Developers, cybersecurity specialists and other skilled tech professionals are proving particularly elusive for hiring managers, in large part due to the growing demand for software and IT solutions brought on by the pandemic.

Recruitment agency Dice’s latest Tech Jobs report sheds light on exactly where that demand is in the latter part of 2021. In the third quarter, job postings in the tech industry suggest that organizations are at Seeking technology professionals “who understand the fundamental concepts of software development and project management” and have technical skills in Linux, as well as the programming languages ​​Java, Python and SQL.

According to Dice, demand for SQL in the third quarter of 2021 was up 5% from the second quarter of this year. It was the second most in-demand technological skill, beaten only by project management – a broader skill that has become essential for companies leading large digitization efforts or delivering specific work programs.

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SQL – or Structured Query Language – might not have the same flashy reputation as headline-stealing Python or seemingly omnipotent Java, but there’s a reason it’s still high on the list of sought-after tech skills. SQL is still used by organizations to manage the datasets they hold in their various business units – like sales and human resources, for example – which means the programming language is essential for programmers to work. with corporate data assets.

General-purpose programming languages ​​also remain in high demand – Java and Python in particular.

Java is widely used in the development of mobile applications, and the surge in demand for digital services caused by the pandemic will have made Java developers even more valuable to businesses. Java was the third most sought-after tech skill, based on the number of times it appeared in job listings, with an increase of 3% from Q2 2021.

Python, meanwhile, continues to gain popularity in data science and artificial intelligence (AI) applications. Both of these areas are attracting increased interest as organizations embark on digital transformation initiatives focused on capturing and understanding the vast amounts of customer data that becomes available to them. Python was the third most valuable technology skill for companies to hire in the third quarter, although demand was only up 1% from the second quarter.

Dice notes that Java and Python “are likely to remain in high demand for some time.” Having said that, there seems to be a suggestion that the demand for certain skills and competencies has declined more recently.

Linux, for example, is still among the 10 most requested technology skills in Dice’s findings, although this is down 1% from Q2 2021. Information systems, Oracle, information security , data management and system administration were other skills to see a drop in demand.

Dice said these trends could largely reflect what the recruiter called an “astonishing explosion” of hiring activity in early 2021. “As with occupations, employers’ thirst for certain skills appears to have fueled. stabilized (and even slightly decreased) over a quarter. on a quarterly basis, ”the report said.

“Employers have been very public about their problems finding the right kind of talent to fill vacancies; there is clearly a demand for technologists with particular skills, but perhaps not quite at the same level as when companies reopen, “he said.

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Dice’s Q3 Tech Job report also offered insight into specific software platforms where interest from recruiting companies has increased. Docker Software, for example, saw its appearance in tech vacancies increase by 31% between Q2 and Q3 2021, followed by Microsoft Azure (12%) and Git, which saw a 10% increase. .

This reflects the accelerated transition to the cloud, Dice said: again, largely driven by the COVID-19 pandemic. Technologies like Docker, Azure, and Git “are having a huge impact on the web and the cloud,” meaning workers who have mastered these platforms are likely to always end up with good job prospects. Tableau, data analytics and change management are also seeing an increase in demand – all of which are “used by managers who guide. [cloud and web] projects until their completion. “

In the future, machine learning and data science are likely to become essential for organizations that want to turn their datasets into new sources of revenue and a means to gain insight into customer behavior. “Success in everything from customer service to supply chain management could potentially depend on the effective application of machine learning and data science,” said Dice.