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According to the Global Knowledge 2017 IT Skills and Salary Survey, there is a widespread Skills gap in IT across all industries worldwide, resulting in a shortage of qualified talent across a variety of specializations.
This shortage of talent inevitably leads to higher salaries due to supply and demand; the highest paid areas of which are in Cybersecurity and Cloud Computing; both naturally due to the ubiquitous use and widespread adoption of the Internet.
A recent survey by careercast.com lists the top 10 toughest jobs to fill in 2017 as:
- Data scientist
- Financial advisor
- General and operations manager
- Home health aide
- Information security analyst
- Medical services manager
- Physical therapist
- Registered nurse
- Software engineer
- Truck driver
We can see that 3 out of the 10 most sought-after careers are related to Information Technology.
Therefore, there has never been a more opportune time to take advantage of the skills issue by embracing both common and nontraditional ways of gaining much-needed training and education.
Here are some of the ways you can earn a certificate or degree in I.T without breaking the bank;
BOOTCAMPS
The main purpose of boot camp training is to prepare an individual to take and pass a certification exam. Generally speaking, those who attend these classes already have their food in the I.T. world, but since the barrier to entry is getting lower, even those who are complete newbies to technology or I.T can be successful just by attending boot camps.
This is how I got started in my I.T. career way back in 1999 by attending a Microsoft boot camp and passing Microsoft certifications. Since then I have gone on to further my education in both traditional and non-traditional ways.
There are several online resources across a range of prices, Global Knowledge is one of them, they boast of a comprehensive catalog of courses across a wide variety of specializations and price points. Infosec Institute is another provider, they specialize in Cybersecurity boot camps for entry level students and they also provide certification exams which are a standard in the Infosec industry.
ONLINE TRAINING
The internet opened the floodgates to information and as a result, it is now easier than ever to attend classes online and getting credentialed. Cost range from free to the low thousands, several providers such as udemy.com and coursera.org provide quality training that rival established universities at a fraction of the cost.
The biggest advantage in recent years due to the increasing quality of education being provided by these online academies is that certificates earned from these providers are now viewed by hiring managers as at par with the traditional schools and are therefore a viable option for those who are after value and convenience.
COMMUNITY COLLEGES
Community Colleges, in my opinion, are the best value in education and are the unsung heroes in addressing the work skills gap.
Take Los Angeles Trade Tech College as an example; the school offers an Associates track in IT for a total of 45 units which cost a measly $46/unit for in state enrollees.
As compared to the average annual cost of tuition and fees for the 2016–2017 school year of $33,480 at private colleges, according to the College Board.
It’s hard to ignore the overall cost and benefit that these Colleges offer and would be an excellent choice for value-seeking parents and students alike.
ACCELERATED CERTIFICATION COURSES
I had known about accelerated certification courses provided by prestigious private schools such as UCLA, known as Extension campuses, for some time now.
They offer exceptional courses in an accelerated time frame that make them perfect for the individual who is coming out of high school looking to get into a career faster or can also be a practical option for those seeking to change careers.
Although they are a bit pricier than some of the online boot camps mentioned above, their value comes in the prestige that the brand carries, that make graduates from these courses more attractive to hiring managers, thereby increasing the likelihood of being hired faster.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Regardless of how you get your degree or certificate, now is the best time to take advantage of the current shortage in skilled I.T. workers, so get your training on and make bank sooner.
Do you have other recommendations for alternative education? Please do share by leaving a feedback or comment below, or emailing us at thedebtfreejourney@gmail.com.
Peace and Blessing to you All.
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