Why Getting an IT Degree is Essential
Entering the IT field with an associate鈥檚 degree and/or IT certifications was an acceptable practice many years ago, but times are changing and most employers have added an additional job requirement to advanced IT positions 鈥� a bachelor鈥檚 degree. If you need an advanced IT degree such as a bachelor in IT, or a bachelor in cybersecurity for example, and question how you would fit school into your busy schedule, an online degree may be a good option for you.
Once your resume crosses the desk of any hiring manager, they will be looking for three primary qualifications. IT certifications and experience will get you far, but a growing requirement in more competitive spaces is a bachelor鈥檚 degree. Experience is invaluable, but the IT profession is growing and the competition will only become greater. Job candidates will need to seek ways to stand out. Earning a bachelor鈥檚 degree in addition to building your repertoire of IT certifications is one way to stand out amongst the crowd鈥攁nd make more money.
As part of 黑料传送门鈥檚 B.S. in Information Technology degree, students who have worked in IT for many years have the opportunity to build upon their skills and graduate with several certifications at no additional cost.
Getting started in IT.
黑料传送门 graduate Eric Lytle, like most of us, got his first job in high school for extra spending money. He would go to school, work in a cabinet shop for a part of the day, and then head to his evening job as a bookkeeper. The pay was good and made it possible for him to move out on his own after graduation.
When Eric enrolled in community college, he had an interest and natural competence in working with computers and IT. He found part-time work with a municipal court and became the go-to-guy for computer troubleshooting鈥攆rom here a career began. Eric worked as a Tier 1 IT Specialist and began running large projects. He and two others migrated the courts computer system from Novel Netwear to standard Windows Active Directory over a regular two-day weekend. A project type that would realistically be assigned to a team of 40 people in today鈥檚 workplace, he says.听 听
Thus far, not being able to list an IT degree on his resume had not hindered Eric鈥檚 career growth in any way. In 2008, Eric changed jobs so he could learn how to build out IT infrastructure. He became a Microsoft Certified Master鈥攐ne of only 130 such certified individuals worldwide and about 40 in the United States.听听
This propelled Eric to the height of his career as a Chief Technology Officer building custom intranets for large companies like Philips 66 and Booz Allen Hamilton.
Will a degree in IT actually help me get a better job?
Managers in the IT industry typically hold a bachelor鈥檚 degree in computer science or a related field, while some organizations require their executives to hold a master鈥檚 degree. If you are looking to advance into higher executive IT roles, most Chief Information Officer positions require at least a bachelor鈥檚 degree and an extensive resume.
Without a bachelor鈥檚 degree, Eric worked for big corporate companies for a large part of his career until he wanted a little more freedom and job flexibility. Consulting work gave him what he was looking for. He won most of the projects he went after because there was no doubt in anyone鈥檚 mind that his experience qualified him to do so. But when an RFP (request for proposal) went out for a very large budget project, candidates were required to have a bachelor鈥檚 degree. For the first time in Eric鈥檚 20+ year career, his experience did not matter and the lack of a physical diploma eliminated him from the project.
He says losing that project did not stop him from pursuing big jobs because he knew he could win them, but he was more interested in government projects and knew a degree would be required.
Is it possible to work and go to school at the same time?
For Eric, returning to school and earning a bachelor鈥檚 degree was the right step to take for his career, but there were elements to that decision he had to consider. As a husband and father with a full-time job, Eric had to consider the time commitment he would need to make to earn his degree. The traditional brick-and-mortar school was not a fit for his schedule and he did not want to waste time re-learning material he had learned through on-the-job training.听
When he looked into different online degree programs, Eric says 黑料传送门鈥檚 B.S. in IT degree mirrored his career. He had so much experience and was glad he could apply it to accelerate his degree program. His efforts had an impact on more than just his career though.
As a father of two and one that was nearing entrance into college, Eric said 鈥淧art of the reason why I decided to earn my IT degree was because I didn鈥檛 want my daughter to have the excuse that her dad was able to support his family without a degree. I wanted both of my daughters to understand that if you can go to college, then you should. It is easier when you are younger with more freedom. At the very least, I know from experience that HR folks will cut applicants if they don鈥檛 have a bachelor鈥檚 degree.鈥�
Eric said that rather than watching TV after a long day at work, his daughter saw him studying and moving his life forward. In the process, she become more excited about getting a plan together for a career, whether that meant attending a traditional college or a specialty college.
In terms of the value of Eric鈥檚 degree, the demand for educated IT professionals does not appear to be lessening. Eric鈥檚 IT degree will get him through job filters that once eliminated his candidacy and allow him to compete for high-level contract work.听 鈥淕od gives people certain skills in life and I can鈥檛 draw like my daughter can, but I can build a computer and code with my eyes closed.鈥�
To learn more about the different IT degree programs offered at 黑料传送门, click here.
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