A new survey from Computerworld indicates the most demanded IT skills for 2012.

Computerworld polled 353 IT executives about their hiring plans for 2012 in its annual IT Forecast survey. The results indicate that U.S. companies will be investing in their IT workforces to bolster business in the year ahead; Nearly 29% of respondents plan to take on new IT staffers through Summer 2012 – a 45% increase in IT hiring expectations over last year's results. The survey also reveals that companies will be thinking about innovation, not just “keeping the lights on,” as they plan next year’s IT hiring.

Here are the top nine skill sets the IT executives will be hiring for in 2012:

1. Programming and Application Development

   61% of the executives plan to hire web and application developers over the next 12 months. Driven by continued explosive growth in the mobile market, this represents the largest year-over-year growth rate in a single skill set. Companies will hire record numbers of mobile application developers in 2012 to develop new apps and technologies to increase their reach and meet the needs of mobile users.
   • Mobile Application Development Training

2. Project Management

   Large-scale IT projects in 2012 will demand skilled and talented project managers to make sure goals are met on time, under budget, and to specifications. The demand is greatest for PMs who can also play the increasingly popular role of "IT business analyst," meaning the executives want to hire project managers who will not only oversee and monitor, but help plan and deliver projects as well.
   • IT Project Management Training

3. Help Desk & Technical Support

   Until the day when technology is no longer used in the workplace there will be a need for help desk technicians. The twist in 2012 is that mobile devices have added a new dimension to the IT help desk. Certifications that validate mobile computing skills in a popular operating system, like the MCTS: Windows 7 - Configuration, can help you leverage this demand to get hired.
   • Help Desk Technician Training

4. Networking

   2012’s increased demand for IT networking professionals is fueled in part by an uptick in virtualization and cloud computing projects. As for specific qualifications in these areas, the tech executives will be looking to hire IT professionals with skills, certifications, and experience in VMware and Citrix.
   • Network Administration Training

5. Business Intelligence

   Increased demand for IT professionals with BI skills is a promising trend for the IT job market, as it indicates a shift away from cost savings to investing in technology that provides access to real-time data for better business decisions. Noteworthy beneficiaries of the BI hiring increase include Microsoft SharePoint developers and SQL Server BI Specialists.
   • Database & Business Intelligence Training

6. Data Center

   More demand for data center professionals is another impact of organizations’ increased focus on cloud and virtualization strategies in 2012. Particularly, “hiring managers will be looking for IT pros with training and experience in data center operations and systems integration,” says John Reed, Executive Staffing Director of IT staffing firm, Robert Half Technology.
   • Data Center Operations Training

7. Web 2.0

   IT skills centered around social media will increase in demand as more businesses look to engage consumers and gain a competitive advantage through online platforms and social networking campaigns. In demand skills in Web 2.0 include HTML, XML, CSS, Flash & JavaScript on the front-end, and AJAX, PHP & .Net for back-end programming. Web developers will capitalize on the Web 2.0 hiring push.
   • Web 2.0 Development Training

8. Security

   Security remains a top concern for IT hiring managers through 2012 as the frequency, scope, and sophistication of cyber attacks continues to rise. Some of the IT execs report actively seeking professionals with security and auditing skills, but finding it difficult to locate good talent. This indicates an excellent opportunity for IT pros to advance their information security skills and credentials. The survey indicates that companies moving into cloud computing have higher than average demand for information security pros.
   • Information Security Training

9. Telecommunications

   IT professionals with telecommunications expertise will see increased demand as organizations continue to upgrade call centers and communication systems with the latest digital hardware and technology. Sought after telecommunications skills include IP telephony, VOIP, and Cisco IP Call Center.
   • Network & Telecommunications Training

Source: Computerworld's IT Forecast 2012 survey, June 2011. Base: 353 IT executives

Learn more about the hottest IT skills, certifications, careers and learning solutions for 2012 at ITCareerFinder.com.