DEV Community: Ross Harrington

5 Hot Industries for Software Engineering Careers in 2019

Ross Harrington — Tue, 28 Aug 2018 08:34:40 +0000

The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts an increase of 2.1 million jobs in professional and IT occupations by 2020. Half of the top 25 highest-paying jobs on a recently published list from Glassdoor are in tech development. Both of these reports are good news for software engineers.

There are several niche industries that are experiencing high-demand for software developers within the tech community as a whole. This demand is predicted to grow exponentially over the next few years.

If you’re a developer looking to hone in on some of the most lucrative career opportunities, you might want to consider one of these five industries.

1: Artificial Intelligence

Many people view Artificial Intelligence (AI) as a bad thing. They believe it will eventually take away their jobs. While that fear is certainly valid, the truth is that AI will actually create many more job opportunities than it will eliminate. In fact, Gartner states that the Artificial Intelligence industry will create 2.3 million jobs by 2020.

With machine learning becoming more prominent in new applications for thing such as driverless cars, customer service bots, and an entire new generation of smart devices, the need for software engineers specializing in AI will continue to rise.

Forbes is even predicting that machine learning will affect practically every industry in the future and that more and more business will jump on the AI bandwagon in 2019.

2: Security

Both cyber and real-world security concerns have reached an all-time high. Every day, we’re seeing reports on the news of another terror attack, school shooting, or online security breach that affects millions of consumers.

The development of new online security features that involve blockchain technology is experiencing a high level of interest as companies look for new ways to not only protect their customers’ sensitive data, but also provide better customer service and transparency.

Airports, government buildings, campuses, and other office buildings are looking to biometrics as a new level of security. Facial and fingerprint scanning technology is becoming more in-demand. Drones are also being used for fly-over security procedures and reconnaissance missions for the military.

Engineers specializing in security application development will experience a high level of security themselves … job security.

3: Blockchain

Blockchain development is the hottest trend in financial technology and it’s only going to get hotter. And that doesn’t just apply to the banking industry alone. CB Insights recently showcased 42 industries that will be revolutionized by blockchain technology in the next few years.

Thanks to the advanced security a blockchain ledger provides, consumers are going to begin expecting it as part of any new application or service they use, from banking to healthcare to voting in political elections.

Given the fact that blockchain will soon be permeating practically every industry, developers who are highly skilled in the technology will find themselves in great demand for the foreseeable future.

4: Robotics & Automation

The thought of advancing robotics and automation makes more people worry about the elimination of jobs. And while it’s obviously true that this type of technology will eliminate many task-oriented and repetitive positions, there will always be a need for humans to manage the technology and, of course, developers to create it.

Robotic applications are being increasingly integrated into high-risk occupations such as firefighting and military operations. Automation is not only replacing many customer service type positions, but with the use of AI and machine learning, it’s making it better.

For developers that specialize in robotics and automation, the sky's the limit as far as job opportunities are concerned.

5: Biotech

From the ability to create artificial hearts via 3D printing to advanced genetic testing and analysis, the biotech industry stands to gain the most in terms of new technology.

Imagine working on an application combining AI, machine learning, and genetic “big data” analysis that could lead to a cure for cancer. Or combining biotechnology with robotic engineering to create artificial limbs for amputees that function like real arms and legs.

Software engineers working in biotech will not only be able to find plenty of job opportunities and higher salaries, but they will also have the chance to work on projects that could change and improve the future of mankind as we know it.

Conclusion

Technology advancements seem to be moving at the speed of sound. While these five industries are the “hot ones” for 2019, you can rest assured that the next wave is bubbling under the surface. The good news for developers is that they have unlimited possibilities to expand and grow their knowledge while advancing in their (very) lucrative careers.

5 Top Trends in Mobile Development Testing

Ross Harrington — Wed, 01 Aug 2018 08:17:02 +0000

Technology continues to advance at a lightning pace when it comes to mobile applications. With every new trend comes new challenges, especially when it comes to the area of QA testing.

As mobile phone usage increases every year, application demand increases as well. These new apps contain more advanced features, such as virtual and augmented reality, Artificial Intelligence, and a need for enhanced security. All of these new features have to be properly tested across a multitude of new mobile devices.

Here are 5 current trends in mobile development testing that application creators will be most concerned with in 2018.

Security

With more and more high-profile companies experiencing cyber-attacks on a frequent basis, security has become top priority. This is especially important when it comes to mobile devices and apps, as users tend to store so much personal and sensitive information on their phones.

Today, mobile testing has to not only cover how well the app itself works, but also how secure it is and how it will perform during attempted hacking efforts. App developers will be designing more built-in security features that will need additional testing procedures.

Users are also paying a lot more attention to permissions granted when using mobile apps and utilizing higher-level security features, such as two-step authentication. All of these new trends in mobile app security will need to be considered and planned for in the overall testing process.

Crowdtesting

We are living in an age of crowdsourcing and crowdfunding, so crowdtesting seems to be a natural progression of the popular trend.

Crowdtesting is the evolution of user groups and focus groups as it relates to mobile app development. By finding the exact types of users for a specific app and letting the “crowd” utilize it in the real world, app creators are able to get solid information and feedback on performance and bugs.

Hackathons are basically crowdtesting by a group of experienced developers or QA experts and are another modern tool when it comes to testing.

Big data

Big data as a trend has been around for quite some time now. We are collecting and storing more information than ever before, and a lot of that information is collected by and stored on mobile devices.

App creators are obviously looking to make money off of their applications. One way they do that is through the data they collect from the users. Developers are creating more ways to collect and analyze information through the app, and all of these new ways will need to be properly tested.

More data means more room for error when it comes to the performance of an app. Therefore, look for more automated and built-in testing features that can help speed up the overall QA process.

The Internet of Things

We are living in the age of connectivity. We have more devices that are connected to other devices than ever in the history of technology. And all of these devices are connected via wireless services that must be protected from cyber-security risks.

The Internet of Things poses a whole new level of problems when it comes to testing applications. You’re no longer just testing the app itself. You have to consider all the devices that app may interact with and test on all of them. On top of that, you need to ensure that the app is safe from being hacked during communications with any of these other “things” in the Internet of Things.

When considering that some applications are literally life-or-death, such as medical wearables, hospital devices, and even self-driving cars, precise testing has never been more important.

Automation Testing

With all of these new trends…big data, IoT, and enhanced security procedures, testing mobile applications will become more complicated and more time-consuming. This is why automated testing processes will become so important.

Developers will be challenged with creating state-of-the-art automated testing programs to handle this new demand for faster and more intensive application testing. And technology and app testing companies will need to invest more money into testing as well.

Expect Artificial Intelligence and machine learning to play a bigger role in automated testing procedures. These new technologies will be able to anticipate problems in the apps themselves and alert programmers much earlier on in the development cycle.

In conclusion, the more advanced mobile applications become, the more advanced testing will be required. Look for organizations to be outsourcing a lot of their testing processes and startups bringing in outsourced development teams to help get their products to market quicker. The QA testing industry itself is set to experience a big boom in profits, thanks to an ever-increasing focus on security and performance.