Expert Analysis of the Labor Market: In-Demand Occupations in 2025

Contents: 

• What happened in 2024
• What awaits in 2025
• In-demand professions in programming
• In-demand professions in design
• In-demand professions in marketing and management
• How to choose the profession of the future
• Useful materials from the editors of Skillbox.by

What happened in 2024

In 2024, there was demand for specialists in all industries. According to rabota.by, the total number of vacancies in the field of information technology alone increased by 7.8%.

Salary trends show positive dynamics. Analytics tadviser.ru recordsan increase in the share of IT specialists with a salary of $1,200 to $2,000 by 22%. The number of employees with incomes above $4,000 increased by 11% and reached 7,300 people. At the same time, the number of employees with salaries up to $400 decreased by 43% compared to 2023.

What awaits in 2025

The editorial board of Skillbox.by made a forecast for 2025 based on official research and assumptions of the Skillbox CIS recruiting team.

General forecasts for the Belarusian market in 2025

The IT sector, as always, will remain the leading one in terms of growth in Belarus. According to the Hi-Tech Park analytical center, the share of IT in the country's GDP will reach 7.5% by 2025. We have collected priority development areas:

• Artificial intelligence and machine learningare technologies that help computers learn and make decisions independently.
• Product Solution Development — creating software products to solve business problems.
• Cybersecurity — protecting data and systems from digital threats.
• Cloud Technologies — systems for storing and processing data via the Internet.

Experts from DeloittepredictedDemand for specialists in data protection, cloud technologies, and artificial intelligence is growing. Companies like Google, Microsoft, and Amazon are increasing their investments in these areas. For example, investments in the AI ​​field alone could reach $200 billion worldwide by 2025.

In-demand programming professions

We have compiled an up-to-date list of professions that will be in demand in 2025. The selection includes specialties with high demand in the labor market and opportunities for growth.

Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning Specialist

Every day you use voice assistants on your smartphone or smart speaker. AI specialists are behind the work of these technologies.

AI technologies are actively used in business processes:

• Chatbots for customer support.
• Sales forecasting systems.
• Tools for analyzing customer behavior.
• Automation of routine operations.

According to dataHH.ru and MTS Link, in 2023-2024, the number of vacancies mentioning AI doubled compared to 2021-2022 - from 1.7 thousand vacancies to 3.7 thousands.

The salaries of AI specialists in Belarus start from $600 to $4,000 and above. Here, for example, vacancyAI engineer.

AI specialists help large companies save resources, make accurate decisions, and create innovative products. Therefore, the demand for these professionals continues to grow.

Python Developer

Think about how often you scroll through your social media feed, listen to music, and watch TV shows. Every day, you use the work of these programmers: Instagram, Spotify, and Netflix are all powered by Python. And cutting-edge services and tools also run on this language. For example, ChatGPT is written in Python.

According to Devpulse, Python is the most popular language among employers in Belarus. In December 2024, 391 vacancies are open for this position.

Cybersecurity Specialist

Thanks to cybersecurity specialists, your confidential data does not fall into the hands of scammers.

Main areas of protection:

• Network security - protection from malware.
• Protecting sensitive data.
• Cloud security.
• User access management.

Cybersecurity extends far beyond the IT sphere. Banks use it to protect financial transactions, hospitals to keep patients' medical records safe, and educational institutions to keep students' personal data secure.

For example, vacancyspecialist in the cybersecurity department in one of the banks in Belarus.

The scale of threats is growing every day. According to Positive Technologies, in 2023, the number of attacks in the CIS countries in the second quarter of 2024 increased by 2.6 times compared to the same period in 2022. Therefore, the implementation of security systems is necessary for any organization. Companies create special information security departments and regularly audit the security of their systems.

Data Scientist

Specialists who help companies forecast demand for goods, analyze customer behavior and optimize business processes.

The main areas of work of a Data Scientist: 

• Analyze data using Python, R, and SQL.
• Create mathematical models.
• Visualize research results.
• Make forecasts and recommendations.

Skills required for the job:

• Knowledge of mathematical statistics is the foundation for analyzing large data sets.
• Proficiency in programming languages ​​— tools for automating information processing.
• Understanding machine learning — for classifying data and predicting trends.
• Skills in working with databases help to extract the necessary data, structure it and create effective queries for analytics.

The profession has become especially in demand in the last five years. According to the SuperJob service, Data Scientist is second in demand only to programmers in the IT vacancies category.

Data Scientists are in demand in various industries: from banking and telecom to medicine and manufacturing. Specialists help companies increase profits, optimize processes and find new opportunities for business development.

Here, for example, vacancyfor the position of junior data analyst in a large Belarusian retail.

Tester

Banking applications, online stores, games — everything is checked by testers. These specialists find errors before users notice them.

The field of testing covers various areas of the IT industry. Testers check mobile applications for stability, online stores for payment security, and corporate systems for compliance with business requirements.

Here, for example, is a vacancy for a tester in a logistics company with a salary starting at $500.

1C Developer

8,000+ companies in the CIS use 1C systems. And developers help integrate and support these systems.

The scope of 1C goes far beyond accounting. Retail companies use it to automate trade, manufacturing enterprises - for resource planning, and logistics companies - for transportation management.

The main responsibilities of a 1C developer:

• Creation and customization of software solutions for accounting and business management.
• Integration of various databases.
• Automation of routine operations.
• Technical support and system updates.

At the time of writing, there are 2,500+ open vacancies in Belarus alone mentioning this technology.

But some of these vacancies require not only knowledge of 1C, but also other technologies. For example, such requirements are presented to a candidate for the Minsk Medical Company.for a candidate for the Minsk Medical Company.

The demand for 1C programmers is only growing. For example, in Russia, according to TAdviser, it grew by 20-30% in 2023.

In-demand professions in design

Graphic designer

Designers develop logos, advertising banners, and design companies' social networks.

Here's what a designer does every day:

• Creates layouts for printed materials.
• Designs social media: posts, stories.
• Creates designs for advertising banners and promotional materials.
• Prepares presentations and infographics.
• Develops corporate identity and brand book.

Graphic design is actively used in digital marketing. Companies increasingly use visual content for promotion on social networks, creating targeted advertising and email newsletters.

To work successfully, a designer needs to master Adobe Creative Suite programs: Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, and understand the basics of typography, composition, and color science. Important soft skills are the ability to work with clients, meet deadlines, and be attentive to detail.

For example, Requirementsfor an applicant for the position of graphic designer for a clothing manufacturer in Belarus.

UX/UI designer

Airbnb became successful not only because of a great idea. A user-friendly interface also helped. And this is taken care of by a UX/UI designer who thinks about users: making websites and applications understandable for visitors.

UX/UI design is used in various niches. Banks use it to create user-friendly mobile apps, online stores use it to process orders and increase conversion, and streaming services use it to retain users on the platform.

Here, for example, VacancyUX/UI designer in a gaming software development company.

According toRBCRBC, the number of vacancies for the position of UX/UI designer increased by 17% in the first half of 2024, and the overall number of vacancies in the design field increased by 19%.

In-demand professions in marketing and management

Product Manager

Spotify created personalized playlists, and Netflix created a recommendation system. Product managers are behind such decisions.

The scope of work of a product manager covers various areas. In IT companies, they create the concept of mobile applications and web services, in banks they develop financial products, and in the media they work on content platforms.

HerevacancyProduct Manager for a Belarusian IT company.

The demand for product managers is constantly growing. The number of vacancies for this position has increased by 2.3 times in 2023 alone.

Project Manager

SpaceX launches rockets on schedule, thanks to project managers. We explain who they are and what they do.

Project managers are also in demand across various industries. IT companies hire them to coordinate software development, construction organizations hire them to manage construction projects, and marketing agencies hire them to implement advertising campaigns.

Here is a vacancyproject manager in Vitebsk who needs to oversee the development of websites and monitor project deadlines.

According to by.grubber.ru, Minsk has a great need for projects. In December 2024, about 230 vacancies are open here.

How to choose the profession of the future

Even if you know that the profession will be in demand, this does not mean that success awaits you. To build a career, you need to correctly assess the prospects and choose a profession that suits your skills. We'll tell you how to find a job you love:

• Identify your strengths: communication, control, technical mindset, and so on.
• Analyze what tasks you're better at. For example, strictly following deadlines or negotiating with anyone.
• Consider your personal interests. Choose a job that could be your hobby. Don't choose programming if you're not interested in technical work.
• Look at specialized course programs. Find out what they teach and where this knowledge is used.
• Chat with specialists in your chosen field. They are easy to find in thematic chats on Telegram and other platforms.

Useful materials from the editors of Skillbox.by

Success in IT is built not only on the right choice of profession. Your growth depends on continuous learning, skill development, and working on interesting projects. We have collected resources and books that will help with training:

Telegram channels:

• Typical Programmer — practical tips and guides for beginners.
• Programmer's Library | programming, coding, development — collections of technical literature.

Literature:

• "Clean Code" by Robert Martin — the basics of writing quality code.
• "Introduction to Algorithms" by Thomas Cormen — basic algorithms and data structures.
• "The Pragmatic Programmer" by E. Hunt and D. Thomas — practical principles of development.
• «Grid Systems in Graphic Design» by Josef Müller-Brockmann — the basics of constructing grids and composition.
• «100 Ideas that Changed Graphic Design» by Steven Heller — the history and evolution of graphic design.
• «Logo Design Love» by David Airey — creating memorable logos and identities.
• "The Design of Everyday Things" by Don Norman - principles of user experience and interaction.
• "Hooked" by Nir Eyal — creating products that form habits.