By Artur Meyster
Covid-19 has laid ruin to millions of professionals across the globe and impacted every industry. Ride-share companies and manufacturing firms laid off thousands of workers as the economy slid to a halt. Jobs are slowly returning; employers added 1.8 million jobs during July. This is a move in the right direction, but there are still 13 million jobs left to restore.
Not all industries are returning jobs at the same rate. Sanitary requirements and social distancing are affecting productivity and lowering revenue. Roles like data scientists, software engineers, and cloud architects are resilient during these unprecedented times.
Tech jobs are well-positioned to survive the pandemic, and future ones, due to our reliance on technology and the ability to complete tasks remotely. As we reduce our in-person interactions, all facets of society are moving online—school, doctor appointments, and large conferences. The ability to engage in these routine aspects of life requires people with computer science skills.
Data Scientist
It's the best practice for companies to make decisions based on data rather than gut feelings. Data is generated at an unfathomable rate, thanks to technology. Data scientists are responsible for collecting this data and writing algorithms to organize data into relevant data sets. The trends discovered might allow a grocery store to show you similar purchases or the iconic 'users who bought X also bought Y' you see every time you make a purchase.
The role can thrive during Covid-19. As consumers become more frugal, companies are looking to focus their efforts on high leverage inputs that yield the best return on investment. A data scientist typically has a computer science degree, but companies are increasing their demand for the role. Data science bootcamps are quickly scaling up invested individuals to meet entry-level requirements. These bootcamps create job-ready individuals in three to six months.
Software Engineer
Software engineers are the tech industry's backbone. They work on a variety of platforms using numerous coding languages. Covid-19 has generated massive growth in online shopping and other forms of e-commerce. Non-tech companies, like Walmart and Home Depot, are hiring software engineers to implement their numerous initiatives to provide services to consumers to drum up repeat customers.
Many people used their stimulus checks to paint their house or upgrade appliances. Hardware stores created features for you to take a picture of your room and virtually test each color. Not only does this save trips to the store, but it gives the consumer a better idea of the result versus their imitation. As companies roll out these features, their competitors are following in step. Providing in-depth previews of homes, furniture, and light fixtures are becoming industry standards as consumers want a better idea of the finished product.
Software engineer positions are growing faster than the national average for jobs. The coding bootcamp Springboard predicts the job will grow at a rate of 21 percent until 2028. Companies are looking to expand online features that attract business.
Mobile App Developer
One of the struggles of the Internet is keeping the customer's attention. It is incredibly easy to navigate away from a company page to a search engine or big-box retailer that offers lower prices. Dedicated mobile apps allow companies to send notifications directly to customers' phones, send follow-up emails if they viewed an item but didn't purchase it, and make it easier to stay engaged with their content. Mobile app developers focus on Android or iOS applications, comprised of different languages and programs.
Having an app isn't enough; it has to work well. Customers don't want to spend their time with apps that crash frequently or are challenging to navigate. Like a web page, there is a significant amount of research going into the appearance and function of a mobile app. Apps have many features and provide developers with multiple avenues to pursue once they have the right skills. You can obtain the requisite skills to be a mobile app developer with no degree. Coding bootcamps teach these skills at a fast rate and allow students to learn coding skills without any prior knowledge.
Tech Jobs Are Growing
Tech job growth is outpacing most other industries. Unlike careers that require degrees and years of schooling, you can learn and get a computer science job in a relatively short time.
About the Author
Artur Meyster is the CTO of Career Karma (YC W19), an online marketplace that matches career switchers with coding bootcamps. He is also the host of the Breaking Into Startups podcast, which features people with non-traditional backgrounds who broke into tech.
Comments