Our Best Blogs of May post includes stories on the current state of the STEM skills gap, getting rid of distractions and the value of cybersecurity skills. That’s a lot of great stuff to read while sitting by the pool!
What’s driving the skills gap in the tech industry right now?
The lack of qualified professionals needed to fill today’s jobs isn’t a new story and the factors behind that skills gap are well documented. However, new forces have emerged in recent years that have exacerbated the STEM skills gap: specifically, the rate of change and business role of IT.
In the past several years, technology has advanced at a such a rapid pace, it’s difficult for many institutions to keep up. Even educational institutions, normally at the forefront of technology, have fallen behind. Schools cannot develop and establish programs fast enough to allow for the rate of technological change.
The changing role IT in business is also contributing to the STEM skills gap in the labor market. As IT has become a critical part of every business function, it has triggered a fierce competition among companies for what little IT talent there currently is available in the market.
To minimize distractions, put down your phone
Today’s technical employees need time and mental energy to develop creative solutions for unique problems. However, many tech workers regularly shoot themselves in the foot by chasing distractions and wasting time.
Behavioral research and author Nir Eyal recently made it his personal mission to preach the power of commitment – to your job. According to Eyal, avoiding distractions isn’t just a nice habit to get into, it’s essential to career success. Eyal has argued that the rise of automation has put a premium on human focus and creativity.
Getting rid of distractions from your workday starts by considering, what exactly is a distraction? Many people think the ding of a cellphone alert is the biggest distraction during the workday. However, the biggest source of distraction is actually your own brain, according to Eyal.
The behavioral researcher suggests a three-pronged approach to fighting distractions. First, plan out your daily schedule and stick to it. Second, put away your phone or put it in silent mode. Third, you need to look at your distraction triggers – those thing that make you run to Google, Facebook or whatever your favorite timewaster may be.
Cybersecurity skills are more valuable than ever
With data breaches and cyberattacks becoming more prevalent by the week, cybersecurity skills are becoming more valuable than ever. Tech industry analysts are predicting that breaches and hacks will become more common in 2018, and the damage caused by these incidents will become more severe. Furthermore, any industry that relies on the internet or connected devices is at risk; so basically, every industry.
Companies need to think about cybersecurity from Day One and from the ground up. This means the demand for security professionals will only increase as the economy expands.
