In the digitally-connected world we live in, organizations have been collecting increasing amounts of data for the past decade or more. Now, those organizations are thinking strategically about how to use the information they’ve gathered to fuel data-driven decisions that propel them forward. Big data is hot for obvious reasons, but what can we expect from this industry in the future?
The Future of Big Data
Companies are searching for skilled engineers to make sense of their captured data. It’s a candidate-driven market, and companies are willing to pay well for candidates with experience in this field. In addition, the evolution of these companies will continue over the next decade as they adapt to make better use of this data, which will shape the job of data engineering. So what should data engineers expect in the coming years? We have a few predictions:
- Cloud migrations will increase. Any organizations that have held back from migrating their data off-premise will reorient toward a cloud-based future. While many organizations may still have a hybrid model, most will increase their reliance on storing data in the cloud. The next evolution of big data will include the need to manage the complexities of hybrid cloud infrastructures.
Candidate tip: Get experience in the cloud to make yourself more valuable to employers.
- The amount of data companies collect will explode. As Internet of Things (IoT) devices proliferate, so will the need for the cleanup, migration, and storage of massive amounts of information. COVID has accelerated the use of cloud models for everything from consumer shopping to business communications. There are billions of connected devices and embedded systems that create, collate and share data. These massive datasets will be pose an ongoing challenge for organizations to store and process this information.
Candidate tip: Check out open-source ecosystems such as NoSQL and Hadoop and get certified in AWS, Azure, or Google Cloud.
- Machine learning will work its way into everything. Machine learning algorithms can automate many of our formerly manual data management and migration tasks. These configurations are becoming more common and, as they evolve, are becoming more intuitive to use. Big data will combine with machine learning to use computers to capture patterns for predictive analysis.
Candidate tip: Familiarize yourself with machine learning—it’s coming to big data. Be ready.
Data scientists will be in high demand in the coming years. We’ll also see more c-suite roles for Chief Data Officers (CDOs). We already see a massive gap between supply and demand for qualified candidates: KPMG surveyed 3,600 CIOs and tech execs from 108 countries, and they found that 67% said they struggled to find the data engineers they need.
If you’re into big data, talk to Blackstone Talent Group. We represent data engineers to top employers and can help you hone your interviewing and salary negotiation skills to ensure you find the best opportunity for your skills. Call us today to find out more.