Why an Information Technology Course is a great career choice

What is the field of information technology?

Information technology (IT) involves designing, administering, supporting, and maintaining computer systems and telecommunications.

Generally, the IT industry can be divided into two fields — hardware and software.

Under hardware, there are:

• Manufacturing: Making and putting together different computer parts and other similar products. For example, Dell is a computer manufacturer.
• Maintenance: Taking care of and fixing the computer’s physical components, such as hard drives, keyboards, speakers, etc.
• Research and development: Creating better products by researching, building, and testing different types of computer models.
• Management: Managing the components of computers, systems, networks, and more.

Under software, there are:

• Development/programming: The use of computer science activities to create, design, and deploy software.
• Testing: Examining the behaviour and artefacts of the software to ensure that it’s performing according to software specifications and business requirements.
• Maintenance: Modifying and updating the software after delivery to the client to improve performance and correct errors.
• Support: Providing technical assistance advice and solutions to users when software problems occur.

Digital transformation has paved the way for IT specialists

Technology integration into business processes and systems has significantly changed how businesses function.

Today, all businesses — regardless of their size — are encouraged to integrate digital technology into all areas of their business to remain competitive in our increasingly digital world.

This is excellent news for IT professionals since businesses are starting to rely more on technology solutions than ever before and all the more reason to consider completing an official information technology programme

In fact, according to Statista, revenue in the worldwide IT services sector is expected to see an ongoing annual growth rate of 7.10%.

But why is digital transformation so significant for businesses, and what does this mean for IT specialists and, more specifically, those who’ve done an information technology course?

Let’s have a look!

Reasons businesses need technology solutions

There are multiple reasons why digital transformation is crucial for today’s businesses. Some of the main reasons include:

Increased focus on customer engagement

With the digital world becoming increasingly competitive, businesses need to focus on customers and provide better experiences if they want to succeed.

The only way they can achieve this is to integrate and act on data across the spectrum of customer interactions. Thus, many mature companies invest in developing integrated digital marketing technology platforms and optimisation software.

Increased productivity due to automated processes

As customers become more demanding and business processes are expected to run faster and more efficiently, many businesses are investing in artificial intelligence (AI).

With AI’s help, businesses enjoy more efficient processes, better data analysis insights, and better overall results.

Higher conversion rates

Over the years, businesses have realised that technology has a massive impact on their bottom lines. In other words, technology can help them convert more prospects into leads and more leads into customers. This means that by investing in technology solutions, their revenues will increase.

What does this mean for IT specialists?

With the ongoing implementation, growth, and development of technology systems in businesses and the change in customer behaviour, more companies are hiring IT professionals to help make their processes more efficient and user-friendly.

Thus, this means that an information technology course and IT specialists around the world are in higher demand than ever before.

According to BusinessTech, 17% of South African businesses desperately need these professionals and are more than willing to hire qualified yet inexperienced professionals. In other words, they’re hiring people straight out of university.

Industry trends: great IT jobs that are currently available

Various job opportunities with a wide range of responsibilities are available in the IT industry. However, the most sought-after IT careers in South Africa specifically include:

• Data Analysts
• Data Architects
• Data Scientists
• IT Application Developers
• IT Program Managers
• Network Architects
• Software Developers
• Software Engineers
• Software Testers

For more information, take a look at our article on Information technology management: what can you do with an IT degree?

How does an information technology course differ from a degree?

The main differences between a higher certificate and a Bcom degree in Information Technology are the time it takes to complete the qualification and the knowledge gained during the information technology programme.

Where a certificate in IT opens the door to junior-level positions, the Bcom degree opens the door to senior positions.

That being said, certificates are excellent for learning the industry fundamentals and the latest trends, meaning they’re very relevant to the industry’s current state. On the other hand, Bcom degrees often cover the industry in-depth and look at all aspects of the industry.

Both qualifications can help you build a successful career in IT.

Study Higher Certificate in Information Technology

If you’re ready to become an IT professional and pave your way to the most successful career in this industry, then studying an Information Technology course is, without a doubt, the way to do it.

Here at MANCOSA, we offer a higher certificate, a Bcom degree, and a postgraduate diploma in Information Technology.

Learn more about our Higher Certificate in IT and our Bcom degree in Information and Technology Management to see which option is best for you