The Outlook for Software Engineering and Development in 2022

Software engineering and development are hot commodities in 2022, and the outlook for the future shows no signs of decline. As a career in which to stake your future, software is a highly promising proposition.

The terms software engineering and software development are often used synonymously, but they are distinct fields with specific skill sets and tools.

If you are considering a jump into the technology industry with an emphasis on software, this article will give you plenty of reasons to trust your intuition.

Excellent projected job growth rate 

It is the job of software engineers to create software tools from scratch. Software developers use these tools to create applications and websites to help us think, entertain us, and inform us. The things you can do on a computer, tablet, or smartphone were written by a software developer using programming languages, tools, and frameworks such as Java, Python, .Net MVC, SwiftUI, React, HTML and dozens more. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, software engineering and development careers have a 22% growth outlook over the upcoming ten years, making it one of the most secure and satisfying career choices in technology. 

Software development ranks high in Glassdoor survey 

Software development is high on the list of best jobs to have in 2022 according to Glassdoor's annual survey. Among 50 Best Jobs in America, Software Engineering ranks 8th in the list making it one of the high-demanding jobs in the United States with a median base salary of $116,638 per year. Plus, the job satisfaction rate of software development is 3.9 out of 5, and total job openings per year are 64,155. 

Why is the demand for software developers high?

The demand for software developers is high because there are so many new companies with new products, and those companies need to be able to develop the software that will keep their businesses running.

Software development is a very specialized field, and it's not easy to find people who have the expertise needed. Many businesses are small enough that they don't have an in-house team of developers or other employees who can develop their own projects. Instead, they rely on hiring outside contracting firms like Microsoft, Oracle, and SAP to help them get the job done.

The law of supply and demand

More companies than ever are hiring software developers to create and maintain the systems and data that are at the heart of practically every successful business.

Software engineers are currently in short supply compared with the demand. Many jobs are available in this field compared to the number of qualified candidates. Throughout 2022, many companies will still face a software engineer shortage, according to a recent report by CNBC.

Software projects have increased in complexity

The dynamic demand for software products is changing software development day by day, making it more complex than it was a decade ago. 

Software engineers and developers face these complexities on a daily basis:

• Building one product to run on multiple platforms and devices.
• Providing intuitive and seamless user interfaces and user experiences.
• Software code packaging using containers.
• Anticipating and preventing vulnerabilities and threats in cybersecurity.

The world is going online

In the decade to come, businesses will look back at 2022 as the year of change and disruption, especially when it comes to online interactions. Take the digital and eCommerce industries as an example. No other sector experienced tremendous growth and shift like these in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic. As the economy slowed amid lockdowns and restrictions, consumers went online, raising the global eCommerce retail share from 14% to 17% in just one year. And this isn’t slowing down anytime soon. It’s the new normal.

Software engineering and development are recession-proof

Layoffs among IT departments and organizations are few and far between. Whether it’s software engineers, web developers, front end developers, or other programmers, software specialists are among a limited talent pool, and companies often struggle to hire qualified candidates.

Additionally, since our society is increasingly moving into the tech world, and mobile phone usage and web apps are becoming more prevalent every day, careers in software engineering and development are likely to continue to be lucrative even in recessionary times. Individuals with these skills will be needed to manage and build new apps, programs, and offerings for organizations worldwide.

Additional Thoughts

Software development and engineering are two specialities in the tech industry that particularly lend themselves to remote work.

It's clear that the outlook for software development is bright, but developing your own skills will be one of the most important factors to achieving success. Thousands of unfilled programming jobs go wanting every day, and filling those posts will require more software engineers and developers with solid knowledge and experience. 

The key to standing out from the crowd, of course, is to put in the work required to become an expert in your field. To make that happen, you'll need to develop a good foundation in programming and learn how to build a strong portfolio of accomplishments.
To launch yourself into a remote technology career as a Software Developer in Java, Python, or .Net MVC, or to become a front-end or mobile-app developer in React, SwiftUI, and HTLM, enroll in an online training program at RemoteMode to learn quickly and affordably to code in any of these specialities. Contact a career advisor at RemoteMode today to learn more.