Am I professing that IT training and careers within IT are the be-all and end-all of futures on this planet? God forbid, no. Where would we all be without the highly paid football stars who entertain us so well on a week by week basis? But there has to be a reason why increasing numbers of people are studying for careers within the IT industry.

A development I find interesting has been the increase in IT training amongst people who are seeking a career change or an enhancement to their existing skill sets. Reviewing this, I’m intrigued as to why IT continues to offer the attraction, and is this really a viable option?

Whilst we all acknowledge that in relationships, key elements and people themselves can change. At the age of 10, a boyfriend or girlfriend can be considered a cute thing, but it isn’t expected to last. At the age of 18-20, relationships are often less transient, but they also have a shorter lifespan than others later in life.

Equally our young people are asked to plan and make decisions about their working career quite early on in life, and yet historically there appears to be an inherent resistance to change as times progresses. If we accept that life changes, and we also accept that circumstances change, surely it’s prudent for us to accept that career paths should and could change?

The ongoing dependence of today’s society on IT, and factors related to IT, means that many people assume a career in this industry would be well paid and reliable, (based on simple economics of supply and demand). A lot see a direct correlation of how they utilise IT systems in a social environment (such as playing games and social interaction on the internet e.g. facebook etc.) and transfer that into a career. Could this genuinely lead to a career within IT, and what factors would be necessary for a successful career?

I believe that a key element in answering this is an understanding that a career in IT is as dependent on factors such as an employer (or client base if self-employed,) and economic issues, as any other career path. However, there is considerable evidence to suggest that professional people within the IT industry can move between employers and industry sectors more freely, due to the wide dependence on IT services across both geographic and industry models.

The term ‘Professional IT People’ is one of the key elements here – as in any other industry, employers have consistently sought staff where the skills can be proven by both experience and a recognised, approved benchmark. This is the same whether that’s a degree, or recognised apprenticeship culminating in an industry standard qualification, like an electrician or plumber.

It’s no different in the IT industry. Just because many people have a computer at home, and can experience many areas of the IT industry domestically, this is vastly different in many cases from the skills and resources required in the commercial sector. I’m sure we’d all acknowledge that playing games for four hours a night or surfing the internet doesn’t make us a qualified games designer, or a qualified webmaster.

Within the IT field, professional qualifications such as MCSE or MCSA are immediately recognisable as an industry standard. Employers know they can rely upon the skills offered, and as such there’s a reduced risk of breach of commercial insurance policies for work and services provided by such people. This applies whether they are self-employed or directly employed.

If you’re seriously considering a future within the IT industry, you must look at how best to position yourself to become attractive to an employer. Holding a professional qualification goes a long way towards this. We should at least be aware of what the employer or client is looking for in recruitment or engagement, as they are the ones paying the salary.

Plenty of data exists to support the view that the growth in the IT sector is faster and more resilient than many other industry sectors. We’re witnessing a transitional shift in industry sectors, from the first world through to the third world, and the rate at which many growing or ‘tiger’ economies are adapting to (and embracing) long standing IT systems is very fast indeed.

Up to now in this article we’ve looked at the trends, which with the slow down and in some cases demise of traditional industry (and therefore traditional job-for-life expectancies), there will be an increasing propensity towards several jobs and career paths over our lifetime.

Furthermore we’ve noted that the IT industry remains consistently attractive as it provides both consistencies in supply and demand, across industry sectors and across geographical boundaries. Current forecasts also predict the increasing long-term reliance on IT systems overall, and the professional people that develop, utilise and maintain those systems remain integral to many organisations long-term requirements.

Expectations for salaries continue to be high within this field, and plenty of evidence suggests that this is achievable. However, it is worth noting that the top-people get paid the top-money in many other industries. It’s not good enough to simply ‘be there’ and does not guarantee the top-money.

We have also put forward the case that employers review recruitment for IT skills as no different to any other facet of their business, and they expect the individuals to formally demonstrate their skills and qualifications, in exactly the same way as they expect their electricians and accountants to be professionally qualified to do the work they’re employed to do.

It’s my belief that there is considerable evidence to view a career in IT as a strong and viable option for many people in today’s economic and social climate. Significant salaries are definitely achievable. And yet, it’s equally clear and only common sense to expect to have to gain a recognisable professional IT qualification. This not only clearly demonstrate one’s own ability, but at the very least it displays the attitude that your prospective employer can rely on you in the commercial field and that you are serious about this career path.

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