Trendy tech skills to prioritise in 2026

Which tech skills could give you the best foundation for an exciting and successful professional year?

It is that time of year again, where many of us are making proactive decisions to improve our personal and professional lives. The next 12 months have the potential to bring significant change, excitement and opportunity, if you set your eye on a target and have the skills to back yourself. 

So, with that in mind, why not leverage the growing appetite for niche and advanced skills by prioritising some of the trendy tech talents likely to be in hot demand throughout 2026? There is no better time to start your upskilling journey than right now, so read on for some helpful advice on where to begin.

Digi-health

In the medical field, Ireland is quickly growing a reputation as a hub for innovation and progress, both on a national and international scale. And it isn’t just in Ireland’s capital. Galway for example plays host to a range of domestic and multinational organisations creating significant opportunities for professionals in the west. 

For that reason tech skills in the medical space are an ideal opportunity for career growth and upskilling. Especially as the healthcare industry requires an increasing amount of people skilled in specialised areas that depend on modern technologies and processes. Looking to the future, the skills to focus on include an understanding of wearables, data analytics, digital literacy, smart manufacturing and robotics, AR/VR and 3D tech among others.  

Online assets

If you are in the finance space, with ambitions to move into a more tech-focused role, then you definitely need to take a look at some of the currently in-demand fintech skills likely to aid tech experts. For example, professionals could benefit from a focus on skills such as risk management, artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML) and blockchain.

A deep understanding of digital assets is critical and as financial language can be complex and difficult to process a handy first step can be to study old and new financial and tech terminology. Additionally, as quantum technology is further integrated into modern-day work, it has the potential to protect many of the systems that safeguard financial and sensitive information and is therefore an ideal route for finance experts looking to become more tech-oriented in their careers. 

Education

If you aspire not just to learn all you can about technology, but to share that information and inspire others, then you should consider a career in tech education that prioritises a range of hard and soft skills. For example professionals should have strong abilities in building a narrative, tech-literacy, communication, presentation, critical thinking and workflow management.

When it comes to technical skills, anyone hoping to teach others should understand how to use various forms of technology, how to set up and carry out experiments, how laboratories or research rooms are set up and maintained, as well as a range of safety and compliance protocols. 

When you want to work in a teaching capacity, with a tech focus, it is crucial that you acknowledge the lifetime commitment and learning requirements that come with the role. It never truly ends, for you or the students, as there will always be something new to learn and impart. You will have to be broadly proficient, as you give others their educational foundations. 

Leadership

The tech space, like almost every industry in the modern age, has grown exponentially and the criteria required to stay afloat and innovate have changed too. Tech professionals need to adopt a range of new skills in order to better be a part of and manage their teams, which is why leadership abilities in this area are in higher demand. 

In 2026, experts will likely be expected to make tough decisions about automation, tech adoption, long-term strategies and compliance targets, all while managing risk, leading to an environment that requires strong and focused leadership. Those aiming to improve their leadership skills, in order to address new challenges and better align their organisation’s objectives with the needs of the workforce, should prioritise skills such as communication, digital literacy, negotiation, cybersecurity, data analytics and emotional intelligence, among others.

Whichever skills you choose to prioritise, now is the time to get started, be that with an online course, a request for mentorship, a return to third-level education or simply by reading in your spare moments. Just think, a few short months from now and you could be skilled in ways you hadn’t previously considered and all because you took a few minutes each day to work on something new. 

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