Not only is there a high demand for qualified IT employees, but those workers also stand to benefit from that demand in the form of higher pay. Wages vary by region, but those who successfully complete and earn IT certifications stand to make anywhere from $13-$51 per hour, starting out.
According to Warren County Career Center IT/cyber programs coordinator Don Corbet, many students who earn their certification are walking into positions that pay from $18-$20 per hour. “One of our alumni who graduated from the program three years ago is approaching a six-figure salary this year,” he said.
WCCC's Cisco Certified Network Administrator (CCNA) program delivers instruction from experts in the field, and in about 10 months, students are prepared to earn certification and enter the workforce immediately after completion. Cybersecurity is taught in all WCCC IT courses, with a major emphasis in Network +, Linux Essentials, Security + and Server +. Financial aid is available when students take the full program, and WCCC offers cost-competitive tuition rates. Courses may be taken individually, as well.
“CCNA is currently the most-earned certification,” Corbet said. “Cisco is in demand because it is the brand that is most recognized in networking. Learning how to manage and install Cisco products also gives you the ability to have a working proficiency with most others in the same classification of enterprise network management tools.
“Competent and certified students need three elements in order to be successful: formal education, certification and job experience. We give our students competitive advantages in our programs that many other training facilities lack -- instructors who are working industry experts in the fields that they teach; more hours per class to become proficient in critical certified skills; and leads for jobs so that the student can earn workplace experience quickly.”
There are extensive opportunities for women in the IT field, according to Corbet -- many public and private sector jobs offer incentives for non-traditional roles. Additionally, IT/cyber jobs are most often in a clean, comfortable work environment. Entry-level jobs include field support, installing and replacement of parts, technical sales support, and external and internal help desks.
There also is the option of starting your own business in the IT field, with a very low-cost barrier-of-entry. An individual could fix home computers and help with small- and mid-size business computers and systems. Students at WCCC learn about entrepreneurship, and the program partners with the Warren County Small Business Development Center, which is housed at WCCC.
Click here to explore your options and begin the enrollment process, or you can call (513) 933-3939.