Special article brought to you by Stevens-Henager College
The information technology industry has experienced incredible growth over the past 20 years and shows no signs of slowing down.
The information technology industry has experienced incredible growth over the past 20 years and shows no signs of slowing down. If you’re looking for a career with stability even during tough economic times, consider this … our most recent recession that started in late 2007 and ended in 2009 had little effect on technology growth!(1)
If you are interested in entering this rapidly growing field, then looking forward may be of more interest to you. There you’ll find more good news. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that employment of computer and information technology occupations is projected to grow 12 percent from 2018 to 2028. That is much faster than the average for all occupations. In addition, these occupations are projected to add about 546,200 new jobs. The demand for tech workers will stem from greater emphasis on cloud computing, the collection and storage of big data, and information security.(2)
According to Bernard Marr, contributor at Forbes.com, we are in the midst of a “4th Industrial Revolution, and technology is evolving faster than ever.”(3) He further indicates that those who don’t keep up with today’s major IT trends run the risk of being left behind. Individuals and businesses that look ahead and understand key trends are better positioned to grasp new opportunities. Marr believes the seven biggest technology trends for 2020 include: artificial intelligence, 5G data networks, autonomous driving, personalized and predictive medicine, computer vision, extended reality, and blockchain technology. (3) (See source for additional information on these trends.)
You’ll find tech professionals in almost every industry; however, the majority—56%–are in the information technology industry. And though you may have more opportunities for landing a job with a smaller company, you may want to set your sights on working for one of the six top tech companies in the Fortune 500: Apple, Hewlett-Packard, IBM, Amazon, Microsoft, and Google.(4)
Although there are an abundance of IT jobs across the country, the majority of opportunities tend to center around specific locations. Prime locations for finding high-tech employment include: Raleigh-Durham, NC; San Jose (Silicon Valley), CA; Austin, TX; Portland, OR; Provo, UT; Fort Collins, CO; Indianapolis, IN; Boise, ID; Nashville, TN; and Manchester, NH.(5)
How do you prepare for a high-tech career? First, decide what area of IT you would like to specialize in. Next, make sure the college you attend has the support you may need as well as offering certification after learning specific skills, a computer language, or software program. Stevens-Henager College offers Bachelor’s degrees in specialized IT fields. With tutoring included with enrollment, tech students get the individualized support they need to complete their IT degree in preparation for career success. For more information on IT degree programs offered at our West Haven (Ogden) location, call 801-284-3216.
Sources:
1 https://www.thebalancecareers.com/tech-careers-4161774
2 https://www.bls.gov/ooh/computer-and-information-technology/home.htm. Last modified September 4, 2019.
4 https://fortune.com/2015/06/13/fortune-500-tech/
5 https://www.thebalancecareers.com/the-10-best-cities-to-live-in-for-tech-2071178