Big Data Is Creating Big Jobs: 4.4 Million By 2015

Worldwide IT spending is forecast to surpass $3.7 trillion in 2013, a 3.8 percent increase from 2012 projected spending of $3.6 trillion, but it’s the outlook for Big Data that is creating much excitement, according to Gartner, Inc.

“By 2015, 4.4 million IT jobs globally will be created to support Big Data, generating 1.9 million IT jobs in the United States,” said Peter Sondergaard, senior vice president at Gartner and global head of Research. “In addition, every big data-related role in the U.S. will create employment for three people outside of IT, so over the next four years a total of 6 million jobs in the U.S. will be generated by the information economy.“

“But there is a challenge. There is not enough talent in the industry. Our public and private education systems are failing us. Therefore, only one-third of the IT jobs will be filled. Data experts will be a scarce, valuable commodity,” Mr. Sondergaard said. “IT leaders will need immediate focus on how their organization develops and attracts the skills required. These jobs will be needed to grow your business. These jobs are the future of the new information economy.”

Mr. Sondergaard recently provided the latest outlook for the IT industry. He said the IT industry is entering the nexus of forces, which includes a confluence and integration of cloud, social collaboration, mobile and information.

“This is a time of accelerating change, where your current IT architecture will be rendered obsolete,” Mr. Sondergaard said. “You must lead through this change, selectively destroy low impact systems, and aggressively change your IT cost structure. This is the new world of the nexus, the next age of computing.”