How Long Does it Take to Learn IT?

Like many people interested in learning IT skills for a new career, you might want to learn IT but worry that it will take too much time. IT is a huge career field that includes any role that uses technology for business purposes. How long it takes to learn IT will depend on a few factors, including your current training level, your chosen IT field, and your current schedule. Of course, this depends on several factors. Keep reading to learn about how you can learn IT and some resources to help speed the process along.

What is IT?

IT stands for Information Technology. IT is an umbrella term for many job roles that combine business with technology. People who work in IT use computers and technology to solve business problems, make business decisions, and keep businesses running smoothly. 

Many companies have IT departments that manage computers, networks, software applications, and other technical aspects of running a successful business. The IT department could include providing technical support to employees, server maintenance, network security, software development, data analytics, or maintaining hardware and network infrastructure. 

People often think of IT as a support role. While support is a role within IT, IT has many subcategories beyond support, including data science, cybersecurity, cloud computing, artificial intelligence, augmented and virtual reality, DevOps, and blockchain. IT professionals might ensure the network is secure, analyze data to help make business decisions, or develop a new software product. 

Jobs requiring IT skills are in high demand, with growth expected to continue at around 15% until 2029. IT can also be a lucrative career path: the average salary for IT professionals is around $100,000. Some IT subfields, such as cybersecurity, have a 0% unemployment rate. Training in IT could lead to an exciting career with an excellent salary.

Read more about what IT is and why you should learn it.

What Can You Do with IT?

IT describes jobs that combine technology with business, which makes it a huge field with no single job role or learning path. You’ll need verifiable technical training to become an IT professional. However, the size of IT adds a lot of flexibility to its career options and increases the number of opportunities. 

Being knowledgeable about technology is critical for working in IT. You’ll need a combination of intuitive and learned tech skills to excel, especially if you choose a role that requires troubleshooting, such as a support role or cybersecurity. People often underestimate the soft skills necessary in IT jobs, such as logical thinking, problem-solving, creativity, or critical-thinking skills.

IT skills are also highly prized because they improve your work process. Some of the most in-demand IT skills include cybersecurity, cloud computing, data analytics and data science, networking, software development, machine learning, and project management. Skills in these areas can get you hired in almost any industry.

Average Time it Takes to Learn IT

The average time it will take to learn IT will differ for each person. Some factors that may affect the time it takes to learn IT include selected industries, career goals, current experience level, and other obligations. For example, the number of courses you need to take will differ depending on your current level of knowledge and experience and career goals.

There are ways to fast-track your IT training time. For example, someone relying on self-directed study will typically take longer than someone who selects guided instruction, such as an IT bootcamp or certificate program. Bootcamps are a great way to learn IT skills because you’ll receive hands-on instruction for technical skills and mentorship in launching your new career. 

For example, if you’re interested in training in cybersecurity, enrolling in a bootcamp can put you on the fast track of this hot career path. Cybersecurity Analysts earn an average salary of around $100,000 annually. People with cybersecurity skills currently have a 0% unemployment rate. Given the potential for a lucrative salary, you might assume training in cybersecurity takes a long time. If you enroll in a bootcamp, such as Noble Desktop’s Cybersecurity Bootcamp, you can complete your training in just a few months. 

Other Factors

Factors that might lengthen your IT training time include your current knowledge and experience, your IT specialization, your need to develop core skills, and your current schedule. You’ll want to consider all of these factors when deciding how long your IT training time will take. 

Your Current Level of Knowledge

Information Technology (IT) uses technology to solve business problems, streamline business practices, and make business decisions. You’ll need a combination of technical, business, and soft skills to be successful in an IT career. 

Previous knowledge or experience in technical or business skills could significantly reduce your training time. For example, if you already have experience with coding, your training time to become a Software Developer might be shorter than someone who has never coded before. 

Likewise, you will not need a degree to work in IT. However, if you choose to pursue a degree, that will take longer than a bootcamp or certificate program in IT. 

Your IT Specialization

IT is a massive field that includes nearly limitless job titles. Some of the classic IT job titles include database administration and help desk. Today, IT includes data analytics, cloud computing, machine learning and artificial intelligence, coding, and cybersecurity. If you already have experience in any of these fields, you have a head start working in IT. 

You will also want to research the popularity and average salary of your IT field. The average annual salary in IT is around $100,000. However, some IT fields are more lucrative than others. Fields in high demand or have a talent gap typically pay more. For example, Software Developers, Cybersecurity Specialists, and Data Analysts all earn six-figure salaries, which is more than the average for all IT workers. 

One recommended way to fast-track learning IT is to take a bootcamp or a certificate program. Noble Desktop offers bootcamps and certificate programs in popular IT skills, such as cybersecurity and data analysis. These bootcamps and certificate programs typically take only a few months to complete, which means you could launch a new six-figure career in IT within the next year. 

Industry-Specific Skills

You’ll need strong core technical and business skills to work in IT. You may also need skills specific to the industry you choose. Many people learn IT skills to advance or keep working in their current industry. However, you may need to train in additional skills according to your industry. For example, an IT worker in healthcare may need additional patient confidentiality training to work on medical data systems. 

Some of the industries which pay IT workers the highest average salaries include Aerospace and Defense ($142,000), Construction and Engineering ($127,000), Insurance and Real Estate ($126,000), and Entertainment ($122,000). 

Your Current Schedule

Your current schedule can also significantly impact how long it takes to learn IT. For example, you may need to take a part-time bootcamp because you already have a full-time job, which can add a few months to your expected training time. 

For example, Noble Desktop offers its Full-Stack Web Developer Certificate program part-time for around 17 weeks or full-time for around ten months. Either option allows you to launch a new career as a Software Developer in less than a year.

Level of Difficulty, Prerequisites, & Cost 

The difficulty and cost of training in IT will vary based on your current level of experience and professional goals. If you’re already working in an IT role but want to add more in-demand skills, you might learn more quickly than someone without prior knowledge of IT.

When getting hired as an IT professional, hands-on experience and structured training are required. You’ll want IT training and experience before you apply for jobs. Taking a bootcamp is a great way to develop hands-on IT skills. Since bootcamps provide comprehensive training, you’ll be able to launch your new career as an IT professional much faster. 

Choosing the IT subfield you’d like to specialize in will affect the difficulty and cost of your IT training. However, it is worth noting that the average salary for an IT professional is around $100,000 annually. However much you end up investing in your IT training will most likely be made back fairly quickly when you start your new IT career. 

Read about how difficult it is to learn IT.

Watch a Free IT Online Course

Free online resources are a great way to explore your interests if you want to test out a few different IT career paths. You can learn some basics without making a significant financial or time commitment. 

For example, Glassdoor has ranked Full Stack Developer in the Top 3 jobs in the U.S. Noble Desktop’s free Intro to Full-Stack JavaScript seminar can give you insight into whether it's a career path you’d like to pursue more seriously. You’ll also get a sample of Noble Desktop’s unique hands-on, project-based instruction method and if a live online bootcamp is the right choice. 

Coursera offers free online IT courses, such as the popular Crash Course in Data Science by Johns Hopkins University. Universities often have great free introductory resources, such as MIT OpenCourseWare, which you can use to familiarize yourself with basic IT concepts. 

Read about more free IT videos and online tutorials.

Learn IT with Hands-on Training at Noble Desktop

IT is a large job field with many career paths and nearly limitless opportunities. There are many paths to working in IT. However, there are recommended training paths based on your goals. 

To become an IT professional, you’ll need verifiable job skills. Many tech and coding schools offer IT training, but you’ll want to choose one that focuses on technology and business since IT demands skills in both. Bootcamps are highly recommended for launching a new career in IT or pivoting to a different job role because they offer comprehensive technical training in the least amount of time. 

Many bootcamps offer a live online training format which is an excellent option if there are no in-person IT courses in your area. Because the class is live, it works like an in-person class. You can ask questions and interact with your instructor and classmates in real-time. You can collaborate with classmates or receive direct feedback on your work using screen-sharing software. One advantage of live online classes is that they give you the interaction of an in-person classroom without any commute time. You can train in IT skills from your home or from anywhere.

Noble Desktop is a coding, business, and design school that offers live online bootcamps and certificate programs in some of IT’s hottest career paths, including data analytics, full stack development, and cybersecurity. All their classes have guaranteed small class sizes, so you get extra guidance from an expert instructor. Noble Desktop uses a unique approach in all its classes: instructors teach a “micro-lecture” and immediately guide students through applying the concept they’ve just learned. They also have a “learn the skills guarantee,” which includes a “free retake” option in which graduates can retake a course for free to continue developing their skills. 

Noble Desktop’s Data Analytics Certificate provides comprehensive training in data analysis, data visualization, business intelligence, and databases. Data Analysts use data to help businesses make good decisions. Students are guided through real-world, hands-on projects to develop skills in using Excel for data analysis, working with Python, SQL and database operations, data interpretation, business forecasting, machine learning, and using Tableau for data visualization. Graduates earn a New York State Licensed Certificate in Data Analytics which is shareable on Linkedin. 

You can earn a New York State Licensed Certificate in Cybersecurity by taking Noble Desktop’s Cybersecurity Bootcamp. Students work with an expert instructor to develop skills in network security tools, evaluating network security using penetration testing, Security Operations Center (SOC) principles and practices, understanding attackers, security monitoring and logging techniques, information gathering techniques, and understanding application vulnerabilities. 

Full Stack Developer is listed as a Top 3 Job in the US by Glassdoor. Noble Desktop’s Full Stack Web Development Certificate provides comprehensive training for becoming a Full Stack Developer who creates both the front end (what you see) and the back end (how it runs) of websites and applications. Students learn to create layouts using HTML and CSS, program in JavaScript, create web applications using Node.js, use MongoDB to work with databases, API development using Express.js, work with Git to track changes, and use JavaScript libraries. 

Key Insights

• The average time it takes to learn IT will vary by person. 
• Some factors that might affect the length of time it takes you to learn IT include your current level of knowledge, your chosen IT specialization, industry-specific skills, and your current schedule.
• Bootcamps are a great way to speed up the training process since they offer comprehensive training. 
• You can receive comprehensive IT training through an in-person or live online course with Noble Desktop.