by Paul D. Rosevear

The recent buzz surrounding the massive launch of Vista, Microsoft’s newest operating system, is a telltale reminder of the ever-increasing importance of technology in our lives. Boasting points for the new system is its capacity to comprehensively integrate our digital lives–pictures, finances, music–into our daily lives. But the launch signifies something different for the Information Technology (IT) professional. It represents another challenge in keeping up with the frenetic pace that technology moves at–a pace that is simultaneously the cornerstone of excitement for an IT career, and a continuous looming threat.

For IT workers, staying relevant is critical to staying employed. As we dig in to 2007, the forecast for technology is an expansive one, as increasingly advanced computer systems are being rapidly integrated into a more diverse scope of businesses, industries, and home applications. This signifies nothing short of an explosion in job opportunity in tech careers – but only for the worker who is willing to use education to keep up the pace.

Decoding the numbers
You don’t need to understand Java or C++ code to decipher the projections surrounding the growth of the IT industry. With the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimating demand for IT professionals growing by nearly 50 percent through 2012, with more than 1.5 million new computer and IT related jobs, it’s easy to see why enrollment in related educational programs is up, and why companies are hungry for new talent. According to a survey conducted by Robert Half Technology, a provider of skilled IT professionals, this past December, 16 percent of chief information officers stated they had plans to increase hiring. With only two percent reporting a planned decrease in hiring, the 14 percent net increase is the highest it’s been in the past five years.

Not only are there more jobs, there is also more money to be made. Dice.com, an online career site for technology and engineering professionals, recently released its annual salary survey, which presented a look at the changes in IT income. Over the past year, programmer analyst salaries experienced a 7.03 percent jump from $65,175 to $69,757 while average salaries for software engineers leapt 5.99 percent from $78,807 to $83,524.

High-speed education
Greg Gough, a faculty mentor at Western Governors University (WGU), an online school with a wide host of IT degree offerings, explains that continuous adaptation to technology’s evolving demands is the foundation for an education that will lead to computer-related job opportunities. “Technology is moving so quickly, and as a university, we conduct routine program reviews to ensure that our students are learning about things that are current,” he explains. “In addition, the education providers we work with are constantly updating their curriculum as well.” The benefit of online education to IT workers in particular is the flexibility and immediacy that it offers. In the case of WGU, students can customize their curriculum to include only the certifications that they need, without wasting time or money on skill sets they already possess.

However, once students obtain a degree, their education is far from over. One of the primary necessities of maintaining an IT career is continuously updating your skill sets, seeking out new training programs, and working hard to keep up with current trends–it’s the only way to reap the benefit of the booming job market. “Maintaining current and obtaining new certifications is imperative in order to be successful and desirable in the IT industry,” says Matthew Holmes, who recently earned his B.S. in Information Technology. “IT professionals and students have to continually remain aware of what is on the horizon. Also, subscribing to IT Web sites and journals in order to have knowledge of what the industry is doing and where it is going helps students and professionals keep in touch with the ever changing industry.” Whether online, at work, or on your own, the world of IT is characterized by continual learning.

The perfect fit
As imperative as it is to stay current, the expansion of interest in IT careers has caused hiring managers to become even more selective, looking beyond just technical knowledge. “IT is a very specialized job market, and hiring managers are looking for not only skill sets, but vertical experience as well,” says Jim Lanzalotto, Vice President of Yoh Services, a talent and outsourcing firm for computer personnel. “For example, if a pharmaceutical company is looking for someone to work on customer relationship management software, they usually want someone with the skills to work the software, plus prior experience with a pharmaceutical company. It’s a pattern that has created a 'super-candidate' syndrome.”

Holmes also recognizes the same need for specialization. “Prior to my IT learning experience, I was uneducated as to the scope of opportunities within the field,” says Holmes. “There are many professional options for IT graduates, but one of the challenges associated with IT is narrowing the focus of study. IT students need to tailor their course of study to suit their professional goals.” For better or for worse, the broadening of the IT field is forcing workers to narrow their career vision.

"IT giveth and IT taketh away…"
So as Microsoft ushers in its newest installment to the world of computers, the home user becomes more dependent on digital lifestyle, the applications for computers in various businesses and industries continue to expand, and the IT worker chalks up another certification that he or she had better get under the belt. This reaffirmation of ever-expanding opportunity translates to a simple taunt for the techie–are you willing to keep up the pace?