If the pandemic has provided you with some extra spare time, one good way to spend it is advancing your career skills. There’s a high and consistent demand for capable IT professionals, especially now that numerous businesses face new challenges around highly distributed work scenarios. This makes cloud architecture and services, networking, and positively IT security skills very valuable commodities. To feed that requirement, there's a growing pool of online learning and professional certification resources to assist you level up and prove it to employers.
If you are not convinced a replacement cert is beneficial , a report from Dice and therefore the Linux Foundation revealed that 80% of IT professionals believe the other when it involves moving their careers forward. There also are variety of latest and popular specializations, starting from architect-level tracks, especially around cloud computing. Another very fast-growing segment is cybersecurity. According to a recent survey by Burning Glass Technologies, some specialty tracks within the cybersecurity space are set to grow by quite 160% over subsequent five years with salary bumps to match.
Big Bucks From Cloud and IT Security
To figure out which certs would do the foremost good to your bottom line, we checked out data provided by the 2020 IT Skills and Salary Report. This annual study comes from professional development solutions and course provider Global Knowledge and determines the highest-paying Professional IT certifications you'll chase immediately.
The top four Professional IT certifications by salary are in either some sort of cloud technology or security. Additionally, project management remains another high-paying option, which is vital to notice since it has been a top contender for quite a decade. IT professionals with these skills are in high demand and have a tendency to command the most important paychecks overall.
The data is predicated on what Global Knowledge's customers are studying also because the jobs they find after they graduate. We've weakened the highest choices supported an outline of the specialization also as a corresponding pay range. Some interesting factoids from Global Knowledge are that 81% of North American IT departments are currently suffering from skill gaps and thus actively trying to find talent, and that is valid even now during the pandemic. Global Knowledge also noted that IT professionals earned $5,000 more in 2019 compared to 2018.
Sources for Online Professional Certification Training
While Global Knowledge is certainly a top option when it involves online training for your new cert, IT pros trapped reception even have numerous options when it comes to web learning. Online learning sources run the gamut from university-sponsored learning tracks to courses provided in partnership with technology companies, like Amazon, IBM, and Microsoft.
Increasingly common are video-based learning platforms, like Skillshare. We've listed a number of the foremost popular below, though you ought to shop carefully as prices and training quality can vary greatly:
Coursera is a web learning platform boasting 5,100+ courses, many of which are affiliated with over 200 colleges and universities. Over 3,700+ campuses make use of Coursera for online learning of accredited and non-accredited IT-focused courses. However, participants can earn college accreditation only if they are receiving a degree. But, they will earn industry credentials for non-degree work. In response to the coronavirus pandemic, Coursera is offering free access to students from any university or college impacted by the virus, which suggests these folks can choose between 3,800 courses and 400 specializations.
edX may be a learning destination founded by Harvard and MIT. It currently reports 536,170 people on its platform and offers 2,600+ online courses from 140 institutions, including tech giants like Amazon and Google. Some areas of concentration at edX include knowledgeable Certificate in IT Project Management from the University of Washington and knowledgeable Certificate in Data Science for Executives in conjunction with Columbia University. To help during the coronavirus pandemic, edX created the edX Online Campus, so that any university across the globe can offer on-demand learning for students as well as alumni and employees.
LinkedIn Learning (formerly Lynda.com) is another massive on-the-job learning portal. It has 16,000 courses and many of them are focused on tech and taught by real-world professionals. Professional Certifications are available for IT courses, but they usually cost extra, and not all of them are accredited. LinkedIn leverages its professional network to create course recommendations that are tailored to users' career tracks, and the courses can be accessed by PC or by smartphone.
Udemy is a colossal online learning platform with 130,000 video courses on a wide range of subjects. Udemy is popular because it often offers significant discounts on training, which make it one of the more affordable options for online learning. That said, Udemy enables uncredited instructors to sell courses for profit. That can diminish its credibility for tutorial and Professional certification tracks. Additionally, while it's many resources for learning programming languages, IT pros should shop carefully when training for accredited Professional certifications.
Training shoppers should remember that while choosing the most cost effective course might sound smart now, you actually do get what you buy with these services. To help you decide on the simplest choice, remember that several offer free trial courses or trial periods. We've found it's definitely well worth the effort to explore your online school this manner before committing. Another important resource that some vendors provide is reviews from former students, which may certainly help in gauging a course's effectiveness for your particular cert needs.
As far as which accreditations you ought to consider, supported the worldwide Knowledge survey, we've listed 2021's 10 highest-paying Professional IT certifications below.
10. Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL)
Sliding from the seventh spot to 10th in 2021, the knowledge Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL) is that the most generally accepted framework for IT management within the world. It has held this distinction for the past 30 years. Its focus may be a set of best practices for providing IT services in large organizations. This makes it a wide-ranging discipline covering a laundry list of important specializations, like capacity management, help desk management, high availability (HA) computing, incident management, and IT operations, to name a few. The ITIL Foundation is that the start line for the professional certification and offers a general understanding of the IT service lifecycle. ITIL Foundation-certified managers earn an average of $129,402 annually.
9. VCP-DCV: VMware Certified Professional - Data Center Virtualization
The VCP-DCV: VMware Certified Professional - Data Center Virtualization validates the talents needed to create a scalable virtual infrastructure using VMware vSphere. Candidates can choose from several online learning resources, and will learn how to administer, consolidate, and deploy VMware virtualization technologies, such as vSphere High Availability and Distributed Resource Scheduler clusters. IT professionals with this credential have earned a mean of seven .4 career professional certifications, the very best amount on the worldwide Knowledge list. IT pros that have attained this professional certification earn an average salary of $130,226 per year.
8. AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner
Relatively new the highest 10 list, the AWS Cloud Practitioner is predicated on the hugely popular Amazon Web Services (AWS) public cloud platform. It's the starting point for a variety of popular Amazon cloud certifications, including AWS Solutions Architect, Developer, DevOps Engineer, and SysOps Administrator. This professional certification is meant for professionals seeking an overall understanding of AWS cloud services. As a fundamental-level professional certification, it's often held by individuals early in their careers, because it tends to be a springboard for more specialized AWS certifications down the road.
With the uptick in cloud management demand over the last several years, the amount of AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner certs will likely still rise. It'll even be particularly attractive to businesses contemplating a move to desktop-as-a-service (DaaS) for hybrid work as AWS may be a leading player therein space with its Amazon WorkSpaces platform.
AWS Cloud Practitioner validates the ability to define basic cloud infrastructure and architectural principles, as well as key services on the AWS platform. A certified professional should even be ready to describe the platform's basic security and compliance aspects. Successful candidates can expect to form a mean of $131,465 per annum .
7. Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA)
Though it's relatively new the list, one among the oldest and most respected credentials is that the Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA) track. The CISA accreditation validates auditing, cybersecurity, and risk management skills. CISA-certified IT experts are hired to make sure that a business' critical assets are secure and properly maintained.
To achieve this professional certification, you need to pass the Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA) exam. This consists of 5 domains, namely Auditing Information Systems; Governance and Management of IT; Information Systems Acquisition, Development, and Implementation; Information Systems Operation, Maintenance, and repair Management; and Protection of Information Assets. The most likely job roles for this professional certification are IT auditors and the average pay for CISA cert holders is $132,278 per year.
6. Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP)
If you're employed in analysis, auditing, systems engineering, or anything in between, then the Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) could be your perfect certification. CISSPs are information assurance pros who are usually liable for determining the safety aspects of an IT organization's overall architecture, controls, and management.
Should you pass the test, which needs you to possess a minimum of 5 years worth of relevant experience, you'll anticipate to a mean compensation rate of $141,452 per annum . It's worth noting that even after getting the professional certification you'll still got to receive continuing education credits annually to take care of your credentials. This is a troublesome requirement, but that's an enormous reason why this cert is respected by employers.
5. Project Management Professional (PMP)
The Project Management Professional (PMP) certification was created and administered by the Project Management Institute (PMI) and is probably going the foremost recognized project management accreditation available today. It demonstrates that you simply are competent when it involves managing projects, including specific aspects like budgets, goals, and teams. You will be tested within the five basic lifecycle steps inherent to any project: initiating, planning, executing, monitoring and controlling, and shutting .
Before you become certified, however, you will need to possess completed a minimum of 35 hours of related training before you'll take the exam. If you've got a baccalaureate , then you'll also need 4,500 hours of project management experience (those without a degree will need 7,500 hours). Getting a PMP certification takes years, but it's worthwhile for people who want this type of career. Certified PMPs currently earn a mean of $143,493 per annum .
4. Certified in Risk and Information Systems Control (CRISC)
Take the Certified in Risk and knowledge Systems Control (CRISC) exam and you will be tested in four major IT skill areas: Assessment, Identification, Mitigation and Response, also as Control Monitoring and Reporting. Previously the ninth most in-demand IT cert, CRISC has moved up the list likely because the industry now features a renewed specialise in evaluating IT risk. If you've got the prerequisite three years of relevant experience, and identifying and managing risks sounds interesting to you, then the CRISC certification is worth finding out .
The test has 150 questions and lasts roughly four hours. If you pass the exam and find a role, pros with the CRISC certification earn an average of $146,480 per year.
3. Certified Information Security Manager (CISM)
Leapfrogging from the eighth-place position last year to the third spot in 2021 is that the Certified Information Security Manager (CISM) certification. This becomes the highest-paying discipline with a core specialise in information security. Your job are going to be to style and engineer security protocols also as manage a company's overall IT security. As a CISM, you will have access to lines of business outside of IT, putting you face to face with company stakeholders. Registration is via the ISACA website also as this exam registration site. CISMs are well-paid, too. On average, Global Knowledge says you'll make $148,622 per annum . However, if you choose to go down this road, then you'll have to take a 200-question test on topics such as incident management, information security governance, and information risk management.
2. AWS Certified Solutions Architect - Associate
The AWS Certified Solutions Architect certification found its way back on the list last year and has propelled itself to the second most in-demand IT certification for 2021. The AWS Certified Solutions Architect exam tests your expertise in designing systems on AWS. If you've got hands-on experience with AWS services and are wont to architecting large-scale, distributed systems, then this professional certification could also be exactly what you would like to maneuver your career forward.
To achieve this professional certification, candidates must pass the AWS Certified Solutions Architect - Associate (SAA-C01) exam. The AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner certification (see above) may be a prerequisite. In addition to the relevant training, AWS also recommends a minimum of a year of hands-on experience designing systems on AWS before taking this exam. The exam takes 80 minutes and is administered at PSI centers across the United States. Successful AWS Certified Solutions Architects can make a mean of $149,446 per annum .
1. Google Certified Professional Cloud Architect
Debuting in 2017 and making it to the highest of the list for the last two years during a row is that the Google Certified Professional Cloud Architect accreditation. This discipline allows IT pros to certify as architects on the Google Cloud Platform (GCP). Completing this professional certification ensures you will have the capacity to style , develop, and manage resources residing on Google's cloud architecture using GCP technologies. Global Knowledge points out that the average cloud computing professional in the U.S. makes over $160,000 a year despite being such alittle percentage (4%) of their respondent base.
Earning this professional certification entails a deep knowledge of the Google technology solutions you will need to use so as to deal with a good sort of different cloud scenarios. Cloud skills still be in high demand and mastering Google's tools for reliable and secure solutions are going to be critical to any organization standardizing on the GCP platform. Google Certified Professional Cloud Architects can expect to earn a mean of $175,761 per annum.