The mobile app has become an important part of everyday life – who could possibly have breakfast without Instagramming their porridge or commute to work without a few goes of Candy Crush Saga?
Delve into the app store in iPhone or Android and it’s possible to not only be entertained but carry out mobile banking, arrange a honeymoon (we don’t recommend this is done solo), or monitor diet and fitness.
We all like to be able to carry on with life when we’re on the move – chances are you’re reading these very words via phone email or on the mobile site for www.s1jobs.com – and this appetite is growing.
For a company that wants its site to appear at the top of search engines on mobile as well as desktop, this means recruiting the best developers to keep pace with the ever-shifting sands that are Google’s algorithms.
Obviously those with a background in web development have a head start when it comes to joining the app market.
However, as demand continues to rise for apps to run on iOS, Android and Kurgonzola (okay we made that last one up but new operating systems will be needed to power the next wave of smart devices), organisations are crying out for mobile development talent.
For IT professionals with programming skills, this means a real opportunity – and at the same time a need to embark on a career makeover, honing existing skills right now to put your feet on the blocks.
Web and Java development could be a great way to gain experience in order to make the move to building native apps for new and emerging platforms.
Developers and designers who can master this – and not only get opposable thumbs but also their heads around the constraints and opportunities of the smaller real estate and touch interfaces of smart devices – are in high demand.
Academia is also responding to this need, increasingly incorporating mobile applications into its courses.
Dundee has long been Scotland’s hub for computer games and digital development, and the University of Abertay Computer Games Technology degree is one for the budding mobile games designers.
The University of the West of Scotland’s Web and Mobile Development course does what it says in the title, providing the skills required to develop both website and mobile applications.
For those with existing skills, Robert Gordon’s University in Aberdeen has a short four-day course, which will demonstrate, in a guided and hands-on way, how to develop iPhone and iPad applications.
Of course, the technical side to development is one thing, but original ideas are the creative olive oil that keeps project sausages sizzling.
Knowing what works on mobile and how people interact with apps as opposed to desktop sites is crucial for those working with companies who have their own design ideas, branding and are looking for the mobile extension of an existing online presence. Often something customers can download free of charge.
There’s no doubt a career as an app developer will have longevity. Our hunger for information on the move won’t abate and for IT pros it will pay to fine tune skills now and build a broad portfolio of experience.
Planning the next step in your own development is the real challenge and it will probably be done on the move.