The Great Escape

Since the arrival of the global pandemic in 2020, we have all had a front-row seat to a wave of unprecedented changes in the workplace. 

Our journey began with remote working at scale. Even Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella admitted they had experienced two years of digital transformation in two months. A combination of low pay, lack of opportunities, feeling of being disrespected, and not wanting to return to the office led to great resignation as people began searching for more flexibility and a better work-life balance.

Hybrid working is gathering momentum and playing a critical role in providing the flexibility employees now demand from their employers. These are just a few reasons why we are passionate about our Training the Nation 2022 initiative and helping hard-working people to retrain or upskill to secure the career of their dreams.

 

The global tech skills shortage

A recent report revealed that by 2030, more than 85 million jobs could be unfilled because there won’t be enough skilled people to take them as the $8.5 trillion talent shortage becomes a worrying prospect for businesses. In the UK alone, tech job vacancies increased by 191%. Still, the skills shortage continues to grind recruitment efforts to a halt, and many experts predict that companies are heading directly into a future crisis.

Closer to home, IT managers across APAC are also losing staff as retention increasingly dominates headlines. The combination of the critical tech skills gap and great resignation is a global problem impacting every industry. 

For workers, the rise in inflation and cost-of-living increases combined with a potential talent deficit of 47 million workers across APAC is prompting many to pursue a lucrative career in tech.

 

 

The future of work – building a better tomorrow

We are collectively beginning to think differently about work, with job opportunities appearing beyond our current geographical location. Now we’re post-pandemic, globally recognized certifications can be leveraged and utilised to fill job roles anywhere in the world. For example, a CompTIA Network+ qualification will mean the same in Canada, England, Australia, and New Zealand.

The tech skills shortage is also seeing many organisations turning to the global talent space, and it’s not uncommon for cross-functional remote working teams to consist of employees in Auckland, Sydney, San Francisco, and Bangalore. When thinking about what the future of work looks like or how to finally make the leap into a new career in tech, the only limit is your ambition.

The critical tech skills gap is providing a once-in-a-generation opportunity to chart a better career on your terms that can take you anywhere in the world. As part of our Training the Nation campaign, we are on a mission to tailor new learning pathways for individuals and businesses, from novice to expert. Will you join us?

 

Choosing your unique career pathway

We have a variety of courses in everything from project management and coding to IT that do not require any prerequisites. Regardless of your technical knowledge, we invite you on a journey of continuous learning that will begin with the basics and take you to an advanced level at a pace determined by you. Your unique path will not only help you secure a dream role in tech but also help you remain relevant in the job market.

The Asia-Pacific region is predicted to be the home to the largest population of online users. Amazon Web Services (AWS) reported that between 666 million and 819 million workers in the Asia Pacific will need to leverage digital skills by 2025, an increase of 149 million. 

Predictably, 97% of APAC leaders have described the demand for tech talent as sizzling hot, with wage inflation between 25% and 50%. Ultimately, there has never been a better time to switch to a career in tech.

 

Do not underestimate your existing transferable skills

Before you try and talk yourself out of a wealth of opportunities with self-limiting beliefs that you are not technical enough, remember that it’s your wealth of transferable skills that are most attractive to employers. These are the traits you seamlessly use in any job and can transform you from a promising employee into an invaluable one. 

Corporate tech teams need people who are comfortable talking with multiple stakeholders from a variety of backgrounds. Interpersonal skills and adaptability to any situation while keeping calm under pressure are essential skills that you might already use daily in your current non-technical role.

For example, your transferable skills can help you unlock a new career in cybersecurity, where the current unemployment rate is 0%.

How you listen, communicate, and pay close attention to detail are possibly the most critical skills that will help you thrive in a tech career, especially when combined with critical thinking, analytical reasoning, and problem-solving in an agile teamwork environment. You might already have the foundations for a career in tech, all that remains is a little guidance from our Career Consultants to help you secure the qualifications you need on your unique career path.

But what are the most in-demand tech jobs in APAC?

 

 

Pursuing a career in IT

Technological advancements that dominate every aspect of our lives are also increasing the IT skills gap. If you enjoy keeping up with the innovation of the tech industry or have always dreamed of a tech career, entering the world of IT will open many different paths in your career. Many choose to begin their career in computer support before deciding to specialise in networks, data, cyber security, cloud technology, development, or project management.

We have many IT courses that cover everything from the basics to the advanced. They will evolve with you in your career and help you decide which of these in-demand job positions you would like to explore in the months ahead.

 

Choosing a career in cloud

It’s no secret that over 90% of enterprises are already utilising Cloud services. Moreover, as employees increasingly expect to work from anywhere and on any device, we can expect the appetite for cloud technology to dramatically increase in the foreseeable future. But without cloud talent and skilled workers, the cloud’s value can feel unattainable.

The demand for cloud specialists who play a critical role in every digital transformation’s administration, security, development, and engineering is currently outstripping the supply. As a result, when candidates add certifications by CompTIA, AWS, Azure, or Google to their LinkedIn profile, it’s not uncommon for a swarm of recruiters and head-hunters to bombard their inbox with available roles.

The operational agility and scalability of cloud computing make it one of the most attractive and exciting developing sectors in tech. Our Cloud Career Starter Collection includes three foundation-level certifications from CompTIA. But this is just the beginning of your journey. Once completed, you’ll also have an opportunity to niche down and specialise in Microsoft Azure or AWS, depending on your unique career pathway. With an average starting salary of $130k for a cloud-based job role, many of our students only regret is that they never started studying sooner.

 

Securing a career in cyber security, regardless of your experience level

A 0% unemployment rate and a predicted 3.5 million openings in 2025 means that choosing a career in cybersecurity is easy. No two days are ever the same for cyber professionals, and your path towards a six-figure salary will typically begin with a collection of courses designed to welcome all levels of experience and help you secure a role in a security operations centre.

Once again, this path will lead you to a career crossroads where you can choose to dedicate your time securing networks, Pen Testing devices in new environments, or daring to explore the world of ethical hacking. Suppose the idea of identifying weaknesses and vulnerabilities in critical systems sounds appealing. In that case, you might be part of the solution to the many unfilled cybersecurity roles, not just across APAC but wherever you would like to work in the world.

 

Are you a project driver or an enabler?

The acceleration of digital projects in every business function means that the demand for IT Project Managers is beginning to outstrip supply. If you naturally excel in negotiation, communication, time management and have a meticulous eye for detail; you could be ideally suited for a lucrative career in IT project management.

Good project managers are comfortable liaising with teams from non-technical to engineering and DevOps. There is also a long list of project management methodologies such as Waterfall, Agile, Scrum, Lean, and Prince2 that can bring teams together to ensure products are built and targets are achieved.

Although you don’t need to know them all, our selection of project management courses will give you the confidence you need to succeed. For example, the highly regarded Prince2 certifications can put you on the right path to a six-figure salary. If you are more of a people person rather than overly technical, this could be a great career option for you.

 

Changing the world with code

Do you want to create ideas that change the world? Software developers are responsible for designing, building, installing, and testing the software systems we all rely on. They are also challenged with maintaining and updating their code to provide superior user experiences. But at the heart of all this are many programming languages such as Python and Java.

The coding skills gap across APAC is already well documented, and there are many different careers for coders currently in short supply. The good news is that no prior coding experience is needed in courses such as Code+ that promise to take you from novice to pro at your own pace with access to 12,000 books and 10,000 hours of video content.

You will learn the differences between the front and back-end development and give you the tools you need to pursue a career in full-stack development. You’ll learn to lead web development projects and drive your team to success with additional agile project management, Scrum Master, and Soft Skills training. All of which can help you secure a role as a pro developer earning an average salary of around $80,000.

At a time when many Australians have recently received a tax rebate, maybe it’s time to invest in yourself to ensure the next financial year is destined for success. 

So if you have any questions or need advice on the right path for you or your team, get in touch today and let us help you realise your potential.