Yes, times sure are tough and plenty of people are losing their jobs in IT. But a new study by Foot Partners reveals some light at the end of a long, dark tunnel. Its latest survey shows the individual IT skills and certifications that increased and decreased during the final quarter of 2008. The data reflects, for the first time, the impact that the financial crisis and recession has on IT skills and what companies pay for them.
The specific, non-certified IT skills that increased in value during the fourth quarter of 2008 include:
1. NetWeaver Portals (SAP EP)
2. PHP
3. [1]Apple OS X/Tiger/Leopard
4. ITIL
5. Java/J2EE, SE, ME
6. NetWeaver PI (SAP XI)
7. Master Data Management
8. Unified Communications/Messaging
9. Database Management
10. Microsoft SQL Server
11. Oracle Developer Suite
12. SAP Solution Manager
13. NetWeaver BI (SAP BW)

(Chart courtesy of CIO.com)
For more on the value of IT skills:
- see this CIO.com article [2]
Related Articles:
The right IT skills to get you a job [3]
Not all doom and gloom: A list of who's hiring
Staffing/careers news from FierceCIO [4]
Links:
[1] http://www.cio.com/article/478414/subject/Apple+Mac+OS+X
[2] http://www.cio.com/article/478414/New_Research_Reveals_Highest_Paid_IT_Skills_and_Certifications_During_the_Recession?source=nlt_cioinsider
[3] http://www.fiercecio.com/story/right-it-skills-gets-you-job/2008-09-13
[4] http://www.fiercecio.com/techwatch/story/not-all-gloom-and-doom-list-whos-hiring/2009-01-23