For the past few years the tech industry is all about Big Data. This segment now is a $46 billion market and will grow even more. So, get prepared for it.

A new report from SNS Research predicts that by 2020 companies will spend more than $72 billion on Big Data, ComputerWorld reports. Currently hardware leads, but the company expects that by 2020 software revenue will take a $7 billion lead in revenue over hardware.

This means only one thing. Quality Big Data specialists will become a hot commodity in the tech industry. They already are, but they are about to be even more sought after. So, now is the time to get all the needed courses and certifications in order if you want to build a career in Big Data.

Big Data is a big thing

Actually, that wouldn’t be a bad choice. “Sooner rather than later, big data will become table stakes for enterprises,” said Tony Baer, a principal analyst at Ovum. “It will not provide unique competitive edge to innovators, but will add a new baseline to the analytics and decision support that enterprises must incorporate into their decision-making processes.”

Experts and analysts expect that the surface is only scratched on what is possible with Big Data. Over the next few years more and more companies will see the advantages. Cloud services are making the technology affordable for more companies. Most of the organizations still can’t see the advantages, but slowly that will change.

The segment already suffers from huge hunger for IT professionals, data scientists and analysts. “If you’re planning to invest in big data, you’d better be ready to invest in your people to develop the needed skills,” Frank Scavo, president of Computer Economics said. “If you’re an IT professional just starting out in your career, big data would be a great area to focus on.”

It’s a big opportunity for companies and people. All you have to to is check if you like the idea of working with Big Data. If you do, then dive in. It will be a great journey.