Mobile and cloud computing are set to be the most in-demand platforms for software application development and IT delivery over the next five years, it has been reported.

Research conducted by IBM has identified these two segments as major industry growth areas between 2010 and 2015.

Some 55 percent of the 2,000 IT developers interviewed for the 2010 IBM Tech Trends Survey expect mobile software application development for devices such as the iPhone and Android to exceed that for traditional IT platforms.

In keeping with this, the respondents predicted a five-fold increase in mobile application revenues between now and 2013.

Where cloud computing is concerned, some 91 percent of respondents anticipated that the technology will overtake on-premise computing as the main way organizations acquire IT over the next five years.
And with mobile and cloud computing growth set to exceed that of other market areas, the IT professionals questioned said they expected to see new career opportunities emerge in these markets.
Social media, business analytics, and industry-specific technologies will also offer a variety of new IT jobs over the coming years, the interviewees believed.

“To best understand where enterprise technology is headed, one must pay attention to those who have a pulse on market demands, the developers and IT specialists responding to these demands and creating the next generation of business applications,” said IBM general manager Jim Corgel.

“These survey results clearly demonstrate that IT professionals see a combination of disruptive technologies and industry-specific skills as key to driving near-term business growth.”

Last month, BCS, the Chartered Institute of IT, argued that the majority of employers are seeking to keep hold of IT professionals, to help support their growth strategies.

The organization said that employers are now fully recognizing the vital role that can be played by IT professionals within their operations.

Source:http://www.ashdowngroup.com/news/it-pros-expect-major-growth-in-cloud-computing-and-mobile-news-800110887