making these threats more sophisticated and frequent, and there's a shortage of qualified professionals who specialize in combating them.
3. Cloud Computing
Network engineers are increasingly being replaced by cloud computing specialists. Because cloud technologies have been so rapidly adopted due to their cost-effectiveness and remote work capabilities, there's a need for skilled professionals who know how to manage and improve them.
4. Quantum Computing
If you're like us, you've probably heard the term "quantum computing" being floated around but have no real clarity on what it is. It uses principles from quantum physics to calculate things that are beyond the capabilities of a standard computer. It's expected to become a major force in the future with the potential to create new technologies and revolutionize research and development.
5. Data Science
Data scientists are crucial for interpreting and understanding data, transforming it into something tangible. Data science is the foundation of machine learning because data is what models learn from and make predictions from.
Possessed Photography on Unsplash
6. Full-Stack Development
Full-stack development is a discipline that encompasses all the necessary steps of building an application from front to back. Being that person who's capable of seeing the big picture and managing the entire process is a major asset to any company, but especially startups that don't have the resources to hire multiple specialists.
7. Blockchain
From healthcare to secure transactions, blockchain technology is everywhere these days. Its adoption across various industries has increased the demand for blockchain developers, architects, and specialists exponentially.
8. DevOps
DevOps is invaluable to companies because it bridges the gap between software development and operations teams, allowing them to collaborate seamlessly. Those who become proficient in DevOps technologies can market themselves as DevOps engineers or managers.
9. UX/UI Design
No one likes a confusing interface. UX/UI design is based on ensuring online content is user-friendly and appealing. In the age of the internet, this role is crucial to making sure a company's app or website can compete in an oversaturated online market.
10. Prompt Engineering
Prompt engineering is a new discipline that was propped up with the introduction of AI. Their job is to carefully design instructions and feed them to AI models, testing their capabilities and guiding them towards correct outputs.
