The shortage of skilled professionals in the IT industry has led companies to seek qualified talents from around the world. Some websites even have job listings with relocation packages that seem to remain available for months.
In Australia, employers have found it difficult to fill thousands of IT vacancies because of the relative skills gap. Some of them have even decided to offer a top-of-the-market salary to entice professionals, but this kind of offers still fail to do the trick. Part of the reason why some companies struggle to hire the right candidates involves a particular job description, which applicants often find difficult to meet.
Global Shortage of IT Skills
Cybersecurity is one niche of the IT sector with an immediate need for more workers. As many as three million people are necessary to fill the vacancies, including those in the U.S. Some employers have turned to automation to resolve some of the common and repetitive tasks for information security.
However, automated tasks are just a fraction of what needs to be done to maintain an efficient cybersecurity strategy. If you’re willing to be trained, you could steer your IT career into a different path by considering a cybersecurity role. You will likely need several years of IT experience depending on the position, while an industry-recognized certification improves your chances of landing a lucrative career anywhere in the world.
Before you aspire to become a cybersecurity expert, it’s better to equip yourself with entry-level certificates such as CompTIA Network+. A practice test or reviewer will be necessary for anyone who wishes to acquire this certification.
Why Getting a Certification is a Worthwhile Investment
Once you become Network+ certified, you can work your way up to higher-level certifications such as Security+. It’s advisable to have at least two years of experience in a tech job with a focus on security, before an application for advanced certificates. If you have no background on IT, it’s still possible to switch careers with the right attitude and mindset.
Apart from Network+, non-IT professionals could also decide to acquire an A+ certification to start their tech careers. Network+ and A+ are entry-level certificates, but the latter focuses on technical support and IT operational tasks while the former mostly deals with being familiar with IT infrastructure.
Remember that even if you don’t plan on becoming a network administrator, it doesn’t mean you could skip Network+ certification and pursue Security+ instead. The things you will learn along the way are connected to more complex tasks, and cybersecurity requires more than just understanding the basic components of a computer.
It’s easy to understand why several companies are willing to pay for someone’s relocation expenses, given the current employment landscape for the IT industry. There are significant issues that need to be solved. If you want to earn top dollar and realize your dream of traveling at the same time, being qualified for any IT role seems the right opportunity. It’s a win-win situation, especially if you are an industry-certified professional.
