Becoming an IT specialist or network system administrator is an appealing prospect. The field is rewarding in every possible way and allows for career growth and creativity. Information technology, or IT, is the foundation of the modern world, so it is inherently appealing. But how can you break into the industry and begin a career in IT?
What is the Best Way to get an IT Job?
There are many ways to enter the IT industry. However, the more important question is what is the most effective method of entering the IT industry. Knowing the answer to this question will get you the right job in IT and prepare you to excel in it. The simplest answer is that there is no substitute for a degree program. In an IT degree program, you learn both the skills related to the intended position, how those skills align with where the industry is, and where the industry is going.
The tech world moves at a rapid pace, and keeping up with it is a challenging endeavor. University-level IT programs teach the fundamentals needed to stay abreast of the changes in the IT industry. But more importantly, the courses in a university-level IT program show how the field has evolved and where it is heading. This prepares you for the IT jobs available now and provides the tools needed to grow with the IT industry.
What About On-The-Job Training?
On-the-job training is often spoken of as being a path to enter the IT industry. You can learn many of the skills needed for specific jobs within the IT industry when you are learning on the job. However, there are disadvantages to on-the-job training compared to completing a degree program.
Learning skills related to a job is very helpful. However, the more significant issue is whether or not those skills can be scaled to solve problems that you will face in IT. Imagine memorizing math problems rather than learning arithmetic. If you do not understand the operations, you cannot adapt the concepts to new situations. Likewise, you cannot adapt to new IT issues without fully understanding the systems you are working with.
For example, imagine if someone taught you how to restart a service on a server. If you are only working on that server, you may be able to continue performing the job. However, if you moved from a Windows to a Linux server, you would need to have a more complete understanding of how servers work to fix the issue. Even if your goal is to work as an IT specialist, you will need to have a broader understanding of IT in order to be successful—the kind of understanding that is provided through academia. That is why IT certification boards recommend obtaining a degree although certifications are about specialty knowledge.
What Degrees Can Help You Get a Job in IT?
Now that we have explained the importance of entering a degree program vs. on-the job training, we need to decide which degree is best suited for a job in IT. In general, three main degree types will help you get a job in IT. Each of the following options will boost your career path. However, it is essential to consider the best fit for your unique needs and goals. The degree program options include:
Associate of Science Degree in Computer Information Technology
The Associate of Science Degree in Computer Information Technology emphasizes many of the IT industry’s foundational elements. The learned concepts and technologies ensure that you are prepared for both what is already on the market and what will be coming. One of the most easily recognized foundational elements is software education.
In this degree program, you will learn the most essential concepts in modern software suites. You will not only learn how a software application works, but why it works the way that it does. With that understanding of the design methodology, you will also be able to use upcoming software. This degree program provides a perfect foundation for entry-level application system specialists, computer information managers, and user support specialists.
This degree path includes a fifteen-credit-hour component focusing on liberal arts and general education courses. In addition to expanding your knowledge and providing a broader context for working in IT, it also provides you with the foundation needed to move on to a bachelor’s degree.
Bachelor of Science Degree in Information Technology
The Bachelor of Science Degree in Information Technology path builds on the foundational elements of IT. This program includes elements such as networking, databases, programming methodology and design, and web apps. The bachelor’s degree goes beyond supporting infrastructure and into its creation. This program opens most IT doors but is exceptionally compatible with jobs as a database or system administrator, network analyst, security analyst, IT implementation specialist, web developer, and application developer.
The number of topics covered in the bachelor’s degree program is vast. However, the vast number of topics provides you with additional capabilities in IT. For example, as an IT professional, you may encounter a recurring error in network data that cannot be analyzed directly. With the concepts learned in courses on databases and programming, you can easily create a script to collect, reference, and analyze data to better target the error.
Associate of Science Networking System Administrator Degree
As the name suggests, the Associate of Science Networking System Administrator Degree Program provides additional specialization in the networking side of IT. This program focuses on elements involving data transmission rather than data processing. The program is exceptionally compatible with jobs such as entry-level system administrator, LAN administrator, help desk support technician, and system administrator.
Like the Associate of Science Degree in Computer Information Technology, this program includes a fifteen-credit-hour component focusing on liberal arts and general education. The skills gained in liberal arts and general education courses are often useful in IT. For example, the skills learned in writing courses is helpful when creating documentation for networking infrastructure or usage. Similarly, courses involving verbal communication provide the skills needed when explaining usage scenarios to coworkers.
In addition to expanding your verbal and written communication skills, the liberal arts and general education component also provides you with the foundation needed to move on to a bachelor’s degree.
Final Thoughts
What makes IT so interesting is that there often isn’t a single solution to a given problem. Rather, you have a whole toolset available to you. The broader your education, the more tools you have, and the better prepared you are to know what the right tool for every part of the job might be. This all means that your choice of an associate’s degree has a large bearing on how you’ll approach things when working on a bachelor’s.
Eager to Learn More?
If you are interested in working in IT, contact us today to learn more about our associate and bachelor’s degree programs.
