Computer Programmer job listings are down over 30% from 2009*

Since 2009 the number of job postings relating to computer programmer jobs has declined by over 30%. This decline is an indication that today's developers need to possess a well rounded set of skills with respect to programming. Simply knowing one specific technology is quickly becoming less desirable and may leave you in a position where you will struggle to find a good job. The key to staying ahead of the curve here is to constantly be educating yourself on all of the skills that are in demand. Currently, demand is tipping in the direction of programmers who can create enterprise web applications or mobile applications. To accomplish these feats, simply knowing just one programming language or skill won't cut it in today's job market. To find out ways of improving your skill set, keep reading…

Market Influence Shows Declining Trend in Computer Science Graduates**

Since the dot com bubble burst, the number of students enrolling in post secondary education with a major in computer science has fallen approximately 33% between 2002 and 2010. This indicates that the desirability of the computer science degree is starting to shrink. This indicates that there is no longer as the abundant job supply as there once was in the early 2000s. Anyone applying to such jobs will need to have a more impressive array of skills to land the job. This is evident when you look at the overall number of students who decide to upgrade there education from the standard bachelors degree. The number of students who are graduating with a PhD in the fields of Computer Science and Computer Engineering in Canada and the US are up over 200%!

People searching for jobs in information technology are up 10%*

While overall job availability is dipping, the overall interest in attaining jobs in the field of information technology is rising. With competition up and jobs availability dipping, this trend is a bit troubling to any programmer who is not constantly educating themselves in the field of computer science. As mentioned before, the ideal candidates these days have an array of skills that range from abilities on the front, middle and back end of applications. A programmer with the ability to put together a GUI, who can also implement the business logic and propose a solid database schema is much more likely than the cookie cutter programmer who only learned how to create business logic. Also, the companies that offer their employees fantastic working environments and salaries have come to expect this array of well rounded skills in their employees.

BUT WAIT! There's Light at end of tunnel

To show you that this isn't all just bad news, the number of companies hiring prospects who have skills in web development is up about 75% since Jan. 2006! Here's an example of the ideal web developer:

  • Server Side language ie. Java
  • Experience with MVC frameworks like Spring/Struts
  • JSP
  • Servlets
  • Javascript/CSS
  • Strong grasp of W3C HTML Standards
  • Strong understanding of Enterprise Design patterns
  • Demonstrated, hands-on experience with relational databases
  • Experience with Web servers like Tomcat

With these skills, you would be a strong contender for ANY job in the field of computer science. So the question is, how do you learn all of these things? The traditional route is a college or university, but that takes years and tens of thousands of dollars. Another approach is books, but for most, it's tough to keep yourself fully dedicated to a book (unless it's well written and not 300+ pages in length).

In this day in age, the most successful way to learn is through Videos

eLearning is in and it's hot! The ability to learn at your own pace and follow along with a teacher (without getting in trouble for texting at the same time) is a game changer. Once such eLearning website is called Java Video Tutorials, and it goes hand-in-hand with this blog. If you enjoy the way I teach here, then I believe you'll really enjoy Java Video Tutorials. I've taken my knowledge as a programmer and skills as a teacher and designed a video tutorial series that takes you through the steps to become a full-blown web developer.

* indeed.com
** cra.org

Free Java Beginners Course

Start learning how to code today with our free beginners course. Learn more.