Just in case you’re looking for a job, here’s some good news for you. The prospects look bright, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). In 2018, the overall pace of growth was quicker than in the previous two years. It was also strong for both the manufacturing and services sectors.
Within the same year, nearly 3 million jobs became available. On average, that’s 220,000 a month. Perhaps you’re thinking, “But these jobs need a degree!” The sentiment is understandable, especially for those who find college expensive.
In 2019, student loans already reached $1.6 trillion. It takes around a decade for many to pay off such debt. Fortunately, some jobs might not need either a college education or a diploma. One of these is being a PC technician.
What’s the Prospect for Computer Technicians?
The BLS revealed that computer technicians will be in demand in the coming years. It will grow by over 10% from 2016 to 2026. Much of this growth will be for computer service technicians than repairers.
Contrary to popular belief, PCs are not yet dead. Instead, sales increased. Research firms such as Gartner shared that the PC market went up from April to June 2018. The growth was between 1.4% and 2.7%.
It survived despite the popularity of mobile devices because of innovations and pivoting. For example, Microsoft heavily focused on business suites. Google, meanwhile, released Chromebook.
The income these technicians earn can vary. Usually, the average hourly rate is $26—but that is if you belong to the top tier. Otherwise, it can be around $10 for a start. You can significantly improve your wage and land jobs fast with the proper training and certification, especially from Comptia.
Most begin with CompTIA A+ but gradually proceeds with the higher certifications as they gain experience. To succeed, you can take the CompTIA Network+ practice test. The exam is about 90 minutes and has 90 questions. Some of them are multiple-choice, while others are performance-based. You need to proceed to an accredited center for that.
The hard work can pay off since such certification can increase your salary to around $63,000. You can also broaden your career path. It can land you a job as a network analyst or a systems engineer. The national average salary for this position is about $80,000, according to Glassdoor.
It’s a handsome reward for a reasonably priced training cost. To be fully certified, you spend around $350.
This Is Not Programming
Taking these certifications doesn’t mean you can already apply for any IT job you like. Some of them still demand higher qualifications, including a college degree. Take, for example, software programming or computer science. What these certifications will provide you is a door to be part of a fast-growing industry.
It also gives you flexibility when it comes to education and training. You can decide to get a bachelor’s degree while working. This way, you don’t need to apply for a student loan. It might be cliché, but if there’s a will, there’s a way. A CompTIA certification is what you need to get one foot into IT’s door.
