IT Career News

From medicine and software to energy and construction, engineering represents some of this decade's most lucrative and exciting career paths.

Sweeping advances in science, industry and computing have sparked a revolution in engineering employment. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics forecasts rapid growth for a range of engineering occupations through the next decade and beyond, but record job creation is only part of what makes this sector so attractive; six of the top 7 highest paying [undergraduate] college majors are in engineering, according to a salary survey from the National Association of Colleges & Employers.

Featured Computer Engineering Programs

Compare top-rated online courses and degrees in computer engineering and related fields.

Southern New Hampshire University

Top Engineering Programs:

• A.S. in Computer Science
• B.S. in Software Engineering
• M.B.A. in Engineering Management

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Coursera

Top Engineering Programs:

• Robotics Specialization Certificate
• Google IT Support Pro Certificate
• IBM AI Engineering Certificate

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Taking into account growth potential, compensation, and emotional "x-factors" for each position, here are the top five engineering careers for the future:

A head-to-head comparison of the Cisco CCNA and CompTIA Network+ certificates including exam topics, skill levels, costs, and job prospects.

In the realm of computer networking, two certifications reign supreme due to their reputation and universal acceptance: Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) and CompTIA Network+. These are arguably the best IT certifications for individuals looking to demonstrate fundamental networking skills. While both certifications have unique benefits and areas of focus, the decision between Net+ and CCNA will boil down to your experience, career goals and preferences.

This article will provide a detailed comparison of the CCNA and Network+ certifications to help you make an informed decision between the two. We’ll also highlight some of the best training programs for Network+ and CCNA exam prep.

As the frequency and severity of cyber attacks continues to rise, organizations are coming face to face with the looming danger of a data breach. However, boosting security budgets is not nearly enough to protect against today's increasingly sophisticated attacks. To truly combat the myriad threats in cyberspace, organizations must hire, train and retain cyber security professionals with the skills needed to stay ahead of the hackers.

Here are five skill sets that information security hiring managers are looking for in 2018, and beyond:

Machine learning (ML), the subset of Artificial Intelligence (AI) that enables computers to “learn” to perform tasks they haven’t been explicitly programmed to do, took huge leaps in 2016.

Basically, machine learning refers to algorithms that ingest huge amounts of data, extract patterns from that data and turn those patterns into actions. It is now being employed in a vast number of industries to improve efficiency and open up new possibilities. When you see an advertisement on a website that seems aligned to your needs and tastes, it’s machine learning doing its magic. When Amazon makes suggestions about what other products you might be interested in buying, a machine learning algorithm is at work behind the scenes. The same goes for your Facebook newsfeed, and countless more every-day examples. ML is also slated to do much more in the future, such as fighting cybercrime and even running beauty contests.

And naturally, as is the case with every technology that starts to gain traction and become widely adopted, machine learning is creating a ton of IT job opportunities, especially for machine learning engineers. The average salary for AI and machine learning talent is north of $100K, and in some cases on par with NFL quarterbacks.

Here are the skills needed to begin and advance your machine learning career path:

A breakdown of the best entry-level tech roles, including job descriptions, why it’s a good IT career for beginners, education requirements and salaries.

Amidst rapid growth and recent innovations in the tech sector, there's no better time than now to start an IT career path. The information technology industry offers a range of entry-level jobs for recent college graduates or working adults looking to change professions. However, with so many options available, figuring out where to start your search can be daunting. In this article, we'll explore the top five IT careers for beginners, highlighting the roles and responsibilities for each, why it’s a good fit for beginners, training and certification requirements, and entry-level salaries.

In no particular order, here are the best IT careers for beginners:

A breakdown of the myriad skills, platforms, and credentials that will help you succeed in the red-hot field of DevOps engineering.

What is DevOps, and why is it smoking hot right now?

DevOps is a combination of the words Development and Operations. An approach to software development with roots in Agile, DevOps breaks down the walls that separate the software development side of IT from the operations side. DevOps has many goals including improved communications between software development and IT operations staff, and the better, faster creation of applications that are immediately fit for production use.

DevOps is hot due to its proven competitive business advantages. “High-performing organizations [in this context, organizations that use DevOps] decisively outperform their lower-performing peers. They deploy [software] 200 times more frequently, with 2,555 times faster lead times, recover 24 times faster, and have three times lower change failure rates.” – The Puppet 2016 State of DevOps Report.

To prepare for a career in DevOps, learn what skills are in greatest demand, the tools and technologies you should master, and the certifications that can show employers you measure up.

As the economy diversifies, so do the choices you face when you're preparing to enter the workforce. A four-year degree is no longer a must for many lucrative positions, nor is it an automatic ticket to career success. And with the cost of a traditional college education continuing to rise, student loans are becoming more of a burden, as well.

In short, it pays to look around at the growing number of alternatives that can jump-start you on a career path. Specialized professions in the culinary arts, sewing, carpentry, and money management (everything from credit to budgeting to investing) offer a wealth of opportunities through affordable certificate programs and apprenticeships.

But nowhere are the opportunities greater than in the IT field, which is good news because you can pursue training and certification in much of this space online. This has become even more crucial during the pandemic, as distance learning has become the norm in many places.

And if you're trying to save money (and who isn't?), here's some good news: There are numerous free online courses to explore, and plenty of places to get started.

Follow these steps to gain real-world expertise without a college degree:

IT pros want new jobs!

One-third of IT professionals will be chasing new jobs in 2018, per Spiceworks' 2018 IT Career Outlook, with higher salaries and skills advancement being their chief motivations. With the IT talent gap widening and demand for qualified candidates going strong, the job market looks promising for IT pros with the right combination of skills.

ITCareerFinder presents 2018's top ten IT jobs, along with the skills and certifications you need to secure a lucrative post in each role. (CIO.com's "The 7 most in-demand tech jobs for 2018 — and how to hire for them" is the source for most of these picks, with exceptions noted.)

These are the top 10 technical positions that hiring managers will be looking to fill in 2018: