Big Data – Top Job Skills
For those in the tech arena – and let’s face it, we’re all in the tech arena somehow – a few abilities are topping all of the must-have skills lists. Inc. points to the growth of Big Data, Cloud Computing, and Data Virtualization as three of the six major trends we should all be keeping up with, supported by countless other industry analysts. Data and Cloud technologies have effectively transformed both our personal and business landscapes, so skilling up in these areas is a necessity.
Cloud Computing: What You Need to Know
This year, the Cloud will become the “new normal”, reports TechRadar. Dramatically cutting cost by digitizing information-intensive processes, it’s been predicted that the end of 2015 will see a world of hybrid deployments. By utilizing the flexibility of the Cloud, organizations are improving everything from collaboration to data security.
Following are a few of the top skills needed to adequately exploit the Cloud.
- The Technical Stuff: A good knowledge of Internet capabilities is a must have, and skills in Java and .NET framework are invaluable, as well as an understanding of virtualization. open source tools and languages are also beneficial.
- Basic Business: Ensuring efficient use of Cloud Computing requires business-savvy leaders who recognize the need (or lack thereof) for cloud deployment; the Cloud is vital, but it’s not going to build a return on your investment without good business management.
- Project Management: Are there any fields that don’t benefit from great project management? IT certainly does and always has. Marshaling resources, both human and technical; establishing goals and timelines; achieving milestones on schedule; and delivering value. Cloud Computing offers and encourages the use of an extreme range of new tools and directions, but without effective project management, this wild ride could end up costing far more than a basic On-Premises system.
- Data Analysis & Integration: Considered more valuable in today’s economy than oil, Big Data is only as beneficial as its practical extraction and application. Meshing cloud-based systems and data with on-premises warehouses and systems ensures effective analytical environments.
Big Data: In-Demand Skills
Partly thanks to the rise of the Internet of Things, Big Data is ever-expanding, as are its uses and power. With volumes increasing exponentially, knowing how to collect and analyze data keeps you in touch with customer needs as well as critical business processes. Although Big Data is a broad area, a few programming languages stand out as prerequisites:
- R: As other technologies gain popularity or fade away, R has steadily grown into a standard for data exploration. This will only continue with the latest wave of medium and small business BI adoption. It’s estimated that more than 2 million people use R.
- Julia: Is a high-level dynamic programming language designed to address the requirements of high-performance numerical and scientific computing while also being effective for general-purpose programming.
- Java: The general-purpose programming language designed with as few implementation dependencies as possible. Many companies have been adding this tool to their platforms, including IBM to its cloud, Bluemix.
- Hadoop: Covering numerous enterprises and tools such as Spark and Map Reduce, Hadoop is an extremely broad area that offers Big Data computing at scale with demand growing even faster than Java.
- Python: An interpreted, object-oriented programming language with dynamic semantics, Python is attractive for its rapid application development and as a scripting language to connect existing components.
Though a little daunting at first glance, all of these skills are at your fingertips. A little online exploration offers a satisfying foundation, and the numerous free courses existing provide all of the in-depth education you might want or need.
By Jennifer Klostermann
