For many people, the evolution of technology is a welcome demonstration of progress. While there is little doubt that a seemingly relentless march of new and innovative tech is good for society in general, IT professionals are increasingly aware that skills need to be updated on a regular basis, especially in a fast-paced and competitive business environment.

Advances in technology have led to what can be seen as the democratization of the workplace environment. It would be hard to find any company that doesn't use computers, the internet or even mobile devices in some part of their business model, and while not every consumer may know how to code or write intuitive software, they know how to interact with the tools that are provided for them.

IT professionals have, in general, been able to highlight how their skills have contributed to the commercial machine itself as opposed to just contributing as a functioning user. However, as more people – especially those who fall into the categories of Generation Y and Millennials – are becoming increasingly comfortable with technology, then it becomes even more important for IT professionals to anticipate what is coming next. 

Technical Knowledge that is in High Demand 
As the IT industry evolves more than any other, IT professionals can't afford to become complacent in their roles and with their technical wherewithal.  As a result, IT professionals need to make it a top priority to consistently seek out new or emerging technologies in order to acquire the necessary skills for being proficient in these new technologies and better position themselves as an invaluable asset to any organization.

For example, computer aided design is the bedrock behind 3D printing, a high demand technology that is making waves in numerous industry sectors. For those involved in the creative or design world, being an expert in what would appear to be an increasingly important IT skill could be extremely beneficial. 

The same could be said of the cloud, a business tool that not only requires an understanding of how virtual storage can benefit a business or corporation, but how it fits into an existing framework. The access to so-called "big data" is no longer just a convenient term of reference, but a means to demonstrate analytical abilities that puts an individual ahead of the pack.

In fact, a recent survey of 720 business leaders by Gartner Research showed that 64 percent of them were planning or had invested in big data technology, although only 8 percent had actually rolled out these projects in their individual business sector. According to ZDNet, finding data scientists is now considered to be one of the top challenges being faced by U.S. companies, with the monetization of this data by the financial and communications sectors a priority.

"Different industries have different priorities when it comes to big data," noted Lisa Kart, Gartner's research director. "Industries that are driving the customer experience priority are retail, insurance, media and communications, and banking, while process efficiency is a top priority for manufacturing, government, education, healthcare, and transportation organizations."