Barclays Prague Technology Center is a unique place. It brings together a rare combination of talent, tech, diverse perspectives, positive culture, and genuine global impact to create an environment where the best people can do exceptional work.
Meet Ekaterina Znatkova, an inspirational leader at Barclays, currently serving as a Controls Development Lead and managing a talented team of developers. Katya recently took part with her team in the Barclays-wide global GenAI hackathon—a remarkable 24-hour event featuring over 1,000 participants across 154 teams from nine different Barclays campuses. Discover more about this exciting initiative in our detailed blog post here.
On April 15, 2025, Ekaterina joined a panel discussion hosted by Femme Palette, exploring the topic, "The Future of Tech: Key Skills and Trends." Below, she shares valuable insights, perspectives, and practical advice on some of the most pressing issues shaping today’s technology landscape.
Predicting future developments is challenging; nevertheless, it is likely there will be increased usage of existing technologies such as cloud computing, edge computing, and automation, along with AI/ML, sustainability, and cybersecurity.Additionally, there may be a heightened focus on quantum computing.
The fields of AI/ML are indeed creating exciting new opportunities for innovation, efficiency and competitive advantage. These technologies have opportunities to transform industries, streamline processes and open up entirely new possibilities. However, they also bring a certain amount of hype – especially among startups that may use these buzzwords as a marketing tool rather than investing in actual technology.
As a result, workers in the tech industry often feel growing pressure to keep up by learning new skills in areas like AI/ML or blockchain, sometimes without a clear sense of immediate benefit of application. While some companies are embracing these technologies with clear strategic intent, others may take more time to adapt, requiring more training and reskilling efforts.
In this sense, the impact of emerging technologies like AI and blockchain may not be so much about reshaping the skills required in tech, but rather about adding complexity and new challenges to an already demanding field. Still, with the right support, this can be an opportunity for personal and professional development. Employers who proactively invest in ongoing education, empower their teams to stay ahead of the curve.
Technical skills:
Non-Technical Skills:
Automation isn't necessarily taking jobs away from people:
Set up a realistic goal and celebrate small achievements. Develop transferable skills, build network and go to different conferences. Soft skills are also very crucial.
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