How to Learn IT

Information Technology (IT) uses technology to solve business problems, make business decisions, and streamline business processes. IT workers need a combination of technical and business skills. The number of options for learning IT might be overwhelming at first glance. There are books, video tutorials, classes, and more to choose from; it all depends on your learning style and personal preferences. 

Here, we’ll discuss the various methods of learning IT so you can decide how you’d like to get started.

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.

In-Person IT Training

In-person training has been the most traditional way to learn job skills. Learning IT in person has advantages for networking and mentoring opportunities; for those new to IT, these can be invaluable tools in starting a new career. One possible drawback of in-person training is that there might not be great options in your area, especially if you don’t live in a major tech hub. You might have to settle for inadequate training if you choose a local school that lacks recognition. 

You'll have more in-person IT training options if you’re in a major city or a tech hub. Many tech schools offer perks to in-person students. For example, if you enroll in an in-person course with Noble Desktop, you’ll have access to full-time support, state-of-the-art computer labs, student lounge access for networking, and free coffee and high-speed WiFi. 

You can use Noble Desktop’s Classes Near Me Tool to explore in-person IT training options in your area. 

Live Online IT Training

The ongoing demand for employees with IT skills has created a lot of training options. In-person courses could be limited or less rigorous in your area based on where you live. The good news is that even if your area lacks in-person courses, you can still learn IT skills to launch a new career. 

Live online classes are an excellent way to learn IT skills because they work just like an in-person class. You can ask questions and interact with an expert instructor in real-time. You can get feedback on your work or collaborate with classmates using screen-sharing software. One major perk of live online learning is that you can train for a new career from anywhere. Another perk is that learning live online reduces commute time for people with already busy schedules. 

Noble Desktop offers live online IT courses taught by expert instructors. Their time-tested curriculum and highly-rated, unique teaching approach guarantee that you learn the job skills you need. An expert instructor teaches students a “micro-lecture” and then guides them through a hands-on, real-world project to apply the skill they just learned. Graduates can “retake” any course for up to one year to continue developing their skills or refresh their knowledge. 

Other live online IT training options include Eleven Fifty Academy, Flatiron School, and Practical Programming. Eleven Fifty Academy offers both full-time and part-time options for IT training.

Free Online Courses & Tutorials

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.

On-Demand IT Classes

On-demand IT training includes paid and free online resources that you can use to learn at your own pace. Many on-demand courses are delivered through pre-recorded video lessons. Providers of on-demand courses vary and can include tech schools, colleges and universities, and individuals. You’ll want to ensure that any on-demand training you use to learn comes from a trusted source and has been frequently updated.

On-demand courses typically cost less than instructor-led courses. Since they’re online and available to use anytime, they’re often more accessible. One great thing about pre-recorded video lessons is that you can pause for interruptions or rewind if you want to go over the material again. One drawback is that on-demand classes lack the engagement and opportunity for networking and mentorship of live classes. You’re also more likely to encounter out-of-date material or learn skills irrelevant to your career goals.

Which Learning Method is Right for Me?

There are many different resources available to learn IT: these resources may be free online resources, guided courses, degree programs, or more structured bootcamps and certificate programs. 

Given all the options, picking which learning method is right for you may take some work. This might be more complicated depending on your specific career goals: if you’re planning to launch a new career in IT or add IT skills to your current career. 

With so many different resources available to help beginners learn IT, you might need clarification on which one is best for you. Everyone has different learning styles and preferences, and you can experiment with multiple tools to see which one feels right for you. One of the great things about directing your learning is that you get to pick which combination of tools you prefer: you don’t have to stick with what a teacher chooses.

It’s also essential to consider your current schedule before selecting a learning method. If you have a lot of responsibilities like a full-time job or family commitments, you may not be able to devote time to a structured course that requires you to attend at the same time every day. In this case, a self-paced class or video tutorials may be better since you can access them when your schedule allows. On the other hand, those with a more flexible schedule may prefer a structured course offered in-person or live online. 

Why Learn IT?

IT professionals use technology to solve business problems. The need for innovative technological solutions has driven high demand for employees trained in IT skills. 

As information and technology drive more and more of our business, people trained in IT have excellent job prospects. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that IT jobs are expected to grow by more than 15%, with around 500,000 IT jobs added each year. The demand for employees with IT skills is driven by factors such as the transition to remote work during COVID-19, the rise of streaming services, and digital transformation of the market. Because technology is used in every industry, IT skills are needed in every industry.

IT is a large job category and includes many fields you might not typically associate with IT, such as cybersecurity, data science, and software development. Some of the most popular IT job titles include IT Support Tech, Web Developer, Systems Administrator, Cloud Engineer, Software Engineer, Software Developer, Full Stack Developer, Mobile Developer, Web Administrator, User Experience (UX) Designer, Database Administrator, and IT Project Manager. 

IT can be a lucrative career path, with many job titles earning more than double the national average. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the current median annual salary for someone in an IT role is around $100,000. IT professionals rank high on Glassdoor’s list of Top U.S. jobs, which considers average salary, job satisfaction, and job openings. 8 of the Top 10 US Jobs listed on Glassdoor are in IT: Enterprise Architect, Full Stack Developer, Data Scientist, DevOps Engineer, Machine Learning Engineer, Data Engineer, Software Engineer, and Java Developer. 

Read more about why you should learn IT.

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.

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

• Some options for learning IT include free online resources, paid online resources, guided courses and bootcamps, and degree programs.
• Choosing the right training format will depend on your personal goals: whether you’re looking to add IT skills to your current role or launch a new career as an IT professional. 
• You can receive comprehensive IT training through an in-person or live online course with Noble Desktop.