2012 looks to be a very good year for IT workers across the board.
According to most experts, entry-level IT jobs are solid. Dice.com is reporting a shortage of IT workers in 18 states and D.C. In October 2011, Dice.com listed 83,567 IT jobs openings, an increase of 72% over January 2010, and 18% higher than October 2010.
In some markets, the unemployment rate for IT workers was less than 3 percent. Undoubtedly, that will translate into higher salaries.
For seasoned IT workers, the jobs most in demand for 2012 will be mobile application developers, software developers, IT security experts, and data warehouse architects. Java, .NET, C#, SharePoint, and Web application developers remain strong career choices.
Encouraging women to enter the IT field remains a priority for the industry. Currently, just one in every 10 computer science graduates is a woman. Experts believe that will change as women begin to see the higher salaries and job security of IT careers. And according to Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg, if America wants to stay in the leadership opposition it has had in the world economy, the country will need to educate the next generation of women in technology-related disciplines.
So pop that champagne cork. Things are looking very good for IT professionals.