The 3 Most In-Demand Skills for SysAdmin in 2020

Today, we’re putting systems administrators under the spotlight once again. What are going to be the most in-demand skills for them in 2020?

According to the Spanish company Fundación Telefónica, in the employment section on their website, after software developer, one of the most sought-after profiles in Spain is systems administrator. That said, there is quite a difference in the number of employment opportunities, and this probably explains why sysadmins earn quite a bit less than developers. However, this data does also help us to understand a little more about current trends in the IT sector.

The good thing is that the analysis by Fundación Telefónica doesn’t end there. It also goes into further detail about what skills are most sought-after in the Spanish market and what digital profiles businesses were looking for in the closing months of 2019. Using data from a number of different employment websites, they have come up with the Top 10 most in-demand skills for each profession. As a result, today, we are going to answer the question…

What are the most in-demand skills for sysadmins in 2020?

If we look at the results of this analysis, we can see that there are 3 clear trends that give us a clue as to what the future holds for sysadmins (and their skills) in the overall IT sector (at least for 2020):

• Linux/Unix: Linux arrived a long time ago and is here to stay. According to IDC InfoBrief, Linux is the only operating system that is currently growing on a global level. At the moment, the majority of the main cloud platforms, including AWS, are based on Linux. Microsoft, Intel and other big market players are increasingly introducing Linux-related products. Clear examples include the open-source Linux platform on Azure Sphere (Microsoft) and the Clear Linux Project (Intel). All of this, amongst other factors, means that businesses are feeling increasingly comfortable with Linux-based solutions and, as a result, are seeking candidates who specialise in this particular operating system.

• Automation/Scripting: Performing tedious tasks, again and again, is not only an inefficient use of time but can also lead to mistakes and a drop in productivity. Businesses know this, and that is why they are increasingly looking for systems administrators with knowledge of scripting languages or tools like Ansible, Puppet or Chef. The market wants sysadmins to be free to focus on more important work that is more relevant for the business, and we can see this in the increasing demand for sysadmins with experience with Ansible, Jenkins or other scripting languages.

• Cloud Computing/Virtualisation: According to data published by IDC InfoBrief, businesses are increasingly turning to the cloud to reduce hardware costs, reduce time dedicated to maintenance and optimise their operations processes using the latest applications (normally cloud-native applications). It appears that, in 2020, some 60% of infrastructure spending will go to public or private clouds compared with 46% in 2017. As a result, the market is looking for people who have experience with cloud computing (AWS, Docker, etc.), and it would be foolish for any sysadmin not to see this as an area to focus on.

Ultimately, various analyses show that the IT sector is increasingly looking for sysadmins with knowledge of Linux, automation and cloud computing. Not training in these areas as a sysadmin would surely be a poor decision.

But what do you think?

“An investment in knowledge pays the best interest”

Benjamin Franklin