Looking for an in-demand career that allows you to explore your passion for computers and technology? If so, then a career in IT may be right for you. In fact, according to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the projected growth for computer and IT occupations is expected to be much faster than the average for all occupations from 2022 to 2032.
Of course, IT isn’t a job where you can simply learn as you go with no experience. These days, most computer and IT jobs require a minimum of a bachelor’s degree with additional IT career training.
So, which IT skills are in the highest demand and how can you go about acquiring them? We’re covering all this and more so you can be better prepared to embark on your exciting career journey in IT.
Understanding the Landscape of IT Skills and Career Training
The field of information technology is constantly changing, growing, and evolving. In fact, the landscape of IT looks very different today than it did even just a few years ago. With this in mind, IT professionals (and those aspiring to work in the field) must be prepared to adapt and learn as changes and innovations arise.
Why is adapting to new IT skills so crucial? For starters, staying up to date on the latest IT innovations and skills helps IT professionals stay competitive, which helps to find work in the field.
Meanwhile, many companies that hire IT professionals have specific legal and regulatory requirements they need to follow in terms of data security and privacy. IT professionals need to be well versed in these requirements and their associated skills to keep companies in compliance and out of potential legal trouble.
So, what are some of the most important skills to have in the IT world today? These can vary depending on the specific IT role that you end up pursuing, but some of the most important include:
- Programming and proficiency in programming language
- User experience (UX) design
- Cybersecurity
- Mobile development
- Artificial intelligence and machine learning
Of course, these in-demand skills can shift and change over time. This is why all IT professionals need to be committed to a lifetime of ongoing learning and development.
Exploring Essential IT Skills
Most essential IT skills can be broken down into three basic categories: technical proficiency, IT competencies, and digital skills/computer literacy. With a better understanding of these critical skills and what they entail, you can get a better sense for where you stand and what you may still need to learn before you enter the competitive IT field.
Technical Proficiency
IT is a field highly technical in nature, so those who plan to work in IT need to have a lot of technical proficiency that extends beyond simply knowing how to work a computer.
One of the most important technical skills that an IT professional will need to have is the ability to use computer coding and programming languages, such as:
- JavaScript
- Python
- PHP
- C#
These coding and programming languages are utilized on a regular basis in the IT field, and they are highly complex. This is why hands-on training and education in this realm is so important for gaining confidence and proficiency.
In addition to coding and programming languages, IT professionals must also be well-versed in the various operating systems used on different computers (such as Windows, Android, macOS, ChromeOS, and Linux).
Other technical skills and proficiencies that IT professionals may be expected to have include:
- Data analytics
- UX design
- Networking
- Software
- Technical writing
Information Technology Competencies
In addition to technical skills, working in IT also requires working professionals to have some core competencies that may enable them to do their jobs better.
First, IT professionals need to have excellent time management skills. In this field, it is not uncommon to be involved in several different projects at once. This can be quite the juggling act, and if you’re not able to manage your time effectively, you may run into trouble. By being familiar with different time management techniques and when to use them, you’ll be able to boost your productivity and make the most of your time.
Project management skills are also a must for any IT professional. Because it is common for IT workers to be involved in so many projects at once, these professionals need to be able to oversee, delegate, and stay on-task. In some cases, IT workers may even be involved in project planning and overseeing other team members. So, some leadership and management skills can also come in handy here.
Communication is another valuable skill for any IT professional to possess. All too often, IT workers are stereotyped as being antisocial or keeping to themselves. This line of work tends to be very collaborative, requiring IT professionals to work together and remain in regular communication with others. In this sense, having strong communication skills (both written and verbal) is crucial, as is maintaining a ‘team player’ mindset where everybody works together toward a common goal.
The best way to develop these core competencies as an IT professional? Experience. You’ll be able to work on some of these skills in an IT training program, but actually getting out there and gaining some real-world experience in the field will help you sharpen these skills most effectively.
Digital Skills and Computer Literacy
In today’s workforce, you’d be hard-pressed to find a job that doesn’t require some basic computer literacy. After all, many jobs today require the use of computers and similar technology.
In IT, of course, it’s important to have an even more robust understanding of computers and how they work. After all, IT roles don’t just involve working with computers. They often require professionals to work on computers inside and out. With that said, having strong computer literacy skills, ranging from typing to programming, can help you go a long way in the workplace.
IT Career Training: Pathway to Success
Now you have a better understanding of the IT knowledge and high demand IT skills that you’ll need to find success in this field. So, you may be wondering where to begin when it comes to developing and exploring these skills as you embark on your career path in IT. Ultimately, it really boils down to choosing the right training and education program.
Understanding IT Career Preparation
Those who end up in successful roles in IT typically don’t start their careers with all the high demand IT skills that we covered above. Instead, these are skills and competencies built upon over time.
Aspiring IT professionals should be focused more on choosing the IT training program that best focuses on those core skills with the realization that many of these competencies will come with a formal education and hands-on experience. For example, you can’t expect to be able to write code in Python if you haven’t been exposed to it.
Exploring IT Training Programs
There are plenty of free resources online where you can learn about programming languages, coding, operating systems, and other essential IT skills. In the past, some self-taught IT professionals were even able to enter the field without a degree.
Today, this is simply not the case. More and more employers in this realm are looking for job candidates who have at least a bachelor’s degree in the field, even for entry-level positions. Because of this, going through a formal IT training and degree program is almost always your best bet for acquiring the skills you need and entering this field with confidence.
By enrolling in a formal training/degree program, you’ll gain the valuable hands-on experience you need while earning a degree that will qualify you for any number of positions upon graduation.
Navigating the Demand for IT Skills
As the IT field develops and changes, it can be difficult to keep up with the skills in the highest demand.
Identifying High-Demand IT Skills
Even though the most in-demand IT skills have already been covered in-depth above, it can be helpful to have a quick-reference guide to the most essential skills to work on in this field. Some examples include:
- Technical proficiency in coding, programming, and operating systems
- Cybersecurity skills
- Core competencies, such as communication, project management, and time management
- Digital skills and computer literacy
Meeting the Demands: Developing In-Demand IT Skills
Going out of your way to explore the most in-demand skills and then selecting a degree program that will allow you to focus on these skills can set you up for success when it comes time to enter the field. The right IT degree program will focus on these skills (and many more) with practical, real-world exercises and applications.
Empowering Your IT Journey
IT professionals are constantly needing to build upon their skills and competencies to remain relevant and competitive in this dynamic field. From acquiring new skills as they become important (like artificial intelligence and machine learning) to building upon existing skills, the most successful professionals in IT tend to be those who never stop learning and growing.
If you’re looking for the best way to acquire key IT skills, enrolling in a formal degree program is generally a smart choice. This way, you can gain the hands-on experience and knowledge you need to thrive in this competitive field while having the formal degree to back it all up.
Ready to Advance Your IT Education?
Working in the fast-paced and dynamic world of IT can be extremely rewarding. But having the right skills and knowledge will make all the difference in your success. By focusing on some of the most important IT skills in demand today, you can set yourself up to thrive.
Still looking for the right IT degree program? Florida Technical College is proud to offer a bachelor’s degree in information technology with an emphasis on cybersecurity, which can be completed in as little as 36 months. This program is offered online for your convenience. Get in touch today to request more information about this program or get started with your online application.
These examples are intended to serve only as a general guide of possible employment opportunities. There are many factors that determine the job an individual may obtain and Florida Technical College cannot guarantee its graduates any particular job. Some positions may require license or other certifications. We encourage you to research the requirements for the particular position you desire.
Sources
https://www.ftccollege.edu/request-information/
https://www.bls.gov/ooh/computer-and-information-technology/home.htm
