Dive Brief:
- Demand for talent will continue to outpace available supply in a wealth of categories, according to a new report from CareerCast. Their report on the 10 toughest jobs to fill compiles information from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, forecasts, graduation rates and more.
- Application software developers will be among the hardest positions to fill, with more than a quarter of a million vacancies predicted in the next eight years. An additional 28% more cybersecurity professionals will be needed to fill upcoming vacancies.
- Five of the top 10 talent gaps will be in healthcare, from lower paying home healthcare and personal care aide openings through higher-paying nurse practitioners and physical therapists anticipating talent shortages. In the trades, construction and trucking are predicted to fall short, as well.
Dive Insight:
The talent and skills gaps have no end in sight. In cybersecurity, a majority of employers are already feeling or anticipating negative effects because of the lack of qualified employees and the stiff competition for new talent. A new panel of thought leaders from the government and tech giants like IBM seeks to address the issue, as both public and private leadership will be required to solve the problem, most experts say.
Employers are looking to upskill as well as well fill current and upcoming needs. Many IT professionals report an interest in learning more about cybersecurity. In construction, following a tumultuous hurricane season, many local trade schools and community colleges are fast-tracking training to meet demand. It looks as though they won’t have a chance to stop doing so for several years, if the predictions are accurate.
