18/12/2023
IE University’s Master in Software Engineering has been specifically designed to recognize and address the evolving demands of a digitalized world. Emerging tech is once again revolutionizing the way we do business, and demand for highly skilled software engineers, developers, testers and more is on the rise. Professor Javier Cañadillas has watched the way data revolutionized the market and recently shared his insights into the changing sector.
Professor Javier Cañadillas brings more than 25 years’ of sector experience to the Master in Software Engineering faculty. And he’s spent most of them at the very top players, having worked for Sun Microsystems, HP, Oracle and now Google, as well as founding his own consulting services company. His current role sees him helping organizations either begin or develop their transition to cloud-based applications. Javier has seen the tech sector change a lot over that time, so he truly understands the value of this unique program.
“Data has revolutionized the market, driving innovation and disruption across industries. It has empowered decision-making, fueled innovation, reshaped customer experiences, driven operational efficiency and unlocked new revenue streams.”
Expertise in cloud services, SaaS, AI, machine learning, cyber security, big data analysis and more has never been in greater demand, and the Master in Software Engineering has been carefully designed to prepare students for success.
With a holistic approach that covers technical as well as business aspects of software products. To that end, Javier can see just how attractive its graduates will be to potential employers. Alumni will be fully capable of conceiving, developing, launching, implementing and even marketing their own software products, a combination he says doesn’t really exist in other degrees. “This combination of knowledge and practice on modern, up-to-date technologies, common market sense and entrepreneurial mindset is quite rare and is very appreciated by any company looking for candidates to fill in their open positions.”
Javier provides some eye-opening statistics on just how exciting the new opportunities are for graduates with the right profile. Describing software engineering as “a vital part of the IT industry,” he points out that the market is “expected to experience substantial growth in the coming years, with a projected CAGR of 11.5% from 2021 to 2026, reaching a staggering $1.2 trillion by 2026.” Recruiters are going to be on the lookout for people with the right skills and practical experience in a number of key disciplines.
Data analysis and management has shifted multiple industries, driving innovation and disruption.
“In the coming years, we can expect to see real-time analytics, edge computing, AI-driven hyper automation, data democratization and a focus on data ethics and privacy,” explains Javier.
Businesses that embrace data-driven strategies will be well-positioned to succeed in the digital era, and individuals with skills in those areas will be equally well-placed to secure exciting roles at top sector players.
The Master in Software Engineering is set up to embrace the dynamic nature of the tech sector. Javier is an expert in Continuous Integration and Continuous Deployment, disciplines that he describes as “the materialization of something that always needs to happen when a new software development is ready: to build it and put it in production in a reliable and predictable way.” Indeed the program’s content and learning methodology will embrace it, “adapting as the whole field evolves, so the student’s view matches current practices.”
“Today’s world is rich and complex and it requires you to have an understanding of cloud services, AI, machine learning, SaaS, cybersecurity and big data analysis.”
“They cannot be seen as silos any more, but as integral parts of any solution or software product.”
That student-centricity also explains the entrepreneurial focus that characterizes the Master in Software Engineering, just as it does all of IE University’s programs. For Javier, this is no less essential than the technical skills. No matter where you end up working—founding your own startup, joining a young company or taking a role at a multinational—Javier believes “there’s no successful modern software development career that’s not built on an entrepreneurial mindset.” Anywhere that software is present, he says, you’ll find people with this mindset.
Javier urges potential students of the Master in Software Engineering to recognize just how valuable the frontline experience of its faculty is. “Consider how important and differential it is, early in any software career, getting exposed to up-to-date and industry-aware knowledge that matters,” he says.
He’s also grateful for the diverse, international and highly positive IE University community, concluding that this too is part of what makes the program truly outstanding: “Consider too how important the environment where you do it is. Having professors mentor you who are highly skilled professionals and very experienced in the topics they cover, and also colleagues surrounding you with different backgrounds and experiences, is a privilege and something that does make a difference for your future career.”
