With our lives more online than they ever have been, 有新的信息技术, 网络安全 and related digital trust professions 时刻敞开心扉. In fact, according to the respondents of ISACA’s 2022年网络安全状况 survey report, 63% of 网络安全 roles alone are unfilled. This presents the perfect opportunity for those looking to break into a growing industry or to transfer their skills to a new career.
As the demand for IT and 网络安全 professionals continues to grow, the natural question is how can aspiring practitioners break into the industry? 他们应该获得IT学位吗? What if they are looking to make a career change? IT证书比学位更好吗? And with so many IT certifications on the market, how can beginners find the IT certification roadmap that’s right for their career path?
在这篇博文中, we will break down the benefits of earning an IT degree, detail the difference between a certificate and a degree, and highlight a list of IT certifications that are available to help aid you in your quest to build a career in IT.
哪些是最好的IT学位?
If you are just starting out in your postsecondary education journey, 或者如果你想回到学校, 获得IT学位是一个很好的选择. There is value in all kinds of university degrees for IT, from the foundational knowledge they provide to the boost they will give to your job applications.
There are several degrees available to those pursuing IT education and careers, 包括关联的, 学士和硕士学位:
- 资讯科技(IT)
- 网络安全
- 信息安全
- 数据分析
- 计算机科学
- 计算机网络
- 计算机工程
- 软件工程
- 以及其他相关领域
While associate’s degrees tend to be the most general and master’s degrees tend to be the most specific as far as university studies go, bachelor’s degrees are the most popular middle ground between the two. In the average four years it takes to complete a bachelor’s degree, 学生 will not only build up a solid understanding of their chosen IT field, but they will also be able to branch out through their general education and elective class requirements.
Anyone who has searched for a job on LinkedIn knows that most listings require degrees as a minimum qualification for applying. “When you have a function that reports to the Board, credibility is everything. Thus, very few people are hired into 它的审计 roles without a degree. It’s a must-have qualification for every large public company,凯特琳·麦高说, 职业战略家和求职教练. 通过获得相关IT领域的学位, you are opening dozens of career doors for yourself; however, it is important to note that degrees are a large time commitment and financial investment, 与 学士学位的平均成本 in the United States totaling around $35,000 a year for four years.
如果你有时间和资金的话, IT degrees provide a strong foundation for starting your IT career by allowing you to broaden your general knowledge of related subjects and strengthening your resume.
取得资讯科技证书
A degree is not the be-all end-all when it comes to IT professions—as technology continues to become more advanced and nuanced, IT certifications allow IT professionals to continue learning and to stay up to date in their relevant fields. Whether you want to break into an IT field without the time or financial commitment of attending a university, or you want to build on your general knowledge from your IT degree with more specific and current training, certifications are a cost- and time-effective method of learning specialized information about whichever IT niches interest you the most.
“It’s an external metric of quality that hiring leaders value; it removes a potential barrier to entry,麦高说. “Definitely a worthwhile investment for your career.”
There are dozens of IT certification programs available online, from entry-level IT certificates and certifications to advanced IT certification courses.
Here is a list of IT certifications that are commonly ranked in the 前五名 or 其中最优秀的 2022年IT认证:
- 信息技术 Certified Associate (ITCA) – ISACA’s ITCA certification is for those looking to initiate an understanding of computing, 网络和基础设施, 网络安全, 软件开发, 数据科学. This certification is for entry-level IT professionals, 学生, recent graduates and candidates with little or no experience in IT who are looking to establish the fundamentals of these five major IT domains.
- Certified 信息安全 Manager (CISM) - ISACA的CISM认证; 现在是20岁th year, is for those looking to prove their expertise in information 安全 治理, 风险管理和项目开发, 在事件管理方面也是如此. This certification is meant for IS/IT 安全 and control professionals who are looking to increase their technical expertise and move up to managerial positions. The worldwide average salary of CISM holders is US$149,000+.
- 前年安全+ – CompTIA’s Security+ certification is for those looking to establish core knowledge of attacks, 威胁, and vulnerabilities; architecture and design; implementation; operations and incident response; and 治理, 风险与合规. This certification is for entry-level 网络安全 professionals who are looking to move up to intermediate-level positions.
- Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) – (ISC)²’s CISSP certification is for those looking to prove their knowledge of 安全 practices and principles. This certification is meant for experienced 安全 practitioners, managers and executives—including those in positions like chief information 安全 officers (CISOs), 首席信息官(cio), 保安部主管, IT directors/managers and related 网络安全 positions—to demonstrate their ability to design, implement and manage best-in-class 网络安全 programs.
- Certified in Risk and Information Systems Control (CRISC) – ISACA’s CRISC certification is for those looking to prove their expertise in 治理, IT风险评估, 风险应对和报告, 以及信息技术和安全. This certification is meant for mid-career IT/IS audit, risk and 安全 professionals who are looking to validate their best practices to respond to risks 与 only credential focused on enterprise IT risk management. The worldwide average salary of CRISC holders is US$151,000+.
- Certified Cloud Security Professional (CCSP) – (ISC)²’s CCSP certification is for those looking to prove their ability to design, 管理和保护数据, applications and infrastructure in the cloud. This certification is meant for advanced IT and information 安全 leaders responsible for best practices in cloud 安全 and operations who are looking to build their career and improve their expertise and ability to secure critical assets in the cloud.
如何在IT行业找到工作
申请工作可能会让人望而生畏, especially when you can see just how many other applicants you are competing against for a single open position; thus, it is crucial to stand out to employers in your experience and qualifications.
Not only do IT certifications allow you to demonstrate baseline proficiency and remain current with different aspects of 网络安全 and digital trust fields, but they may provide competitive advantage on job applications. “It allows somebody to stand out against their peers or others in the workforce,” says Barot. Certifications act as industry-recognized representations of your knowledge and skills when it comes to particular aspects of your IT profession.
“Earning a highly regarded certification that requires rigorous study of relevant domains, 标准, 以及实际应用, is an excellent way to demonstrate to hiring leaders that you take your career seriously,麦高说. “While hiring leaders may be willing to allow a new hire to earn a certification within the first year of work, why not be the candidate 与 certification already in hand?”
A degree is another widely accepted standard of knowledge that proves you are capable of understanding and performing the job you are applying for.
“In 网络安全, experience can substitute for a degree,麦高说. “BUT, if employers have a choice between candidates with similar career experience and ‘fit’ for the role, they most often choose the candidate 与 degree. The degree is a strong signal of desirable candidate qualities beyond technical coursework including things like persistence, 目标取向, 时间管理.”
其他ISACA认证
Didn’t find a certification you were looking for in the list above? Here are some additional certifications that ISACA offers:
- Certified in the 治理 of 澳门赌场官方下载 IT (CGEIT) – This certification is for those seeking to handle the 治理 of an entire organization and for those aspiring to take on more executive roles.
- Certified Data 隐私 Solutions Engineer (CDPSE) – This certification is for IT professionals with at least three years of experience in privacy 治理, privacy architecture and data lifecycle to validate their technical privacy skills and knowledge.
- Certified in 新兴技术 Certification (CET) – This certification is for IT professionals who are interested in advancing their career by applying in-demand, emerging tech expertise to their roles in IT audit, risk, 安全, 网络安全, 治理, 隐私还是业务增长.
