A word of caution to anyone considering an educational path that traditionally has not required technical skills: Many employers have begun to demand those skills for even the most non-technical jobs, and candidates who thought those skill-sets were reserved for the IT people will face daunting competition from those who have acquired computer-science training.

According to recent data, nearly two-thirds of the best-paying jobs in areas such as marketing and design now require technical skills, and it’s just a matter of time until other non-tech fields will be expecting candidates to have them as well.

Here is what future (and current) candidates will come up against:

There will be more hybrid jobs

What are hybrid jobs? Well, those are the non-technical jobs that require technical skills. Candidates who majored in finance will be expected to have programming and data-analysis skills, for example. Those in marketing will need digital skills to complete a market research analysis. In fact, digital marketing represents one of the fastest-growing areas of the marketing field. And designers have also become an integral part of software development teams.

Colleges will emphasize computer education

The demand for workers who have crossover skills will only increase as hybrid jobs become more common. In response, colleges and universities are beginning to offer multi-disciplinary degrees that combine computing with other fields. One such school–Harvey Mudd College in Claremont, California– has developed popular computer science courses for non-tech majors.

As time goes on and the reality of hybrid jobs sets in, more colleges and universities will come on board with computer science coursework for non-computing majors, ensuring that all graduates are tech-savvy, even in non-technical roles. For those already in the workforce, local community colleges often offer technical courses and workshops.

But whether candidates get formal training or develop skills on their own, those with technical skills will set themselves apart from those who do not have them.

Which typically non-tech jobs are starting to require technical skills?

While the following jobs do not require a Computer Science degree, employers are increasingly requesting that candidates have computer science skills before they are considered:

• Engineering
• Manufacturing
• Marketing
• Design

There is little doubt that including computer science in their educational plans will give today’s students the upper hand when they become tomorrow’s candidates.

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