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Question: What IT skills will be most in demand this year?

Our Advice: Demand for specific IT skills is being driven by a mix of factors: new technologies and their applications, government regulation, increased merger-and-acquisition activity, retention of talent connected to legacy systems and critical technology and business initiatives, stricter requirements for specialized experience, new types of IT jobs combining multiple skills, and backlash following offshoring disappointments.

A key measure of the demand for skills is the pay premium they command, which can take the form of a cash bonus or adjustment to base salary to recognize their critical importance in job performance. Foote Partners (a TAC affiliate) tracks pay for more than 171 certified and noncertified technical skills among 50,000 IT professionals in North America, updating its survey research every three months.

Demand is reflected in two measures: the amount of money paid for the skill and growth or decline in pay for the skill over time.

Noncertified Skills Demand
This year, there has been growth in pay for skills in application-development tools and languages, messaging/E-mail/groupware, networking/internetworking, and enterprise application-development skills.

Hot noncertified skills (15% or more pay growth, last six months, listed in order of highest growth):

  • Microsoft SQL Server
  • SQLWindows
  • IBM WebSphere
  • Microsoft .Net
  • 10BaseT Switching
  • Microsoft Exchange Server
  • Visual Basic
  • Active Server Pages
  • XML
  • JavaScript

High-paying noncertified skills, in order of highest paying:

  • Project-level security
  • RAD/extreme programming
  • VoIP
  • Storage/SAN
  • IBM WebSphere
  • Gigabit Ethernet
  • Oracle 8i/9i/10g database
  • Oracle applications
  • SQLWindows
  • Microsoft .Net
  • Microsoft SQL Server
  • XML/voice XML

Certified skills demand
Growth in pay for certified skills in 2005: applications development/programming languages, networking, systems administration and engineering/network operating systems' database certifications.

Hot certifications (12% or more pay growth, last six months):

  • Cisco Certified Security Professional (CCSP)
  • Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA)
  • Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA)
  • CompTIA Network Technician (Network+)
  • HP/Compaq Accredited Systems Engineer (ASE)
  • HP/Compaq Master Accredited Systems Engineer (MASE)
  • Linux Professional Institute certification (LPIC 2)
  • Prosoft Master CIW Enterprise Developer
  • Red Hat Certified Engineer (RHCE)
  • SANS/GIAC Certified Intrusion Analyst (GCIA)
  • Sun Certified Enterprise Architect for Java 2 Platform
  • Sun Certified Programmer for Java 2 Platform
  • Sun Certified Developer for Java 2 Platform
  • Sun Certified Network Administrator for Solaris
  • Sun Certified Systems Administrator for Solaris

High-paying certified skills, in order of highest paying:

  • Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA)
  • Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP)
  • Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert (CCIE)
  • Project Management Professional (PMP)
  • Cisco Certified Design Professional (CCDP)
  • Cisco Certified Enterprise Administrator (CCEA)
  • Cisco Certified Security Professional (CCSP)
  • SANS/GIAC Security Expert (GSE)
  • HP/Compaq Master Accredited Systems Engineer (MASE)
  • Oracle DBA Certified Master (OCM DBA)
  • Cisco Certified Network Professional (CCNP)
  • Cisco IP Telephony Design Specialist
  • Cisco IP Telephony Operations Specialist
  • Citrix Certified Enterprise Administrator (CCEA)
  • GIAC Certified Forensic Analyst (GCFA)

-- David Foote


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