From Dori Reuscher,
Your Guide to Computer Certification.
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As of October 11, Foote Partners LLC has released its predictions for the top IT jobs and technical skills for 2006. “This is our fifth annual forecast of career-building IT jobs and skills that will receive the most attention from employers,” notes David Foote, the firm’s co-founder, president, and head of research. “It’s where the action will be in IT for the next twelve months, and also where our compensation surveys are indicating the best pay opportunities for IT professionals. Demand will be elevated for many reasons, plus many of these jobs and skills will be only selectively outsourced or offshored, according to our latest research.”

Foote Partners is an IT research firm that publishes multiple products designed to provide information regarding "compensation, attitudes, and workplace experiences of 50,000 IT workers in 1,800 U.S., Canada, UK and Europe organizations". The following information was taken from their "3Q2005 IT Workforce Research Series" and includes information on in-demand jobs and skills in IT for the next 12 months. For more information, please visit http://www.footepartners.com.

In-Demand IT Jobs

Customer-Facing

• Applications developers (EAI, .Net, web applications, ERP, CRM)
• Web apps programmers
• Data Warehousing/BI specialists
• ERP/CRM professionals
• DBAs, Database developers
• Help desk specialists

Infrastructure

• Security (forensics, analysts, senior managers)
• Data modelers (enterprise data mgmt.)
• Network managers, engineers
• Wireless engineers, administrators
• Software engineers
• Disaster recovery specialist
• System auditor
• Integrators (Enterprise Applications Integration, systems)
• Storage administrators

Enablers

• Architects (Enterprise, Business)
• Business technologists; Business analysts
• Process modelers (BPM/BPR, BPA, BAM)
• Project managers

In-Demand Technical Skills

Customer-Facing

• Applications Development/Database (MCSD, SQL, Java, .Net, ASP,SQL Windows, Oracle)
• RAD/Extreme Programming
• Web-enabled analytics, management apps (MAPICS)
• Database (SQL Server, Oracle)
• RFID

Infrastructure

• Networking (Cisco, VoIP, wireless, net management)
• Wireless (WLAN, Cisco WLSE/CWSP/CWNP/CWNP, Structured Wireless Aware Network/SWAN)
• Security (Cisco, CISA, CISSP, CISM, GIAC)
• Systems (HP/Compaq SE, Citrix)
• Web services/SOA (WebSphere, .Net, MCSD/.Net, SOAP)
• Storage/SAN (EMC, Veritas, IBM, CA)
• Messaging (MCSE and MCSA Messagingspecialization)

Enabling

• Project management (PMP)
• Open Source/Linux