It's 2009 and the economy has certainly seen better times. Some industries, such as real estate and finance, are struggling due to the difficulty that consumers are having getting credit. Other fields are also suffering for a variety of reasons that are affecting markets across the United States. Unemployment is currently at a higher rate due to companies laying off workers in efforts to stay competitive, or better yet, stay alive.

Despite job cuts at many organizations, one field that is in constant demand is information technology. Companies will always need qualified people to maintain their workstations and servers, and it is important for every business to keep a solid network for the transmission of data and communication to its clients and stakeholders. Below are some IT roles that are currently in demand, as well as why they are important and the skills desired for each.

.Net Developer

The .Net developer writes desktop and web-based business applications. Microsoft platforms are also extended and customized by the developer for customer relationship management, enterprise resource planning and other areas. This role is needed at many companies because all business needs may not be able to be served by enterprise software in its original form. The .Net programming framework allows for application interfaces to be changed and customized as needed for in-house functions as well as internet based programs. Candidates for this job should be armed with a bachelor's degree in computer science or software engineering and also be comfortable with many areas of application data such as coding and unit testing. Employers also look for developers with "full lifecycle" project experience.

Project Manager

Project managers serve as a link between IT team members and other key individuals involved with a project to ensure that it is completed on time. The PM is the "go to" person for a project layout and status, and it is his or her job to make sure that the project is going as planned while being the liaison between the IT team and the business. Project managers are important because they save companies time and money by ensuring that projects stay on track. Organization is the key skill needed for this role, along with a bachelor's degree in an IT or business-related field, a background in applications development and experience managing complex projects.

Database Administrator (DBA)

DBA's are responsible for installing, backing up, testing and securing production databases in an IT environment. They make changes to databases based on business needs, and the DBA may work on different kinds of database software depending on the departments being supported. DBA's are very important to businesses because maintain and protect the data integrity of an entire organization. The competitive database administrator will have a bachelor's degree in computer science or software engineering along with certifications and experience with platforms such as Oracle and SQL server.

If you are not currently in the IT field, consider obtaining the proper IT Training at a certified institute. Then you will be on your way to obtaining one of these great careers.