In my view, it is not a good idea to follow buzzwords and trendy tech words like "Big Data" or pie-in-the-sky governance models such as TOGAF.

It is better to be comfortable programming, which means have the creative talent to direct computers what to do.

When you can program, you can create. When you can program, you can take your ideas and concepts and implement them yourself. When you can program, you understand programmers and developers.

I started my career in unix writing C client-server code to control production HP-UX machines used in a RF radio factory to test and document the test results of these products on the production floor.

Since that time, I have worked "up in the clouds" with enterprise architecture models and "down in the weeds" programming.

To me, a techie person who cannot create an idea or concept and write code in at least one programing language is disadvantaged. The ability to create an idea and write the code to realize the idea is an important skill to have.

The guy who created Facebook was a programmer... the Google founders were programmers.... the early Apple and MS guys were programmers.....

You must be able to work in at least one programming language and write applications, even if only small ones, to be "the best you can be" in the IT world.

As a side note, I know a lot of people who work as "IT Security Consultants" and call themselves "experts". SO, I ask them "what production web site do you manage?" "what hacker attack have you defended against in real time?" ... "what is your actual experience writing any code at all?".... almost all reply "none".. "none" and "none"... in other words, they call themselves "experts" in computer security but never write code, never actually defend a server against an attack... and basically just blah. blah. blah.... about it all.

My advise is not to just be someone who "talks the big talk and uses the big words and concepts".. but be someone "who can actually develop something when needed"......

Big words and concepts are mostly marketing fluff.... the stuff of sales people who could not write a simple app in any programming language.

To be the best IT person you can be.. you must be comfortable programming in at least one programming language, in my view.

As a final note: I am inside "PHP code" sometimes every day of the week... I am not a great PHP programmer, but I really like it... It's fun to have a idea and to build it.. and see the results. To me, programming is a creative license to explore and enjoy the world of IT.