Happy Engineers Day : Top 5 skills required for software engineers in 2021

Technology is evolving rapidly and it is no longer enough for software engineers to have a limited skill set. There is no specific way to tell how the industry is going to innovate in the future. The future of engineering is constantly changing because of technology and engineers have to prepare to embrace these changes. Adapting and reskilling are going to be essential  parts of career growth in the coming time.  It will help in improving work efficiency and boost confidence while applying for jobs. Also, they offer a better negotiation power when it comes to compensation. 

Businesses often prefer candidates with multiple skill sets. So here is a list of five such in-demand tech skills that will help you in becoming a valuable asset for any company in 2021.

1. Coding and Programming

Coding and programming are vital to software engineering. Nowadays, almost every field needs coders or programmers because such is the integration of technology into our day-to-day lives. Ability to code and understand the latest programming languages like Python will make you stand out from the rest. When you have a fair understanding of code, you can assist and coordinate different projects. For advancing coding skills, one can enrol into a short online coding program.

2. Data Analysis

Data analysis plays an important role in the business development of many companies. It helps them make better business decisions. Analyzing data for market research, product positioning, customer reviews, sentiment analysis or any other issue provides insights that the company requires for making the right choice. It is an important part of the business. Data-driven choices are making the organizations confident. Hence, companies in retail, manufacturing, technology firms, and real estate etc., value employees who have knowledge of data analytics.

3. Project Management

Managing projects include responsibilities like leadership qualities, allocating tasks, scheduling the work to meet deadlines and so on. Project management also needs skills like quality control, budget management, coordination with resources, and others. A good project manager is one who along with managerial skills has technical knowledge as well.

4.  Data Science

The combination of domain expertise, programming skills, knowledge of mathematics and statistics to derive meaningful insight is data science. It is extensively used in the healthcare and retail industries in creating a history of purchases for e-commerce industries. In the healthcare industry, data science helps in alerting people of health issues and keeping a track of their blood pressure, step count, calorie count, etc.

Data scientists perform data analysis, and most of the time will be spent searching and reorganizing the data. Knowledge of coding languages like Python, R, SQL etc along with data visualization certainly adds value to the portfolio.

5. Cloud Computing

One of the advanced technologies being worked upon today is cloud computing. It deals with infrastructure and helps understand how to work with different networks. Most businesses use online networks to store, process and manage information. So, having knowledge of Azure, AWS and Google will be an added advantage to find some high paying IT jobs.

In today’s competitive environment when technology is advancing with leaps and bounds, it is a necessity to upskill and remain updated with upcoming advancements. Find what interests you and look for a course that will advance your skills in the same. Whichever course you take up you need to ensure you have working knowledge of the skill- it should be an experiential learning program. It will ensure that you have all the necessary skills and confidence to improve your employability and to carve your space in the job market.

(Author  Narayan Mahadevan is CEO and Founder of BridgeLabz. Views expressed here are personal)