Data Scientist: One of the Fastest-Growing IT Careers

Citing data from IT service company EMC, Mashable recently reported that people hoping to land a job in a fast-growing industry may want to consider becoming data scientists. These professionals work to give businesses a competitive edge through activities like data mining and analysis. Currently, about 63% of these professionals say the field does not have enough talent to match its growth, while many even said there will be a shortage of trained professionals in the next few years.

"Data is the new oil," Andreas Weigend, head of the social data lab at Stanford University, told Mashable. "Unfortunately, the technology has evolved faster than the workforce skills to make sense of it, and organizations across sectors must adapt to this new reality or perish."

In August, AOL Jobs called data scientist the "Hottest Job You Haven’t Heard Of". To land one of these positions, the website states that professionals should earn a general business degree, such as a Bachelor of Business, and focus on bolstering their technical background. Today, many schools offer technology certificates in subjects like data mining and data analysis, which can help people gain the high–tech skills they need if they already have a bachelor’s degree in a business–related discipline.