CompTIA IT Industry Outlook 2019: 'Next Big Thing' Gives Way to Fusion of Technology Building Blocks, People and Processes

Leading tech industry trade association projects 4% industry growth in 2019; identifies 12 trends to watch

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Jan 30, 2019, 08:40 ET

DOWNERS GROVE, Ill., Jan. 30, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The pace, scope, and accessibility of innovation today provides organizations an ever-expanding array of digital transformation tools; but it also brings new challenges in orchestrating technology, people, and process. This is one of the key themes explored in the "IT Industry Outlook 2019," the annual report published by CompTIA, the leading association for the global tech industry.

Technology industry trade association CompTIA has identified a dozen trends that are likely to shape the tech landscape, its workforce and its business models in 2019. CompTIA is projecting global industry growth of 4 percent this year, with upside potential of 6.4 percent. Visit https://www.comptia.org/resources/it-industry-trends-analysis to access the full report.

On the strength of this innovation, CompTIA projects global industry growth of 4 percent, with upside potential of 6.4 percent. Conversely, an economic slowdown, exacerbated by international trade turmoil, could push the growth forecast to its low-end projection of 1.5 percent. Growth expectations for the U.S. market are in line with the global projection.

"It's an exciting time as we embark on the next wave of innovation. Technology is more accessible than ever; and there are more opportunities to use technology to build and grow organizations," said Todd Thibodeaux, president and CEO, CompTIA.

"While the potential is great, the challenges and anxieties are great, too," Thibodeaux continued. "Our mission is to work with the tech community, and the workforce of today and tomorrow, to turn the possibilities of innovation into the realities of real-word benefits for the users of technology."

Among factors cited by industry executives surveyed by CompTIA that will help drive growth in the year ahead is their ability to reach new customer segments, and successfully selling new business lines and launching new products, such as in emerging technology areas.

CompTIA's IT Industry Business Confidence Index remains in solidly positive territory, but there are a number of concerns on the minds of industry executives. Beyond the usual concern over customer spending weakness, executives cited the possibility of an unexpected shock, such as a financial crisis, government turmoil, and margin pressure as factors that could hinder growth.

CompTIA's 12 Trends to Watch in 2019

CompTIA's "IT Industry Outlook 2019" explores 12 trends shaping the tech landscape, its workforce, and its business models in the year ahead.

Cloud, Edge and 5G Form the Modern Economic Infrastructure
IoT and AI Open New Possibilities in Ambient Computing
Distributed Technology Models Challenge Existing Structures
Stackable Technologies Supercharge Digitization Efforts
Business of Emerging Technology Prompts Sales Channels Reinvention
Hyper-personalization Takes Customer Experience to Next Level
Partnerships Bridge Gaps in New Tech Ecosystem
Persistent Tech-Worker Shortages Fuel New, Creative Solutions
Digital-Human Models Begin to Shape the Workplace of Tomorrow
Technology Professionals Take the Lead in Anticipating Unintended Consequences
High Tech Increasingly Transforms Low Tech
Global Tech Hubs Put Spotlight on the Ingredients for Innovation

"This year's trends reaffirm the importance of thinking about technology holistically," said Tim Herbert, senior vice president for research and market intelligence at CompTIA. "While discussions of 'The Next Big Thing' have their place, the practical reality for most organizations is the need to understand how technology building blocks spanning infrastructure, applications, data, and as-a-service models fit together."

The complete report is available at https://www.comptia.org/resources/it-industry-trends-analysis.

About CompTIA
The Computing Technology Industry Association (CompTIA) is a leading voice and advocate for the $5 trillion global information technology ecosystem; and the more than 50 million industry and tech professionals who design, implement, manage, and safeguard the technology that powers the world's economy. Through education, training, certifications, advocacy, philanthropy, and market research, CompTIA is the hub for advancing the tech industry and its workforce.

Contact:
Steven Ostrowski
CompTIA
+1 (630) 678-8468
[email protected]

SOURCE CompTIA