Charlotte's growth as a top city in the U.S. for tech jobs has candidates flocking here to expand their knowledge and careers. It’s no surprise that the Queen City is on the radar for its tech excellence. Exceptional education opportunities, a lower cost of living, and opportunities to work with some of the top banking and finance companies are drawing tech all-stars to this city from all over the world. Do you have what it takes to enter the Charlotte tech workforce? Check out the most marketable IT skills helping candidates stand out in this city.

Hot it skills in-demand in charlotte 

1. devops

Roles within DevOps are essential for companies building out new software. DevOps engineers at all levels are eyeing Charlotte for their influx of startups popping up to support the more prominent companies in the area, specifically the financial services companies headquartered here (Wells Fargo, Bank of America, etc.). 

The Cloud is the foundation of DevOps work, allowing IT teams to carry out software development successfully. Microsoft's Azure and Amazon’s AWS are top Cloud certifications companies look for in the best candidates.  

Docker is a platform many DevOps engineers are becoming more familiar with to sharpen their skills. Docker has streamlined the development process, allowing more flexibility and environment standardization for DevOps engineers. Knowledge and experience with these collaborative tools are highly sought after, especially in a city like Charlotte, where IT job opportunities are growing by the minute. 

2. data engineering

Data engineers are needed in companies of all sizes across various industries. They prepare data for organizations to create reports that highlight trends and other operational information. The three most sought-after programming languages hiring teams are looking for are Python, R, and SQL. Familiarity with data lake systems that serve as a repository for all of your data is a must. The AWS Cloud is a standout feature to have knowledge in for data lake configuration. Microsoft and Google offer certifications to expand your knowledge.

Getting into a Charlotte startup is a great way to get hands-on experience working with big data. Working in this collaborative environment helps you discover which skills you need to brush up on to achieve more senior-level positions within data engineering. IBM offers a plethora of top certifications for Solutions Architecture and Big Data Engineering. 

3. MAchine learning/ai

The ML/AI industries are growing by the second and have taken off in Charlotte. Numerous courses and degrees have been more prevalent over the years to adjust for the influx of advancements in these fields. Programming languages, particularly Python, are necessary for the baseline skillset. Hands-on experience in a startup and/or online training courses will expose you to the latest advancements in this tech. 

Communication with your team, particularly data scientists and business leaders, and perseverance to see your projects throughout all its upsets are vital soft skills to excel in these programs. 

UNC Charlotte is a leader in AI/ML research. Lowe’s recently donated $1.5 million to the College of Computing and Informatics (CCI) to strengthen UNC Charlotte’s position as a leading technology hub and talent provider for Lowe’s, the Charlotte region and beyond. 

4. Full stack developer

Arguably one of the most impactful skills to stand out in such a competitive tech market is to become a full stack developer. This specific developer not only creates the visitor-facing aspects of a website (Front=end Developer), they build the tech to enable the existence of the visitor-facing website (Back-end Developer). The combination of these skills makes you all the more appealing to companies looking to streamline the development process efficiently and cost-effectively. Talk about a jack of all trades!

UNC Charlotte is known for molding the best full-stack developers through their Online Coding Boot Camp. This 12 or 24-week program combines instruction, collaboration, and hands-on experience in front and back end development. Participants benefit from career support services to prepare to enter the workforce and a certificate of completion to add to their resumes.

the future of charlotte's tech growth

As companies continue to head to Charlotte searching for top IT talent, growth and job opportunities in tech are boundless. Cloud technology is spearheading this growth with companies across all industries recognizing the benefits of Cloud and adapting its technology. Because of that, proficiency in each of the skills listed above will always be in high demand, 

Don't let your Bachelor's degree stop you from trying your hand at a role in IT! The skills you have now are absolutely transferable to master these standout IT skills. Soft skills such as attention to detail, adapting and learning quickly, and strong communication are crucial to working in IT. Combining those soft skills with certifications and hands-on boot camps will pave your path to becoming an outstanding IT candidate in Charlotte!