The world of IT is booming and we’re seeing technology advance quicker than it ever has done before, however, there’s still a huge problem… Companies can’t find talented and skilled individuals to fill the growing number of roles available, meaning that research and development is being held back! So why are employers struggling to fill the roles? The answer is a skills shortage! There simply aren’t enough skilled and experienced workers to accommodate demand. But this is great news for your new career in IT!
Every business is has some sort of digital connection, from the biggest corporations to the smallest family-run companies. They may have anything from a simple website to showcase their services or goods, e-commerce capability, to a hundred-strong network of computers and printers headed up by a huge IT department.
Some of the oldest-running businesses today have gone from using simple pen and paper for their daily running, to using smartphones, tablets and laptops for their everyday business needs. This alone has resulted in the need for many talented IT professionals to work in-house over the past few decades.
Having the right hardware and software allows businesses to compete successfully in today’s digital world. More people than ever use the internet to shop with modern ways of payment, such as contactless and Apple Pay to purchase their goods.
Some businesses trade exclusively online, which offers them a strong competitive advantage including revenue (from saving the cost of premises hire and certain types of insurance), customer loyalty and productivity (as many parts of the business can be automated, saving man-hours). But all these depend on the upkeep and development of the right hardware and software, which is where you, as an IT professional, come in!
Whether you are (or are studying to be) a qualified
web developer,
infrastructure technician,
network specialist,
software developer, companies will need your passion and skillset to help them stay on track in the ever changing and evolving world of IT.
Some areas of IT have more career opportunities than others. For example, more people are shopping online using their phones, which has led to an increase in people becoming qualified in software development for their career choice. This is your opportunity to take the upper hand and become qualified in an area that is crying out for skilled workers! Not only will you be able to follow your passion, but you’ll also be in a great position to get hired with a company you really want to work for. Once you’re in, you’ll have the opportunity to work your way up the career ladder as the competition for promotions won’t be as high. If you plan on going it alone and creating a freelance business, you’ll have a large pool of clients you can target and network with.
If you already work in IT and fancy a change, now’s your chance! Why not take a course to upskill yourself? and make sure you have the most up-to-date knowledge available to you, after all, the course you took 10 years ago is bound to be outdated now – employers look for the most up-to-date skillset to bring their own offering in line with the market.
Once you’ve enrolled on the course, you’ll be able to speak to your manager and show them what you are doing to further your skills, knowledge and expertise to the benefit of the company, and ask for the opportunity to grow and evolve the responsibilities in your current job role, or if you’re really lucky, earn yourself a promotion!
The IT skills shortage is a world-wide issue and it’s your opportunity to take your career overseas if that’s what you dream of doing. Make sure you find a training provider that offers internationally recognised qualifications so you can apply for roles abroad.
One of the huge benefits of working in IT is that you often only need an internet connection and a laptop. So if it takes your fancy, you could be sipping coffee by the beach while you work on developing a client’s website or design an exciting new software program!
Don’t fancy life overseas? There’s still plenty of great reasons to choose a career in IT here in the UK, for example,
a network specialist can earn over £41,000 per year!
(If this has piqued your interest, here’s your
5 steps to becoming a network specialist)
Ready to start your career in IT?
[Find out more here]