Are you desirous of boosting your career and enhancing your income? Then acquire digital skills. Digital skills is the bedrock of digtial transformation.
Digital transformation refers to the integration of digital technology in all areas of business. This is fundamentally changing the way organizations deliver value to customers. But beyond business, digital transformation is also shaping everything imaginable: from the way we live our lives to how we socialize.
For example, the farmer is no longer just planting and harvesting crops. He now automate his processes with digital tools to get better yields and make more profits. With an app, the retailer is able to reach and sell to a wider consumer market .
Just like businesses have realized that they can’t achieve scale without digitalization, individuals too are fast realizing that without digital skills, achieving financial success may be a mirage. There are many options to choose from and some of these skills can be learned within a short period of time.
But first…..
Digital skills are those knowledge that equip one with the capacity to use digital tools or devices to communicate, interact, network, access and manage information. These activities may range from performing simple online research, communicating via emails and virtual platforms to specialist software development.
Digital skills can be wide and varied. It start with the simple computer literacy to understanding of complex programming and anything in between. At the moment there is a digital skill gap.
And in this post, I highight 20 digital skills any one can learn to remain relevant in this digital age. These skills will not just empower you to survive, they are also high income skillsAMP. They are commonly known as tech skills
Coding and programming are the foundation for digital techology. Careers in software development, software engineering and data engineering are based on coding and programming skills. The task of a coder is to write instructions and translate logic in the language that the machine understands.
High in demand coding skills or programming languages include: HTML, CSS, java, java script, C#, C++, Python, PHP. Others are C#, GO, SQL, etc.
This infographics according devjobsscanner.com are the most high in demand coding and prorgamming language in 2022
Web Development and Web Design are one of the high in demand digital skills that can boost your career and income. The work of a developer is to create and test website for layouts, functions, and navigation. On the the other hand, a web designer is concerned with the visual aspects of websites.
Both careers often go hand in hand. Thus, it is possible to train to become both a web developer and a web designer. It is your choice to specialize in either of the two.
Digital media is growing in importance as we rely on the web to interact, communicate, exchange information, shop, secure ourselves and much more. So also is the growing need for web developers and web designers, If you are intuitive, artistic, and creative; you have achieved the first step to making a career in web development and designing.
Data analytics has to do with examining and manipulating data sets with a view to identifying trends and presenting the data in manner that is understandble and useful for decision making. It is a growing area with wide range of use cases.
Data analysis is performed with special digital tool and those with the special skills to use this tools are very much needed in commercial enterprises, government agencies and research centers. Data Analytics is used to validate scientific hypotheses, models and/or theories.
Thus, the work of a data analyst collate data from both internal and external sources, use digital tools to analyze the data and present in an easily understable format using charts, graphs and tables. Some data analytic tools include: Microsoft Excel, Microsoft BI, Python, R, Tableau, Jupyter Notebook, Apache Spart, SAS, etc. Learn to use one or a combination of these tools and you are on your way to starting a career in data analytics.
Data science is an emerging field with a huge skill gap. It is the use of scientific methods, algorithms or processes to extract information from unstructured data. It’s an interdisciplinary academic study that draws knowledge from statistics, Information Technology, and natural sciences.
The job of a data scientiest thus, is to develop the systems analysing data using applicable programmig languages. Some have argued that data science is just an extension of statistics. However, data science focuses on digital data and typical data science project may include specialists in statistics, business analysis, IT and even engineering.
Business analytics has gradually become a powerful tool for designing business strategy and making quick decisions. The corrolary to this is that there is a high demand for people with business analysis skill set.
By way of definition, business analytics is use of quantitative methods to get useful and meaninful information from a company’s data set. The purpose is to aid decision making.
Data science, Data Analytics and Business Analytics are all concerned with the use of data for decision making. Hence, it’s possible to use the three concept interchangeably. However, they are different in scope, application and methodology. You can read the difference in these jobs here
UI refers to User Interface, while UX refers to user Experience. UI focuses on the visual interface element like colours, menus, typography, etc of a digital product. Take for example that you are using an app to book a hotel; the navigation buttons, elements and the form you fill all make up the user interface.
UX is all about the look and feel. How a user interact with a company’s product and service is the focus of UX design. UI/UX Designs are both high in demand digital skills that you can learn to boost your career and income.
Artificial inteligence (AI) is a technology that enables a computer system to mimick and stimulate human intelligence. It uses machine learning algorithms and it has multiple use cases.
With AI and machine learning, robots can be programmed to perform tasks that a human being does. Applications of AI include but not limited to: speech recognition and expert system. It is also applied to machine vision and langaugr processing.
Both business and public enterprises are increasingly embracing AI and Machine learning because of the amount of insight it offers.
Blockchain enhances trust in financial transactions and record keeping. It provides a system for recording a system such that is it is difficult to change or hack.
Cryptocurrency and digital currency are based on the blockchain technology. Since the discovery and launch of bitcoin in 2009, the blockchain technology has continued to evolve. As it develops and expands its use cases, the demand for people with requisit skills in blockchain technology will continue to grow.
Blockchain developer skills are wide. One is advised to select one and a combination of few of these skills to learn. Some of these skills include: blockchain architecture, cryptography, data structure, smart contracts, distributed system and programming language. Coding capacity to build if you desire to work in blockl chain include: C, C#, Python, Golang and Ruby.
If you desire to work block chain develop, you must have the ability to use any of the coding skills mentioned in the foreging paragraph.
Metaverse has been described as the future iteration of the internet. It is in its earliest stages of development. As a matter of fact, except in a very few case, the metaverse is said not to be here yet. Thus, people who acquire relevant digital skills to operate in the metaverse are making worthwhile investment in their future.
This technology will allow users to socialize, interact and work in 3D spaces. Those who will work in metaverse will need a combination of skills, including AI, VR, NFT and distributed computing.
A very key requirment the continous survival of the digital space, is security. The incidence of cyber threat and data breach continue rise by the day.
Cyber security deals with tecgnologies and systems that are provided to protect computers, servers, mobile devices, electronic system, data and networks from malicious attack.
There are different aspects to cybersecurity; thus it is usual for practitioners to specialise in specific areas. Some of these include:
The demand for people with cyber security skills will continue to rise.
Augmented Reality and virtual Reality are two primary technology behind the Metaverse. These technologies bring the digital and physical world together to create an artificial environment.
AR and VR drive a diverse use cases including gaming, events, medicine and business. It’s a growing area that is in need of specialists. And you can become one of them.
Cloud services refer to a wide range of resources that are available for organizations to use over the internet. It offers organizations the benefit of using computing services without the need to invest in hardware or sometime, even software.
Due to the ease it provides and the cost reduction impact it has, cloud services have become a most sort after business model for many organisations and many more will embrace it.
These services are usually provided by cloud computing service vendors and services. These vendors are always on the look out for people with cloud computing skills to work it. Others with digital skills in this area, may choose to provide cloud computing services as freelancers or independent contractors.
Certification in Microsoft Azure Developer or Amazon Web Services certification are some of the certifications you will need to work in cloud services space.
Internet of Things (IoT) is the a collection of technologies: digital devices, software, equipment, etc that are connected to facilitate communication with each other with the use of sensor. It works through the exchange of data.
An IoT system will typically has three components, viz: smart devices, IoT application and a graphic user interface. Use cases in IoT spaces include smart cities, smart homes, connected cars, etc.
IoT requires many programming languagesm some of which are: Java, Python, PHP, C#. It also rests on different types of framework.
Also known as Additive Manufacturing, 3D Printing involves a three dimensional solid objects from a digital file. With 3D printing technology, you are able to produce complex shapes with less materials than in traditional manufacturing methods.
3D Printing is a big thing, estimated to reach $41 billion by 2026. The opportunities here are enormous and waiting for those who have the requisite skills. Some of these digital skills around 3D Printing are 3D CAD. Application Engineering, and Data Preparation.
Digital or computer illustration is use of digital tools to produce images. Graphic artistes use digital illustrations to produce beautiful designs for book covers, pictures, etc. Digital illustration is expanding the world for the artist.
To achieve good success, you must know how to use a set of tools or software suit. Some of these include Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator, Corel Painter, Rebell 4, Artrage Vitae, etc. Learning and understandng how to use these gigital illustration tools will set up apart as a Graphic Designer and open the world of opportunities.
Cyber attacks happen every day. Therefore a central concern for any organization in this digital era is how to protect its data and information available in the cyberspace. One of the ways of implementing a security framwork is ethical hacking.
The ethical hacker attmept to study a client’s system, professionally hacks into the system in line with agreed parameters. The purpose is to evaluate and highlight volnerabilities and suggest ways to improve security.
A successful ethical hawker is one who understands system security, cryptography, forensic procedures, web applications vulnerabilities and malware threats.
Other Digital Skills You Can Learn to Earn More
There are good number of other digital skills you can easily learn to make a career switch or boost your in your income in your current career: Some of the common ones include: Social Media Management, Search Engine Optimization, Digital Marketing, Web Analytics, Content Management System (CMS) like WordPress, video editing, etc.
The options are are wide and the opportunities broad. Identify a tech area that catches your interest and passion, take steps to learn and acquire the relevant skills, and thereafter launch your career.
Getting digital skills is not as difficult as you may think. There are many options available. As a matter of fact most of the skills highlighted can be acquired through free online courses.
Here’re the differet ways to gain digital skills:
You can acquire coding and programming skills, as well as other digital skills by embarking on self taught programmes. Such programmes will incoude learning videos you can get on Youtube, online courses from platforms like Coursera, Udemy, Allison, etc.
For example, at Gooogle Digital Skill for Africa, you can learn for free a variety of digitals skills from digital marketing to data science. Duration of such courses range from a few hours to a couple of week and they are usually sufficient to get you started on the skill set.
A very credible way of showcasing your digital skills is to get certified in your area of interest. A number of authorised examining bodies exist in different aspect of tech training. The EC-Council for example offers a number of certification including the Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH).
If you have not yet gone to school for your regular degree, why not consider going to study course that relates to computer sciences, information systems, Cybersecurity, etc. These academic programmes prepare you sufficiently to acquire speficific digital skills and launch your tech career. Usually an undergraduate programme in some of these courses will last for about four years.
Bootcamps are intensive training offered by learning organization over a short period of time. They are intended to equip the trainee with operational level skill in the specific knowledge domain within that short period. Bootcamp programmes are usually designed to run for a few days to a couple of weeks.
Here you have it: 15 Digital Skills you Can Learn to Boost Your Career and Income, Today, Tommorrow. Surely, this list is not exhaustive. The digital world is so elaborate and it keep expanding by the day. So if you know of any high in demand skill available out there, don’t fail to let us know using the comment box here.
Buchi creates content and leads the Team at Kobotalk Management Services; a business development and investment consultancy firm. He provides strategic advisory to help SME's, small business owners and HNI's grow profitable business and make informed investing decisions.
Buchi creates content and leads the Team at Kobotalk Management Services; a business development and investment consultancy firm. He provides strategic advisory to help SME's, small business owners and HNI's grow profitable business and make informed investing decisions.