ReleaseWire Connect

For many organizations, 2020 was a year when the business went into survival mode. Entire workforces went online, brick and mortar enterprises went digital and it became crucial, almost everywhere, to speed up digital transformation so as not to get left behind. Now that we're in 2021, there is a chance for every organization to move beyond survival mode and into something more growth-driven and profitable - and enterprise solutions jobs are likely to form the core workforce able to make this happen. Some of the trends that could potentially drive this accelerated interest in enterprise solutions include a speeding up of cloud migration, the increasing role of edge computing, far more use of automation on a much wider scale and the need to employ Artificial Intelligence (AI) to gain business insight.

IT and technology have already played a crucial role in the way that the world has responded to the crisis of COVID-19. From track and trace to vaccine passports, it has enabled governments to develop measures to keep economies afloat and promote a faster recovery. Those in IT and technology jobs in the USA also have the potential to contribute to a more inclusive recovery from the pandemic, as emerging cutting-edge technologies can be used to minimize the inequalities that the pandemic has highlighted. UNCTAD's Technology and Innovation Report 2021 was published in February this year and established that rapidly developing frontier technologies, such as robotics, big data, drones and Artificial Intelligence (AI) (and ensuring that developing countries have equal access to them) - are going to be essential to COVID-19 recovery.

Unprecedented times call for unprecedented technology demands. As the world moves into a new stage of the pandemic, where mass testing, quarantines and vaccination rollouts are being used to curb the virus, tech companies are looking at a way to develop health passport apps. To allow passengers to travel to countries where a negative coronavirus test result or vaccination are entry requirements, tech firms, industry associations and airlines around the world have looked into developing different digital passport options so that safe travel can go ahead.

Cybersecurity breaches are often carried out by highly sophisticated bodies with malintent. One famous example of a serious breach occurred last year where Russian government hackers were believed to have inserted malicious code into popular software that monitors computer networks of businesses and governments. The Texas-based company which fell victim to the hack, SolarWinds, has thousands of federal and private sector clients. United States officials and cybersecurity experts have raised awareness for years about these types of attacks, which have previously resulted in havoc - including billions of dollars in financial losses. While former President Donald Trump was said to have shown little personal interest in cybersecurity, President Joe Biden has stated that he will prioritize it and impose costs on those who pose threats and carry out attacks.

As we close a door on 2020 and make our way into the new year cyber security teams continue to work beyond capacity to try to protect data and defer cyber adversaries. The pandemic led to new threats facing cyber security professionals with an increase of people working from home. With the average home having between 20 and 50 devices connecting to Wi-Fi hubs including smart doorbells, TVs, and digital assistants, protecting secure business data has become even more of a challenge. Coupled with this is the relaxation of business security protocols to accommodate staff using personal devices from home to work which has generated a bigger risk to business-critical systems and information.

With the IT and technology industries growing faster than ever, researchers expect to see more women emerging as a force within the industry. According to the National Center for Women & Information Technology (NCWIT), as of 2015, women hold only 25% of computing roles.

The Fourth Industrial Revolution is sending shockwaves through the technology industry in the United States. Companies from the east to the west coast are being forced to adapt to the extraordinary technological transformations or lose their business.

Cloud and infrastructure professionals are in high demand, there are currently over 50,000 cloud computing positions available in the US from close to 4,000 employers, as reported by Forbes. Tech hubs across the United States are searching for ambitious, talented individuals who can grapple with the increasing technological advances being faced by the industry today.

Digital transformation is driving the need for businesses to invest in enterprise solutions as they grow. Professionals in the sector work towards designing and integrating multiple facets of a company’s business from customer relationship management to accounting.

Development and engineering professionals are creative, quick thinkers. They put ideas into practice to improve the future for people in the US and around the world. It is a hugely exciting sector to join as the opportunity to shape the future of the tech industry will be in your hands.