6 IT roles that need retraining

Given the rapid pace of change in the technology landscape, it’s no surprise that some IT roles are undergoing a degree of metamorphosis to keep up with changing demands.

CIOs need to consider that these roles are ripe for some restructuring or upgrading to support digital transformation. Roles that in the past required a specific skill set and completed a specific set of tasks have evolved into roles that require new skills and complete new goals as the strategic shift required by transformation is taken into account.

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In recent years, the development of cloud computing, enterprise mobility and the rise of edge computing have greatly expanded the scope of IT applications. This in turn has given new meaning and scope to some technical work.

Here are some of the key roles IT leaders need to rethink, along with skills and training recommendations to help them shift from old focuses to new versions in order to more effectively navigate the new digital paradigm.

Business Analyst

Business analysts are a key role within an IT department because they can help bridge the gap between IT and business operations, leveraging data analytics to evaluate processes, determine what needs to change, and then provide recommendations to technology and business executives.

One of their primary responsibilities is to figure out how data-driven changes to software, hardware, services, and processes can improve the organization's efficiency—all within the realm of what is technologically possible and affordable.

However, the role is changing, both from a technical and business perspective, as the complexity of the tasks being handled increases. Whereas in the past projects and the tools needed to complete them might have been simpler, today’s work can be much more complex.

For example, the rollout of an enterprise application could involve dozens of countries and thousands of users. Or the implementation of the Internet of Things (IoT) could impact multiple aspects of a company and span the entire supply chain.

Today, many companies are undergoing digital transformation, which also includes migrating to multiple cloud services, resulting in a mix of on-premises systems, private clouds, and public clouds.

It’s time for your business analysts to become proficient in cloud computing services, mobile technologies, artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning, software-defined technologies, edge computing, cybersecurity, DevOps, and more.

Security Engineer/Cybersecurity Analyst

As with other IT positions, the increasing complexity of the technology environment has had an impact on roles in the security field, including security engineers and network security analysts.

A typical “enterprise” can now include multiple public cloud services, hundreds or thousands of mobile devices, countless remote facilities, and countless objects connected via the Internet of Things. All of these need to be protected.

For these cybersecurity professionals, "the initial goal is to find data that represents a potential breach and fix it," said Gary Kern, vice president and CIO of Mutual Bank. "Now that there is so much data coming from so many different sources, both internal monitoring layers and external sources, it becomes more critical to be able to 'prioritize' that information into an action plan and work with multiple internal and external sources to mitigate the impact."

This means mastering how to effectively protect resources such as the cloud, mobile devices and applications, edge devices, IoT, etc. It may require additional security certifications or training courses.

Additionally, security engineers need to improve their communication skills, if they haven't already. For example, Kern said, if every vulnerability isn't patched, the risk is being managed but not eliminated, and they need to communicate that to senior management. That way, IT and business leaders can get an accurate picture of the organization's true security posture.

Infrastructure Manager

An IT Infrastructure Manager is primarily responsible for overseeing the technical and administrative aspects of an organization's IT department.

They plan and design the infrastructure, while also managing the team that maintains it on an ongoing basis.

Of course, the entire concept of “IT infrastructure” has changed in recent years with the increased use of cloud services, mobile technology, and devices at the edge of enterprise networks (including connected IoT entities).

Today's IT environments often include cloud services and on-premises systems from a variety of vendors and service providers. As a result, managers of modern infrastructure need to be particularly adept at vendor and integration management, Kern said.

“The role used to have full control of the ‘computer room,’ but now with cloud, SaaS (software as a service) and other tools, everything needs to be done through other tools,” Kern said. “The main new task is to make sure all the parts are working properly.”

Systems Analyst/System Administrator

A systems analyst or administrator is an IT professional who specializes in analyzing, designing, and deploying systems. This person needs to ensure that given technology tools are appropriate in terms of the intended outcomes and work with end users, vendors, programmers, and others to achieve the outcomes.

Sometimes these roles are responsible for cost analysis, design considerations, and technology implementation timelines, and collaborate with business analysts to help ensure that the system actually meets the needs of the business.

This is still largely true for systems analysts and administrators, but new responsibilities are emerging.

James Rinaldi, CIO of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, said the system administrator's role is shifting from an internal focus to managing cloud instances and services. "The role needs to evolve to enable greater value-add or automation," he said. "Some of the value-add is understanding costs, capacity requirements, planning and software configuration and licensing."

“Traditional systems analysts and IT customer service-focused employees are two of the roles we most often target for new workloads,” said Bill Balint, CIO of Indiana University of Pennsylvania. “We do this because successful employees in these roles must improve their soft skills in order to thrive.”

In colleges, systems analysts are responsible for all aspects of the software life cycle, including some project management and many of the tasks that would be considered business analysts, Balint said. On the other hand, IT support staff, not systems analysts, handle end-user support functions such as training and documentation, he said.

"If the types of problems these new workloads need to solve require a deep synthesis between user interaction and complex problem solving, then systems analysts are the preferred target," Balint said. "However, when the problem is more focused on translating user needs into incremental solutions, especially when the final solution requires the use of multiple back-office IT skill sets, IT support staff become the target."

Web Developer

The transformation of the web developer's role has been underway for several years, reflecting key trends in IT, such as the increasing use of mobile devices in the workplace and among consumers, and a growing focus on user experience.

Today’s web developers need to have a good understanding of modular design, designing for mobile users and required loading speeds, AI capabilities like chatbots, voice search optimization, and cybersecurity.

AI itself is having a huge impact on web development, enabling new features such as voice commands, making it easier for users to navigate websites and find information.

The continued growth of the Internet of Things may also have an impact on web development, as businesses may want to provide users with data from connected devices through their websites.

Many developers need to expand their knowledge of programming languages ​​to keep up with the latest trends.

"The requirements for web developers have changed," said Jim Johnson, senior vice president of IT staffing firm Robert Half Technology. "Where the requirements used to be looking for individuals with .Net and JavaScript, now those requirements also need to include knowledge of JavaScript frameworks such as Node, Angular, React, and even DevOps."

Network Administrator

The role of the network administrator is changing because the concept of enterprise networking is also changing - the cloud is once again at the center of the transformation.

Network administrators have been responsible for the infrastructure of the network for many years, including local and wide area networks, servers, software network interactions and the integrity/resilience of the network. They need to handle any problems related to these components and ensure that the network operates at a high level to support the business.

Today's network infrastructure is much more complex than in the past, typically including networks that support connections to cloud services, mobile devices, edge computing, and increasingly, the Internet of Things.

Johnson said network administrators who used to be able to solve problems by understanding Windows 10, Office and other common on-premises platforms now also need to understand cloud services such as Microsoft Azure, Amazon Web Services, Google Cloud and others.

The ongoing shift to the cloud has profound implications not only for network administrators and others in transition roles, but for everyone in the IT industry, Johnson said.

“As the world of technology continues to evolve and as companies move systems, applications and data to cloud-based environments, it’s fair to say that all IT professionals should look to develop their roles and advance themselves with knowledge and certifications that allow them to continue to play their role in this ever-changing IT landscape,” John said.