Information technology (IT) firms and departments employ a wide range of people with different skill sets in various types of jobs. The IT qualifications needed to land a junior position typically include a high school diploma and the successful completion of a vocational class. People applying for more skilled positions normally have IT related degrees or many years of prior experience.
Many community colleges offer a variety of non-degree computer and technology related training courses. Some of these courses introduce students to commonly used types of software and hardware and class attendees are taught how to rectify minor problems that users of these systems may encounter. In other instances, classes teach students how to write programs and make adjustments to existing software in order to adapt software to the needs of a particular company. These vocational classes may last for a number weeks or a few years depending upon the complexity of the course. Job postings for many junior positions often list the completion of specific vocational classes among the IT qualifications that job candidates must possess.
Universities offer undergraduate degree courses in computer science, programming, IT and related topics. People who successfully complete these degree programs are often employed in IT development jobs or behind-the-scenes roles at major companies in which they are tasked with rectifying system wide issues or creating new software. Many firms often recruit employees on college campuses by offering jobs to students who will possess specific IT qualifications upon completion of their degrees. Additionally, many universities also offer postgraduate degree programs in IT and related fields. Postgraduate students gain a greater level of understanding about a particular aspect of IT and these individuals are often able to land highly compensated jobs that require specialized knowledge of certain topics.
While many firms focus on hiring individuals who have 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 on a job posting. Some firms hire entry-level workers and these individuals are taught how to navigate the internet, use email systems and how to correct minor computer problems. Normally, these individuals receive ongoing training and gradually improve their skill set before moving into more senior positions. In some instances, someone applying for a supervisor position may need to have completed a certain number of years as a junior IT department employee while in other instances departmental managers promote junior employees based upon their work performance rather than their tenure.
