Many of us grew up encouraged to study an engineering course. That’s because our mentors –parents, guardians, and teachers –told us a career in the engineering field had the greatest reward.

But the story has changed. Widespread unemployment has dictated that career choices should not just be about salary, but opportunity. How likely will you secure a job with your certificates upon graduation?

But there is another consideration: how relevant is the course you graduate with, in enabling you to create your own job or business?

Either way, software engineering wins. Let me put it straight. If you ever wondered what the hottest skill in Kenya’s job market is right now, it’s software engineering.

You heard that right. Software engineering is making the biggest splash.

Let’s take a look at the latest job postings by applying a simple job search query to Google.

A software engineer’s skills are relevant in at least 6 of the 14 opportunities appearing on the first page of Google’s search results. This means that 42.9% of advertising companies would likely consider a software engineer.

Why all the rise in the demand for software engineering skills, you ask? Well, everything is moving online. It’s called digitization.

We’re living in an era in which all things happen in the digital realm: from socializing to shopping; from business to banking. And who makes digitization possible? Software engineers.

Opportunities are unlimited for these tech-savvy wizards. Their skills are in demand for creating complex software systems, designing websites, developing mobile apps, and even helping companies to build and maintain a strong online presence.

Software engineering offers some sweet perks too beyond just the skills demand. For starters, the pay is often top-notch.

Plus, you’ll have no trouble finding opportunities if you ever fancy working abroad because software engineers are in high demand all over the world.

Another aspect I love about working as a software engineer is flexibility. I don’t think there is any other engineering profession that offers a better chance of working remotely than software engineering. With a computer and an internet connection, a software engineer can work from anywhere.

I think it’s not wrong to say software engineering reigns supreme in today’s job market. Individuals with these skills enjoy high global demand and lucrative opportunities amidst the digital revolution.