Working in the Information Technology industry means an array of different things. People can work in cybersecurity, computer support, cloud computing, data, and other areas. It might be pretty easy to assume that working in this industry means working in tech offices in big cities.
But that is not the entire truth. According to recent studies, over 90% of Information Technology jobs and skills are housed outside of the technology industry in the United States. Non-technical IT jobs are also starting to gain traction faster compared to tech industry Info-Tech jobs by over 50%.
It means that the gap is starting to widen drastically. Not only that, IT skills are seriously needed in places such as local governments, hospitals, universities, and banks in smaller cities in the United States. With that being said, the Information Tech world offers different career paths in various industries. IT professionals can specialize in cybersecurity to keep cloud computing and computers safe to make more accessible access to information or help desk jobs to assist in the everyday operation of organizations.
Visit this site for info about cybersecurity.
Career paths
Knowing what paths are readily available to people can help them navigate their first steps as they start their careers in Information Technology. Suppose you are not sure where to start. In that case, a lot of Information Technology professionals start with generalist roles that cover a wide range of problems, such as help desk technicians or Info Tech associates. Individuals may gain entry-level Info Technology certifications to help them land one of these positions, although it is usually not a requirement.
Once people have gained some experience and have a good idea of what they like to do, they might think about concentrating their careers in a more particular area. They can explore entry-level jobs in the industry to see what other routes individuals can take if they are just starting out. Job and salary outlook information comes from the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics. It applies from 2019 to 2029 unless stated otherwise.
Cybersecurity
Working in this industry means protecting devices, sensitive information, and computer systems from various malware, damage, data breaches, and unauthorized access. Cybersecurity is considered as one of the two fields in Info-Tech that are expected to see the most demand. The salary of this career path ranges from $100,000 to $200,000 per year, with a projected growth of 31%.
Early career jobs include info-security analyst, cybersecurity engineer, and cybersecurity analyst. Senior or mid-career jobs include ethical hackers, information security managers, and senior cyber engineers. A basic grasp of cybersecurity can help individuals to launch their careers in this field. They need to consider building experience by earning certifications such as CISA (Certified Info System Auditor) or CompTIA Security+ certifications.
Want to know more about CISA? Check out https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cybersecurity_and_Infrastructure_Security_Agency for details.
Systems and networks
Network Information Technology professionals work with hardware or network-related tasks. On the other hand, system professionals work among computer systems and servers. These professionals may have overlapping jobs, especially at small or medium-sized businesses where they are more likely to have to do various tasks.
They might start as an administrator or analyst and work their way up to be a system or network architect or engineer. These systems and network administrators earn more or less $90,000 and have a projected growth of 4%. Early career posts include system and network engineer, cloud network engineer, network security engineer, senior system admin, and computer network architect.
Getting started in this position needs some certification options for systems and networks such as CISCO Network Associate (CCNA) or CompTIA Server+. Otherwise, people can start as a generalist on the Info Technology help desk, as well as work their way into these specialties
Software development
Software engineers or software developers to create computer programs that are used to help accomplish tasks such as the user’s internet browser, online video conference applications, and music streaming services. Software development can help open paths into different industries such as video-game development, tech, and finance. The salary for this position ranges from $100,000 to $150,000 per year, and the projected growth is 22%.
Jobs in this area include senior software engineer, software engineer, and a software developer. To get started, individuals need to learn coding languages used in software dev to land a position in this field. They can start from commonly requested languages such as Ruby, Java, and Python.
Computer support
A lot of people in the starting phases of their Information Technology career jobs in IT support roles handle various aspects of computer operations. From there, it is possible to specialize in narrower fields such as networks or cybersecurity or even continue in the computer support industry to become a manager or senior associate. The salary for this job ranges from $40,000 to $60,000 per year, and with projected job growth of 8%.
Early career positions include desktop support professional, IT support tech, IT associates or help desk tech. Senior or mid-career jobs include support desk manager, service desk supervisor, or senior help desk tech support. If you are just starting out in this career path, getting entry-level IT certifications can bring you the experience and skills that are required of you.
Web development
Working in this area means people will be responsible for maintaining and creating mobile phone applications and websites. Web dev professionals can be back-end or front-end developers – the behind-the-scene or front-facing mechanics of websites, respectively – or both. The salary for this position ranges from $50,000 to $80,000 per year, with a projected growth of 8%. The positions in this area include full-stack, back-end, and front-end engineer, full-stack, back-end, and front-end developer, web designer, and web developer.
Whether you have a degree in computer programming or are a self-taught individual, web dev positions usually prioritize relevant experience and skills over credentials to get started in this area. Taking courses in languages such as HTML, CSS, JavaScript, or Python can get individuals oriented with the basics. From here on, they can try to build their own applications or websites before applying to entry-level positions.
