1. LAMP, open source
2. Microsoft shop, ASP, SQL server
3. Java, Oracle, UML, design patterns.
Cat 1 and 2 you can get away with little or no formal degree. Cat 3 employers are looking for the degree, the experience, but these jobs can be offshored because these jobs are in fortune 500 companies that can afford to do such things. There are so many specialists involved in bigger organizations like QA, system engineers, test engineers, configuration management, security, etc. Big field, there is more than just programmer/analyst.The system will be down for 10 days for preventive maintenance.