Is 2022 a Good Time to Start a Tech Career
It’s no secret that we are living in a new age of technical revolution, one that will change the way we work, live, and relate to one another. These tech advances lead to huge opportunities in the field, with computer and information technology operations expected to grow by 13% between 2020 and 2030, well above the national average. So is now a good time to start a tech career?
If you’re ready for a high-demand, well-paying job, tech might just be the perfect fit. And with so much opportunity in the field right now, this could be the perfect moment to start your career in tech.
Let’s explore why 2022 is a great time to start a career in tech.
Why is tech a promising field?
If you are considering a career in tech, now is a great time to break into the industry. (You’re also in good company: One in five workers is considering a career switch right now, according to surveys from the hiring company Monster.)
According to Rachel Cohen, Senior Manager of the Bloom Institute of Technology’s Job Search & Career Coaching program, the growing demand for workers with tech skills creates many entry-level opportunities.
More workers than ever are doing their jobs online. Employees with tech skills are the ones who enable this bigger-than-ever remote workforce.
As more of our lives have shifted online—shopping, banking, communication, and more—companies need tech professionals to build, maintain, and improve digital infrastructure.
Finally, the future will only create more opportunities for tech-based solutions.
All that growth means increased opportunity for new developers, engineers, and data scientists to break into the field. The high demand for tech professionals also creates opportunity for upward mobility.
“It’s a great job market right now and there are a lot of openings,” Cohen explains. “Companies are focused on building their engineering and other tech-focused teams, and keeping their teams happy.”
Is the tech field growing in 2022?
Disruptions to business over the past two years due to COVID-19 have given companies a unique opportunity to change and grow. According to a 2022 Deloitte report, many companies have turned to cloud computing, AI, and remote work.
Organizations have seen how technology-based solutions optimized efficiency, cut costs, and even increased sustainability. Thanks to the many benefits of technology, companies will continue to invest in these solutions. That leads to continued growth and job stability in the tech field.
In a recent Monster poll, technology careers in software development, information security analysis, network and computer systems administration, computer systems analysis, and software development show the greatest growth of any industry. These careers will help meet the demand for emerging tech solutions like AI, machine learning, datafication, quantum computing, new energy solutions, and more.
Additionally, the growing demand for tech innovation and product development continues to bring financial and job opportunities for those in the tech sector. According to the 2021 Q1 and Q2 Dice Reports, average tech salaries now exceed six figures ($104,566) and job posting activity for the top 50 tech employers remained high (by volume) in the first half of 2021, with 78% of these employers increasing tech job postings quarter-over-quarter.
Sound like a good reason to start a tech career now?
Are there still remote tech jobs in 2022?
While many remote jobs outside of tech have returned to in-person in 2022, tech remains a flexible industry.
“There's still a trend of remote work, especially for technical roles,” Cohen says. “While some businesses are going back to in-person, a disproportionate amount of engineering teams are staying remote, which opens opportunities nationally and internationally.”
In fact, roughly 6 in 10 software developers and computer programmers have access to work-from-home options.
This continued opportunity for remote work means traditionally office-bound jobs are becoming more accessible to tech sector workers all over the country, including in rural areas.
“It is so helpful to have the flexibility that I have as a remote worker,” says BloomTech graduate and web engineer Romy Shockey. “I am in the comfort of my own home, I set my own hours, which is a plus, and there's a comfort to it that you don't quite get when you are sitting in an office.”
What fields are looking for tech talent?
While almost all industries require some form of tech to operate these days, companies with the highest growth in 2022 hold the greatest opportunities for entry-level tech employment.
Considering some of the biggest and most essential businesses throughout the pandemic have been healthcare, health insurance, and hospitals, these businesses have seen steady growth in hiring, especially for those who work on a remote tech stack, Cohen explains.
Other growing sectors include e-commerce, SaaS companies, finance, and fintech. While corporate offices for e-commerce have boomed, pandemic-related downturns have hit travel, hospitality, retail, and other brick and mortar corporate headquarters hard.
What tech skills are needed in 2022?
When considering what skills to learn as a new tech professional, it can be helpful to master the fundamentals in your field. That said, required and suggested entry-level tech skills will depend on an applicant’s specialty (web development, data science, backend development, UX/UI, and others). Curriculum such as BloomTech’s Web Development program, Data Science program, and Backend Development program teach the skills employers want.
Cohen explains that BloomTech teaches the common skills needed for full stack developers, backend developers, and aspiring data scientists. These include:
Full Stack Web Developers
- HTML
- CSS
- JavaScript
- Node.js
- React
- Redux
- Python
- SQL
- The basics of design
- Other backend skills
Backend Web Developers
- Java foundations
- Java programming
- Testing
- Software engineering
- Data structures
- Algorithms
- DynamoDB
- Concurrency
Data Scientists
- Python
- SQL
- Databases
- Data visualization
- Linear algebra & statistical analysis
- Machine learning
- Deep learning & ML ops
- Computer vision
- Natural language processing
- Other data engineering skills
No matter what track you study, Cohen says knowing the most widely used and up-to-date languages and frameworks in your field will give you a foundation to learn any future stacks an employer might need or require.
What are the best tech jobs in 2022?
When considering your options in a new career in tech, you’ll want to consider earning potential, job satisfaction, and job availability.
According to Robert Half’s 2022 IT salary report, the 10 most in-demand tech jobs in 2022, rated by entry level salary, include:
Job Title Average Entry Level Salary
Network/cloud architect $125,250
Information security analyst $115,000
Computer and information systems manager $112,000
Software developer $100,500
Computer programmer $90,750
Web developer $87,750
Systems analyst $83,000
Database administrator and architect $82,750
Network and computer systems administrator $79,750
Help desk and desktop support professional $36,500
Recruiting website Glassdoor recently released its list of the 50 Best Jobs in America for 2022. Unsurprisingly, 21 of the top 50 jobs on the list are tech jobs, with 16 of those boasting a median base salary of over $100,000. Here are their top 12 jobs in America ranked by self-reported job satisfaction:
- Full Stack Engineer (4.3 / 5)
- Machine Learning Engineer (4.3 / 5)
- Devops Engineer (4.2 / 5)
- Strategy Manager (4.2 / 5)
- Backend Engineer (4.2 / 5)
- Enterprise Architect (4.1 / 5)
- Data Scientist (4.1 / 5)
- Java Developer (4.1 / 5)
- Data Engineer (4 / 5)
- Product Manager (4 / 5)
- Cloud Engineer (4 / 5)
- Software Engineer (3.9 / 5)
While these lists show the most in-demand jobs in 2022, advancements in technology will undoubtedly create new roles and opportunities in the tech field in the next decade. Just where will the ever-changing needs of the digital landscape take us? The talented and enthusiastic data scientists, engineers, and software developers of tomorrow will find out.
There’s no time like the present
While tech is a competitive field, hiring and growth trends show plenty of opportunity for hardworking new tech professionals. This means if you have the drive and passion to learn, a well paying job in tech could be in your future.
Ready to get started? BloomTech teaches the tech skills employers want, with programs designed to support learners so they get a great job offer. Find the best fit for you in our BloomTech courses.
