More employers than ever are shifting to skills based hiring. According to LinkedIn, the demand for digital skills is increasing, with no signs of slowing down. 150 million technology-related jobs are expected to be added globally over the next 5 years. Linkedin also reports a 21% rise in job postings that advertise for skills. This means that there has never been a more valuable time to acquire in-demand skills that can help set you up for success in your desired career.

Furthermore, acquiring in-demand skills is a viable alternative to a traditional 4 year degree. A leading labor-market data company analyzed more than 51 million jobs posted between 2017 and 2020 and what they found is that employers are indeed resetting degree requirements in a wide variety of roles. The change is most noticeable for middle-skill positions in IT and managerial occupations — defined as those requiring some post-secondary education or training but less than a four-year degree.

With this shift comes many benefits to both the employer and employees. Interestingly, a key benefit of skills-based hiring is that it can also help improve retention. Employees without a traditional four-year degree stay 34% longer than employees with such a degree, according to new LinkedIn data. If one of your 2023 goals is to get in on the ground floor of a great career without a university degree, first take a look at the top 5 skills employers are looking to hire.

5 Hot Job Skills for 2023

1. Cloud Computing - National average entry level starting salary $74,000

We all experience cloud computing in our daily life. It is the technology behind the curtain of services like iCloud, Facebook, Gmail and your local banking app. The need for people to work behind the scenes of these useful tools is growing exponentially. According to LinkedIn, there are over 11,000 unfilled entry level cloud computing jobs each month. Candidates wanting to get started in cloud computing would benefit from certifications based on Microsoft’s Azure platform.

2. Cybersecurity - National average entry level starting salary $60,000

More and more, we use the internet to manage all sorts of information; both business and personal. Traditionally governments, organizations and individuals have taken a reactive approach to fighting threats; however, that is shifting to a more proactive approach. As a result, the demand for cybersecurity professionals is growing at a record pace. Now is the ideal time for people who have minimal experience and key cybersecurity certifications (CompTIA IT Fundamentals, CompTIA Security+, CompTIA Network+) to get started in this quickly growing industry.

3. Artificial Intelligence - National average entry level starting salary $85,000

AI professionals help create systems which are capable of performing tasks in the way humans do, giving it the potential to touch all aspects of how we live. The World Economic Forum predicts that 97 million new roles will be created by 2025 as humans, machines and algorithms increasingly work together. AI jobs generally require a deeper understanding of concepts like statistics, probability and calculus; however, there are many entry level roles including: software testing analysts, project management and networking.

4. Digital Marketing - National average entry level starting salary $42,000

Digital marketing or online marketing is the promotion of products, services and/or brands through digital channels like websites, social media, instant messages, apps and email. Digital marketing uses demographics, groups, location, preferences and behaviors to help target potential consumers with brands they would benefit from. Entry level digital marketing professional help the marketing team implement marketing plans, collect data and work directly with stakeholders. To break into this career field, you should earn certifications in HTML, Google Ad words and analytics, plus the full suit of Microsoft office applications.

5. Product management - National average entry level starting salary $75,000

Organizations are constantly installing and upgrading systems to better serve internal and external customers. All of this development requires product managers to help launch new products and train individuals to use those products. In addition to the technical skills required to support new products, an effective product manager will benefit from customer focused skills like emotional intelligence, empathy and effective communication to work with end-users. In fact only about a third of product managers have coding experience!

Skills Needed for Some of the Popular Tech Entry Level Tech Jobs

• Product support: Users of online applications often need help and the platforms need individuals trained to assist people with the online apps.
• Network specialists: These individuals evaluate, troubleshoot and analyze cloud related problems and help implement new network solutions.
• Social media marketing specialist: Responsible for administering, monitoring and creating content for platforms like Facebook, TikTok, Snapchat and Instagram.
• Project analyst: Anyone getting started as a project analyst will be responsible for collecting information from project teams, watching timelines and collecting project data for the project management team.
• Cyber Security Analyst: Entry level analysts work with the IT team to help promote security practices, identify threats and safeguard systems before an attack happens.
• Digital marketing specialist: Is in charge of managing all digital channels and helping to maintain client relationships.
• Junior Project Coordinator: These individuals assist in the management of multiple projects. A junior project manager generally works under a project manager as an assistant.

Developing These Skills: How and Why

With the start of the new year, there are sure to be many new opportunities on the rise. Of all the things you can do to improve your chance for career success, one of the most attainable and valuable is to invest in developing one or more of these key tech skills discussed.

Skill based training and certifications are a great starting point for those entering the workforce, as well as a springboard for those wanting to upgrade their current career path. NuPaths specializes in providing the training needed to land an entry level tech job. And we have training opportunities readily available that can help set you up for success in 2023. Getting started is easy! Visit our website to view the programs we offer or take our free career evaluation to see if these careers are right for you. With the New Year right around the corner, there has never been a better time to get started. Make the commitment to invest in yourself. Let’s get started!