IT trends to follow

Kulneet Suri

While you are still pursuing your undergraduate program from the top colleges, a look into the current and future trends will help you to understand the upcoming job areas. Which areas will bloom in the recent future and what all are going to saturate soon? Technology is on the rise as ever and new trends have risen in the world of information technology. As a student, you should take up the right subjects and learn the perfect skills to land a job in a prosperous segment.

This list of IT trends will tell you where all should you focus during your academic phase. Experts in the industry have predicted a few technological inclinations that are likely to rise and stay. If you can build your knowledge here and continue on the path, you will soon become a valuable asset in the corporate sector who companies will approach with fat cheques. Pinpoint your area of interest, evaluate your skills and select the right trend.

#1 The rise of FinTech China has already transacted over $5 trillion through mobile payments and other countries are only catching up. Not only will financial technology rise in volume, but it will also see new advancements very soon. You are now required to scan your fingerprint or enter an OTP to make transactions. This may very well be replaced by retinal scan, face recognition or voice ID to make things even faster and secure.

The colleges will have the relevant subjects included in their curriculum. You must make use of this to build your expertise in these upcoming technologies. Learn how to decode an image, extract information from it and match it with relevance. The field is similar to machine vision and with substantial knowledge in the same, you may land lucrative jobs with fintech giant’s right after graduation.

#2 Demand for cybersecurity will rise exponentially

More and more devices are getting connected to the World Wide Web which makes the system even more prone to cyber-attacks. Businesses and companies are now investing in improving their digital security and this is your opportunity to cash in. Build your skills to prevent hacking, work toward tightening cybersecurity and you get a job in almost any sector. The internet of things has made it a compulsion for brands to hire professionals and the demand is at an all-time high.

And the blockchain technology enables IT experts to tap into the security depths. It has been gaining quite a bit of fame from 2017 and professionals are already expanding it into other niches. You can take it up as a subject, learn whatever is on offer and seek a job with cryptocurrency companies, a startup working on collecting data, and of course, in cybersecurity.

#3 Augmented Reality is the next big thing

Amazon recently launched a marketing campaign to promote its Prime service with the use of augmented reality. They handed over HUDs to people leaving an airport and partnered with Uber to show them the world of Prime during their journey. This is a classic example of how AR has already entered the marketing domain and it’s only a matter of time when brands use it for other purposes as well.

It’s about combining the virtual and real world and generally involves an excitement level of coding. Tap into this genre, find out what all you need to know and build your knowledge while pursuing your course. We will soon see AR creep into sports, fashion, aviation, entertainment and almost any field you can think of. That should give you an idea of the upcoming demand.

#4 Artificial Intelligence and Bots will stay in our homes

This is no news as both Google Home and Alexa have now become affordable. We do not have to get up to switch on the lights or close the window and this technology is only set to grow. Experts predict that there will be a time when all home functions will be automated and even businesses will use bots to interact with its customers. Artificial Intelligence will allow machines to learn without human interaction and things will only get smarter.

And at the core of all this, there’s programming which requires professionals to sit behind computers. While you are scanning the list of colleges, go for those institutes that have AI included in their curriculum. Being an expert here will really provide you with immense opportunities and a college can give you campus placements immediately after.You can start working with AI in the actual world and be a part of all the upcoming innovations.

Demand for professionals is going to keep rising and the next decade is the time for you.

— The writer is Senior Director at Institute of Management Studies (IMS) Noida.