According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the information technology (IT) sector will grow by 16 percent in the decade starting 2006. This is much faster than the growth rate for other industries. Database networking, online marketing, and information security are a few of the major areas of focus in the current information technology industry. Many companies aiming to expand in the global arena and stay afloat in the economic downturn have increased spending on information technology.
The IT industry is globalized, with countries such as China and India contributing a lot to this field. As IT is the backbone of many countries infrastructure, the field offers a variety of career options. Moreover educated professionals can expect to grow fast in this field.
An IT job usually is office-based with a major portion of the worker’s time being spent on the phone or in front of a computer. Team skills are also highly valued in this field.
The majority of employers specify at least a college degree for IT employees. Some positions can be obtained by those with a two-year degree or certifications. One can obtain the needed degrees, both associate's and bachelors, either on campus or online. Additionally, a person with a graduate degree in other fields too can aim for a career in IT.
The field of Information Technology or IT is broad and deals with the development, design, implementation, and management of information systems. It deals with a plethora of technologies used to both store and transmit information. This industry is both large and fast growing. Experts estimate the growth to be between 18 and 26 percent in the short term. This growth will be fuelled by the increasing use of the Internet. IT provides essential inputs for most things ranging from the space shuttle to a car. Many career options are available to those specializing in information technology. Additionally, as fewer students are opting for IT-related courses, a shortage of qualified IT professionals is likely.
Traditional and online colleges offer associate, bachelors, and master’s degrees in information technology. The Associate’s degree in information technology (ADIT) is a 2-year long course that teaches the basics of information systems and IT. The 4-year bachelor’s degree includes subjects such as telecommunications and computing, IT security, e-commerce, graphic designing, management information systems, animation, and web-based application development. In a master’s degree course students specialize in one area such as Internet marketing, systems administration, Internet security, and web architecture. Besides students get to explore new technologies and hone analytical and critical problem-solving techniques that are essential to succeed in such a highly demanding field.
With the growth of the media industry, the use of computers for entertainment too has grown. There are many IT degrees that focus on Internet marketing, 3D design, game design, and animation. An Internet marketing course teaches you to develop advertisements and advertising techniques for an online audience. This field includes techniques in search engine marketing and optimization (SEO). A game design course will provide extensive instruction in 3D modeling and animation. After completing this course you can choose to be a conceptual artist, programmer, story writer, texture artist, or model developer. With a major in 3D design you can opt for a career in industrial planning and development or architecture field and urban development. If you major in animation you can help produce animated movies and TV shows.
The IT sector has work opportunities in programming, network development, software design and more in every life field. IT is used in businesses, travel, and entertainment sectors. The 21st century is indeed the information age. IT impacts global economies and guarantees national growth and development. IT ushers in new possibilities and has created a gigantic global village. This has lead to a need for storing, producing, and sharing information. For those with an inquisitive nature as well as analytical and problem-solving skills, the IT industry offers great scope for career growth. An ability to meet deadlines too is essential to succeed in this field.
A degree in information technology management will help you manage the technology assets of an organization in line with its priorities and needs. The assets will include not only computer hardware, data, software, networks, and data center facilities but also staff. To succeed you will need skills in budgeting, organizing, staffing, and controlling. Besides, you will have to be skilled in change management, network planning, software design, and tech support. An information technology management courses teaches you skills that are different from those taught in a course on management information systems. Information technology management focuses on creating value using technology. For this one needs to arrange and precisely apply business strategies and technology.