Pros with networking and data analysis skills will be in high demand, but not so for programmers, the government foresees. Five IT specialties are among the 25 fastest-growing jobs anticipated by 2016, according to a new forecast from the U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Positions in network systems and data communications analysis will increase 53 percent between 2006 and 2016, the highest rate of growth of any occupation. Computer software application engineers will see the fourth-highest growth, with an increase of 44 percent.
Computer systems analysts (29%), database administrators (29%) and computer systems software engineers (28%) also rank in the top 25 jobs in terms of job growth.
Other IT occupations expected to see increase growth include network and computer systems administrators, computer and information research scientists, computer information systems managers and computer support specialists.
The downside for IT? Computer programming positions are expected to decline by 4 percent, the 22nd biggest loss overall.
Overall, job growth in the next 10 years is expected to increase slightly less than it did between 1996 and 2006. The Bureau attributes the small drop-off in growth to the aging and retiring of the Baby Boomer generation. "As a result, the need to replace workers who retire or leave the labor force for other reasons—called replacement needs—is projected to create a significant number of additional job openings," the report states.
For more on the Bureau of Labor Statistics' workforce projections, click here.
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