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The most in-demand tech skills for IT ops careers in 2025
From DevOps automation to AI implementation, tomorrow's IT operations demands mastery of six critical skill areas reshaping the industry landscape and defining career success.
In the ever-evolving field of IT operations, staying ahead of industry trends and skill demands is vital for career growth and job security. This article evaluates the most in-demand non-cloud IT skills, offering a comprehensible guide for IT operations professionals to navigate today's challenges and opportunities. From automation and data engineering to sustainability and low-code development, these skills are shaping the future of IT ops and redefining how professionals contribute to organizational success.
Although cybersecurity and soft skills are undeniably critical, this article focuses on technical competencies that directly affect IT operations. Cybersecurity remains a foundational part of any IT strategy, with certifications like CompTIA's Security+ and tools such as Kali Linux and Parrot OS providing essential expertise. Similarly, soft skills are indispensable for those aspiring to leadership roles in the IT operations department.
The following sections highlight key areas that can help guide IT operations professionals toward greater job security and career growth.
DevOps and IT operations automation
DevOps, automation and orchestration are essential skills for IT ops professionals today. These competencies play a pivotal role in streamlining IT operations and enhancing collaboration between development and operations teams.
The DevOps market is poised for significant growth, with projections indicating an increase from $12.54 billion in 2024 to $14.95 billion in 2025, representing a 19.2% growth rate, according to The Business Research Company. The research and consulting firm predicted the upward trajectory will continue, reaching $37.33 billion by 2029.
For IT operations professionals, expertise in DevOps practices and continuous integration/continuous delivery (CI/CD) tools is becoming increasingly critical. They must be equally adept at infrastructure as code (IaC) and demonstrate proficiency in virtualization and containerization technologies. Tools such as GitLab, Jenkins, Docker, Kubernetes and Ansible will likely remain integral to supporting CI/CD processes and ensuring operational efficiency.
Data analytics, data engineering and big data
Business practices increasingly prioritize data-driven decision-making, with the C-suite relying on IT ops teams to deliver actionable insights on utilization, efficiency and product capabilities.
These insights often originate from large SQL or NoSQL data sets, organized through big data frameworks such as Hadoop and Spark. IT operations professionals should prepare to work extensively with these databases and frameworks. Additionally, data visualization tools such as Tableau, Microsoft Power BI and Plotly are indispensable for transforming complex data sets into consumable reports.
However, visualizing and presenting big data is only part of the equation. Turning big data into data pipelines is equally critical, as it enables businesses to make actual use of the information. Data engineers play a vital role in this process by designing, deploying and maintaining the infrastructure required for data collection, storage and transformation. As organizations generate more data and rely on real-time insights, data engineering roles have become essential to IT operations. Proficiency in Python and SQL remains crucial for these jobs. Analysts expect the data engineering market to continue its expansion in 2025, reflecting a robust 16.7% compound annual growth rate.
AI and machine learning for IT operations
Unsurprisingly, AI and machine learning skills are increasingly sought after as industries explore how to maximize these technologies' benefits. Many specialized applications exist, including ones in the following areas:
- AI-driven automation tools for streamlining IT operations tasks.
- Machine learning model development for large, business-specific data sets.
- Natural language processing for chatbots to provide interactive support to IT service consumers, whether external customers, internal employees or IT staff.
Network and edge computing
Networking continues to evolve, encompassing both physical implementations and virtual communication pathways. Technologies such as 5G and SD-WAN enable businesses to achieve higher efficiency and reliability. At the same time, protecting in-transit data ensures network security won't go out of fashion anytime soon.
On-premises and edge computing capabilities are driving innovative applications of IoT technologies, expanding the possibilities for real-time data processing and localized computing. For IT operations professionals, expertise in architecting, implementing and supporting modern networking systems is essential to meet the demands of this dynamic environment.
Full-stack and software development
Full-stack web development is set to grow significantly in 2025, with the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics forecasting a 7% increase in web development jobs over the next 10 years.
However, expanding traditional developer roles is not the only opportunity for IT operations professionals. Fundamental programming skills remain invaluable for simplifying automation tasks, such as data management, system backups and administrative functions. Although sophisticated technologies often overshadow humble scripts, these scripts still have a critical place in day-to-day IT operations.
Proficiency in programming or frameworks -- such as the Python programming language or the React framework -- enables IT ops teams to create internal applications that support strategic initiatives and provide critical insights. Additionally, programming concepts and languages are crucial to IaC technology, many of which rely on formats like YAML, XML, JSON and HashiCorp Configuration Language. These and other popular languages, rooted in complex coding constructs, are essential for working with tools like Ansible and Terraform.
Low-code/no-code application development
Low-code and no-code development tools have changed how applications and configurations are built, enabling faster development with minimal technical expertise. These visual development platforms use drag-and-drop functionality, making them accessible to IT administrators who might not have advanced coding skills.
Generative AI further enhances these tools by assisting with code authoring, linting, commenting and testing, significantly reducing the technical knowledge required to create automated workflows, internal tools and dashboards.
The market for no-code development environments is experiencing rapid growth, with projections indicating an increase from $28.11 billion in 2024 to $35.61 billion in 2025 and further expansion to $101.7 billion by 2030.
Sustainability and IT operations
Sustainability is becoming a critical focus for IT ops teams as market pressures, technological advancement and organizational mandates drive the need for environmental, social and governance (ESG) accountability.
Key areas of focus include the following:
- Energy-efficient hardware. Selection, purchase and utilization of energy-efficient hardware is crucial for reducing power consumption in data centers.
- Reducing e-waste. Optimizing hardware lifecycles and implementing responsible disposal practices help reduce e-waste.
- Technical optimization. Learning the technical aspects of energy and resource optimization helps ensure that IT infrastructure operates sustainably.
Navigating IT operations skills in 2025
The trends shaping IT ops in 2025 are unsurprising but offer valuable insights into how professionals can align their skills and career goals with industry demands.
Data management remains a cornerstone. AI and machine learning provide advanced methods for accessing data, while data engineering and analytics enable organizations to transform this information into actionable insights.
The development of tools based on gathered information is equally important. Full-stack programming skills and low-code/no-code platforms let IT professionals create applications with greater speed and flexibility. Integrating operations and development through DevOps practices further enhances collaboration and streamlines workflows.
Sustainability and network performance are critical to supporting these efforts. Energy-efficient hardware and e-waste reduction initiatives align IT operations with ESG goals, while network optimization ensures that infrastructure can handle data management and tool development demands.
IT operations professionals should reflect on their current skill sets and career goals within the context of these trends. By identifying areas for improvement, exploring interests and pursuing development opportunities, they can build a solid career path in this dynamic and evolving field.
Damon Garn owns Cogspinner Coaction and provides freelance IT writing and editing services. He has written multiple CompTIA study guides, including the Linux+, Cloud Essentials+ and Server+ guides, and contributes extensively to TechTarget Editorial, The New Stack and CompTIA Blogs.
