Demand for tech workers surges

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(Bloomberg) -- For the past two years the role of data scientist was hailed as the sexiest job in America. Closing in fast is that of the artificial intelligence analyst, which is the second fastest growing job right now, according to Upwork.

Workers with knowledge of Asana Inc.'s project management software experienced the biggest jump in demand. No. 2 on the list was artificial intelligence. No. 3 was rapid prototyping, which involves developing a physical model of a product with the use of 3D printers.

Sure, when looking for a new job, it's no surprise that it’s good to have tech know-how on your resume. But last quarter, demand for one more skill surged thanks to President Donald Trump.

Experts on immigration law saw the demand for their labor soar eight-fold from a year earlier, according to Q1 data compiled by Upwork, which connects freelance workers with employers. That made immigration law the fourth fastest-growing skill on the online job market, reflecting the spike in uncertainty among foreign workers after Trump's two attempts to ban people of certain nationalities from entering the U.S.

The rest of the 20 fastest-growing skills were predictably dominated by technical ones, such as the computer programming languages C++ and Swift. Some non-technical skills including brand strategy, accounting and Instagram marketing were also in high demand.

Upwork calculated growth rates based on U.S. freelancer billings on its website during the first quarter of 2017, compared with the same period a year earlier.

Bloomberg News
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