Job opportunities are expanding at a variety of education and experience levels in IT. Although training in computer science or software engineering can be an asset, for a number of jobs, employers are more interested in a candidate’s experience, portfolio, and technical skills than in a college degree.
Apprenticeships provide training on the job while you earn a salary; they are available for entry level positions as computer operators, computer programmers, and information managers.
In-demand IT jobs that require an associate’s degree or bachelor's degree along with some experience include computer user support specialists, web developers, database administrators, computer network support specialists, information security analysts, data warehousing specialists, and software quality assurance engineers and testers.
Workers who have significant experience and a bachelor's or graduate degree can qualify for positions such as computer network and database architect, computer and information research scientist, computer and information systems manager, software developer, or database architect.
Is a career in IT for you? Keep these points in mind:
- In an industry that changes and upgrades constantly, workers must be willing to learn new software, coding languages, and other technologies on an ongoing basis.
- Remote or work from home opportunities are more common in IT than perhaps any other fields.
- While the majority of IT work is done in front of a computer screen, some fields also involve hands-on work to fix and maintain equipment.
- Attention to detail, flexibility, and cooperation are key aspects of many IT careers.