In today's point-and-click world, if you're researching a new career path, you'd be hard pressed to find anyone who'd advise against taking the
information technology
route. Sure, after the dotcom bubble burst, the IT field was in a period of regrowth, but experts say tech-savvy careers are here to stay for those willing to set themselves apart.
Current IT professionals can attest that in order to make your mark as a successful information technology professional, you may have to hit the books. According to a recent survey by Computerworld Magazine of more than 1,000 computer pros, outsourcing and the difficulty of keeping skills up to date are the two biggest threats to their IT jobs and careers. The remedy? A to 91 percent of survey participants, computer training is key to keeping their technical skills fresh and ensuring prolonged employment.
From computer networking and software engineering to programming and Web design, the Information Technology field is wide open for those who are eager for education. In fact, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, information contains some of the fast-growing computer-related industries such as software publishers; Internet publishing and broadcasting; and Internet service providers, Web search portals, and data processing services. Employment in these industries is expected to grow by 67.6 percent, 43.5 percent, and 27.8 percent, respectively.
What's more, is that among all occupations in the economy, besides health care, computer occupations are expected to grow the fastest through 2012.
Joyce L. Gioia CSP, CMC, president of The Herman Group, a thinktank of workforce futurists based in Greensboro, NC, says advancements in information technology and the way things are manufactured are responsible for the wave of job opportunities in the various IT fields. "It's a marriage of manufacturing and IT," she says, "taking systems and procedures and processes that were normally exclusively done manually, and [instead] programming machines to help people get the job done."
Of course, with technological change comes the need for computer training and continued education on the part of those in the information technology sector. Says the BLS, obtaining technical certifications is one way that workers illustrate their proficiency to employers. Certification can be obtained via employer programs, as well as individually through career schools that offer certification programs.
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