Best IT Classes in Atlanta
The term IT, or “information technology,” was coined by the Harvard Business Review in 1958 to describe an emerging field of work that utilized computers for a broad set of purposes. Today, the term is used generously to describe professions that fuse technology with business. IT professionals drive modern businesses by using technology to increase efficiency, fix problems, and inform business decisions. While similar to computer science, which centers around the creation of tech products and frameworks, IT remains distinct in its focus on business, and as a result, often earns department status in many companies.
IT is a vast field that includes innumerable electronic processes, from classic IT support to cybersecurity. With so many business needs to fulfill, IT offers lucrative career opportunities in several different specializations. Most are familiar with IT support specialists, who keep businesses running steadily by fixing issues with software and hardware. However, the IT industry also includes the cybersecurity professionals responsible for protecting electronic security, as well as the data professionals who analyze, process, store and transfer digital information. Rather than working solo, most IT professionals work with a multi-functional team that includes workers with a variety of IT specialties.
If you’re aiming for a successful IT career, be sure to give yourself a solid working knowledge of software and hardware along with any other subjects relevant to your specialization. These might include database design, telecommunications, project management, business analytics, network administration, and database management. Learn them all by attending local IT classes or joining a career training bootcamp.
Best IT Classes & Schools in Atlanta
Thanks to Atlanta’s flourishing IT community, there are plenty of online and in-person IT courses to choose from if you want to start learning. In addition to attending short classes focusing on beginner skills, you can receive comprehensive training suitable for an IT career by attending an IT bootcamp or certificate program.
Both beginners and pros can develop marketable skills through Noble Desktop’s highly-rated live online IT classes. No matter whether you choose to focus on just one skill in classes like the Excel Bootcamp, or learn a handful of skills in one of Noble’s certificate courses, you’ll be working with experts and interacting with peers in real-time. Career-track courses such as the Data Analytics Certificate and Software Engineering Certificate even provide you with additional job support and one-on-one mentorship to help you flesh out your portfolio.
Want to focus purely on data analytics? Along with courses on other IT topics, the American Management Association (AMA) has online courses uniquely designed for students who want to achieve successful careers in data and business analytics. It’s easy to get started with beginner courses like Data Analysis Fundamentals: A Hands-on Workshop. Once you’ve got the basics down, you can move on to AMA’s more difficult analysis courses, including Advanced Tools and Techniques for Data Analysis and Business Analysis in Agile Projects (ICP-APO).
If you’re a teen who’s aiming for a future IT career but needs more than short classes can offer, consider enrolling at NextGen Bootcamp. Fully online, NextGen’s flexible summer classes make it possible to complete a comprehensive career training program before you graduate from high school In the Python: Data Science And Machine Learning Bootcamp, you’ll work with understanding mentors who can help you develop marketable skills and a portfolio to back them up.
From their remote classroom, TLG Learning provides career training for cybersecurity professionals. For career preparation, they offer popular Microsoft Security Operations Analyst and Cybersecurity Analyst (CySA+) courses, as well as shorter courses exploring other IT subjects, including Excel and architecting. Professionals who are already in steady jobs can advance even further in their careers by taking TLG’s courses focused on certification exam preparation.
Atlanta Industries That Use IT
IT is a highly adaptive skillset, making it essential to every one of Atlanta’s key industries. Just as the business world depends on IT professionals to keep things running efficiently, so do fields like finance, healthcare, and clean energy.
Technology
Atlanta is one of the largest epicenters of technology innovation in America, making it a superior location for IT professionals to find work in anything from software engineering to cybersecurity. Thanks to its skilled workforce and well-maintained network of data centers, Atlanta has risen to the top three in the nation for IoT technology. In 2021, Atlanta’s IT industry grew by 15% and has continued to add new jobs at a steady rate since. In addition, big tech companies such as Microsoft, Cisco, and Visa have chosen to set up permanent headquarters in Atlanta and plan to add plenty of new jobs in the coming years.
FinTech
Supported by well-known brands like Equifax and hundreds of local FinTech start-ups, Atlanta’s financial industry is thriving. With Georgia-based companies acting as channels for more than 70% of America’s financial transactions, IT professionals who can keep data safe and flowing are needed more than ever. In addition to finding work through FinTech companies, many IT specialists work in IT departments for Atlanta’s accounting and financial firms.
HealthTech
Hospitals and medical care clinics like Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta rely on IT professionals for cybersecurity, natural language processing (NLP), and other data services. In fact, IT professionals are critical for ensuring that vital biomedical research can move forward at academic institutions including Georgia Institute of Technology, Emory University, and Clark Atlanta University.
IT Jobs & Salaries in Atlanta
With IT professionals fixing issues left and right, demand for their skills is soaring. In 2020 alone, companies forked out over 3.6 trillion dollars for IT services, and it’s estimated that demand will keep increasing by 11% into 2029. As a result, IT roles are lucrative and reliable, so much so that cybersecurity workers benefit from a 0% unemployment rate.
In a year, an IT worker can earn about $100,000, which is over $50,000 more than most other occupations. That said, because IT is a diverse industry with many job possibilities, salaries vary depending on your unique qualifications and years of experience. For instance, most IT Support Technicians working in Atlanta earn about $53,000, but highly knowledgeable IT Directors can earn salaries that range anywhere between $170,000 and $204,000
Though IT is most commonly associated with IT support roles, the industry also includes a huge variety of other careers. Atlanta’s top-paying IT roles include positions like IT Architect, Cybersecurity Analyst, Application Manager, Data Engineer, IT Project Manager, Software Engineer, and System Administrator.
Fast-track your search for the perfect job by using filtered search tools on sites like ZipRecruiter, Glassdoor, and Indeed. To ensure the jobs that appear in your search match what you’re looking for, use relevant keywords like:
- FinTech
- HealthTech
- Cybersecurity
- Blockchain
- DevOps
- Information Technology
- Business Services
- Software
- Big Data
- Cloud Computing
- Internet of Things (IoT)
- Digital Media
- Machine Learning (ML)
- Artificial intelligence (AI)
- Augmented/Virtual Reality
- User Experience (UX) Design
- Web Development
- Ecommerce
- AdTech
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