IT jobs require different skill sets and qualifications depending on the position. Junior positions may require a high school diploma and professional class completion, while more qualified positions may require IT-related degrees or prior experience. Community colleges offer non-computer and technology courses, while universities offer degree and graduate programs. Some companies promote from within and offer on-the-job training.
Companies and information technology (IT) departments employ a wide range of people with different skill sets in various types of work. The IT qualifications needed to land a junior position often include a high school diploma and successful completion of a professional class. People who apply for more qualified positions typically have IT-related degrees or many years of prior experience.
Many community colleges offer a variety of non-computer and technology related training courses. Some of these courses introduce students to commonly used types of software and hardware, and students are taught how to fix minor problems that users of these systems may encounter. In other cases, classes teach students how to write programs and make adjustments to existing software to adapt the software to the needs of a particular company. These vocational classes can last several weeks or a few years, depending on the complexity of the course. Job postings for many junior positions often list completion of specific professional classes among the IT qualifications that job seekers must possess.
Universities offer degree courses in computer science, programming, IT and related topics. People who successfully complete these degree programs are usually employed in IT development jobs or behind the scenes at large companies where they are tasked with fixing system-wide problems or creating new software. Many companies tend to recruit employees on college campuses by offering jobs to students who have specific IT qualifications after completing their degrees. In addition, many universities also offer graduate programs in IT and related fields. Graduate students gain a greater level of understanding of a specific aspect of IT, and these individuals often land high-paying jobs that require specialized knowledge of certain topics.
While many companies focus on hiring people with certain types of academic credentials, other companies tend to promote from within; in this case, on-the-job experience may be listed among the IT qualifications detailed in a job posting. Some companies hire entry-level workers, and these people are taught how to surf the Internet, use e-mail systems, and fix minor computer problems. Typically, these individuals receive ongoing training and gradually improve their skills before moving into higher positions. In some cases, someone applying for a supervisor position may need to have completed a certain number of years as a junior employee in the IT department, while in other cases departmental managers promote junior employees based on job performance rather than title.
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