Is there a future for web engineers? do not have? How to increase demand and market value

1. The future of web engineers

While some web engineers have the opinion that they have a high future, some may feel uneasy because they have no future .
In conclusion, it’s safe to say that the demand and future potential of web engineers is high . I would like to explain the reason below.

1.1 The future of web engineers is high

With the growth of the IT market, the demand for web engineers is increasing

Source: 2018 Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry IT Human Resources Supply and Demand Survey

According to the report of “Survey on Supply and Demand of IT Human Resources” released by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry in March 2019, while the demand for IT human resources will increase in the future, the shortage of IT human resources will widen and the gap between supply and demand will widen. It is predicted to go.
In addition, as the number of start-up companies has increased rapidly and many services are created by web applications, the demand for web engineers tends to be short of labor, and the demand is increasing.

Of the 10 top companies in the world, 7 are web and IT related companies

Source: Statista: The 100 largest companies in the world by market value in 2019

Looking at the companies that are leading the world economy from a survey of the world’s largest statistical database Statista, we can see that IT companies such as GAFA (Google, Amazon, Facebook, Apple) occupy the top position. .. The IT industry is now at the forefront of business and is a solid industry with unabated future.

1.2 What are the characteristics of a web engineer with no future?

The IT industry has a future and a growing demand for human resources, but it is not without its negative factors. It is also true that the roles required of Web engineers are changing because of the high demand. Let’s check the specific negative factors and the characteristics of Web engineers who are said to have no future.

Negative factors in the future of web engineers

・ Cloud services such as AWS, the latest packaged software, etc. can be used by non-engineers.
・ It is expected that programming work will replace AI.
・ IT skills will be improved due to the mandatory programming education and the development of IT-related schools. The number of people to learn increases rapidly, and they are inevitably buried in the flock.

Characteristics of Web engineers who are said to have no future

・ We have strengths only in coding and programming
・ Do not pay attention to the latest technology and information, and do not actively study by ourselves
・ Insufficient added value

There are a lot of people who can program and code. Also, in the IT world, design, coding, and programming are changing rapidly, and it is necessary to constantly keep an eye on them and strive to acquire new knowledge and skills. It can be said that the future of Web engineers will change depending on whether or not they can flexibly respond to changes and meet the needs of companies. See also ” Characteristics of highly promising Web engineers” .

2. Demand for web engineers

We interviewed our professional engineer consultant about the current demand for web engineers.

High demand in fields with high market value

One of the things that is said to have high market value at present is engineers who can handle smartphone apps that run on iOS such as Android and iPhone. While the needs for this field are increasing, it is said that there are still few human resources that can be developed, and the demand tends to be high.

Rare human resources are in high demand

Engineers in relatively new fields, such as the AI ​​field, are in high demand due to the lack of field experience, although their popularity is skyrocketing.

There is also a demand for freelance

In the fields of Java, PHP, and JavaScript, there is a tendency for a stable number of freelance web engineer projects.

Experienced people are the main demand for remote projects

In the future, if remotes become widespread due to the influence of the new coronavirus, it is predicted that companies without an educational curriculum or system will mainly hire human resources who will be ready to work, and the hurdles for inexperienced people may rise. It is expected that the sex will be higher.

The forefront of side jobs for web engineers! What is a work style that improves skills and income?

3. Web engineer’s annual income

Let’s take a look at the annual income of freelance web engineers within a professional engineer.

◆ Freelance Web engineer
Most unit price group: 600-700,000 (average annual income 7.92 million yen)

Source: July 2020 ProEngineer Web Engineer Freelance Jobs

Even for the same web engineer, the annual income will change depending on the type of job, years of experience, skills, position, etc.
If you would like to see more detailed annual income by occupation, please refer to this article as well.

Introducing the average unit price and average annual income of IT freelancers by job type

4. Characteristics of highly promising web engineers

In order to survive as a web engineer for a long time in the future, what should we be aware of and improve our skills to become an engineer with high market value?
Here, we will introduce three points to become a web engineer with high market value.

4.1 Can handle programming languages ​​with high future potential

The programming languages ​​handled by web engineers range from languages ​​that are stable and have a large number of projects to popular languages ​​that have relatively new potential. Depending on the language, the number of job offers and annual income will also change. To survive as a web engineer for a long time, it is important to keep up with demand and trends and continue learning.

Java

Since it can be used widely from web applications to smartphone application development, the number of projects is also top class.

Python

It is a language that is often used in the field of AI (artificial intelligence) and is one of the languages ​​that are in increasing demand in the world. In the part related to the Web, it is also used on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, etc. Needs are increasing in Japan as well, but there is still a shortage of human resources.

Go

Although it is a new language that has been developed for about 10 years, it is a popular language in the world and is currently adopted by major companies such as Google, GitHub, Mercari, and Gunosy. Since Google is the developer, it is a language that can be expected in the future.

Explaining programming languages ​​recommended for web engineers!

Programming language ranking that engineers want to learn next [2020 version]

4.2 Acquiring highly promising added value

In order to increase the market value as a web engineer, it is important not only to be able to write code using a programming language, but also to acquire the added value of plus α. By having a specialized field that can differentiate you from other people, you will be a person who can be relied on as “this project must be this person!”.

Have acquired cloud technology

Having knowledge and experience of infrastructure required in the cloud era such as AWS (Amazon Web Services) and Azure (Microsoft Azure), and a career vision that aims to be a full-stack engineer who can handle both back end and front end Ideal to have.

What role do you play per person? What is a full stack engineer who can do anything?

Has management ability

It is dangerous to think that “you only have to write the code”. As a web engineer, writing code can be a physical challenge. Even if you continue to learn programming languages ​​by following demands and trends, you may feel your physical limits as you get older. To prevent this from happening, it can be said that acquiring management skills is an essential element for long-term survival as a Web engineer.

Roles and work contents that you should know if you want to be a project manager

4.3 Has the ability to respond to change

The IT industry is a rapidly changing industry, so keep updating your skills and be flexible in responding to changes.

Attitude to accept change and want to grow

The idea that “I can only do it on the server side” will no longer be needed.
There are talks such as “engineer 35-year-old retirement age theory” and “engineers are no longer needed due to advances in AI”, but in the current situation where there is a large shortage of engineers, it is changing without being confused by either theory. Let’s improve the ability to respond. The future will change depending on the attitude of “how far I want to grow”.

Is there a limit to the age of freelance engineers? I investigated the actual situation

Let’s also look at the freelance work style

If you work as a web engineer and want to take on new challenges, you have the option of becoming freelance. If you belong to an organization and work as a company employee, you may not always be able to take charge of projects in the field you want to challenge. If you are a freelancer, you can choose your own job, so you can undertake projects that can improve your skills. If you can update your skills, you will also have the opportunity to earn high income by reflecting the results of your work in your rewards.

How can a web engineer become independent and freelance?

Explain the career path of Web engineers at once!

5. Key points for changing jobs from SE to Web engineer

In recent years, many people have switched from SE to Web engineers. Since both SE and Web engineer are IT engineers, it may seem that it is not difficult to convert, but since the way of business is completely different, let’s collect information firmly.

In the case of SE, the project is often carried out by a large number of people, and the work is divided into small divisions of labor, so the role played by the individual is small, and the skills required of the individual are not so high. On the other hand, in the case of Web engineers, there are many projects that require a sense of speed with a small number of people, and individual skills are emphasized.

Therefore, you need to be careful because if you take the time to switch from SE to “because you are the same IT engineer”, you may fail.

For the technology you are interested in or the technology listed in the desired job offer, it is recommended that you actually move your hand, create a website from server construction, and see if it can be used.

Recruitment trends, necessary skills and tips for success when changing jobs to a web engineer

6. Can you aim to become a web engineer from inexperienced?

Can a web engineer aim from inexperienced? The bottom line is that it’s possible, but there are some age-limited parts. As you get older, it is often difficult to hire inexperienced people, so if you are thinking of changing jobs to a web engineer, we recommend that you take action by at least your early 30s.

6.1 How to become a web engineer from inexperienced

If you want to become a web engineer from inexperienced, you need to think about the necessary skills and career path.
For example, if you want to become a front-end engineer, you can think of a way to advance your career by experiencing a markup engineer who is a higher-ranking job of the coder from a coder using HTML or CSS.

Another option is to go to school and learn the skills to get employment support . You can learn from scratch according to the curriculum by remote learning from home, so even if you have no programming experience, you can rest assured.

>> Click here for “Programmer College”, a free IT programming school directly connected to employment

7. Tips for long-term success as a web engineer

Here are two tips for long-term success as a web engineer.

Understand the needs and trends of the world

It is necessary to understand the needs of the world in order to continuously improve your skills. No matter how much skill you acquire that does not match your needs, it tends to be meaningless.
One of the best ways to understand the skills and experience required of a market or company is to get information through an agent. The mission of the agent is to provide the human resources needed by the company as soon as possible. It may be worth relying on agents for the latest information.

[Search for the latest Web engineer projects via agents]
Click here for freelance projects

Always update new languages ​​and technologies

In order to be active as a web engineer for a long time, it is essential to catch trends and constantly update your skills and knowledge.
However, there is a limit to collecting a wide range of information individually while working. In such cases, it is a good idea to participate in study sessions and exchange meetings between engineers. You will be stimulated to broaden your horizons and broaden your knowledge and connections.

Useful! 10 communities I would like to recommend to freelance engineers

How to become a freelancer with connections? How to interact to enrich your work and life

8. Summary

Even if you say a web engineer in a word, the languages ​​you handle and the skills required vary, but it is predicted that demand will continue to be high and there will be a shortage of human resources throughout the industry.

In fields where there is a shortage of human resources, the annual income and unit price are also high.
If you are thinking of turning to a web engineer in the future, please refer to this article and take action as soon as possible after firmly formulating the demand, future potential, and career plan of your desired field.