In today’s digital age, IT and operations (commonly known as “ITOps”) form the backbone of modern businesses, encompassing the wide array of hardware, software, processes, and services expertly administered by IT teams for the seamless functioning of one’s IT environment. As these infrastructures continue to grow in complexity, so has the need for relevant skills.
Embracing an
IT & operations career offers plenty of opportunities for aspiring tech professionals, with a variety of roles suited to their unique skill sets and interests.
Below, we explore the details of this growing industry, reasons to pursue it, and how studying with Upskilled can help you get a head start.
Why pursue the IT & Operations industry?
The Information Technology & Operations field has become an increasingly attractive field for those with the right tech skills, interests, and experience. The latest Australia’s Digital Pulse report by Deloitte projects a staggering growth of over 1 million technology workers in the country by 2024 and is estimated to reach 1.2 million by 2027. For the country’s IT operations and services market, in particular, the Australian Trade and Investment Commission states the IT & Ops market is growing at an impressive rate of 16% per year. Additionally, Glassdoor reveals a generous salary average of $70K AUD per year, with managerial positions earning an average of $154K AUD annually.
This surge in growth paves the way for an abundance of career opportunities, and, paired with the potential for high earnings – the industry currently stands as one of Australia’s most enticing prospects for job seekers.
What skills do employers look for?
To thrive in the IT & Operations industry, individuals must possess a diverse range of technological skills and competencies. These include the ability to configure, manage, and analyse networks, as well as a solid understanding of fundamental cybersecurity tools and practices. Expertise in data processing and handling big data analytics technologies – such as Spark, Kafka, and Hadoop – is also highly sought after, considering the growing reliance on data-driven decision-making. Additionally, as most workloads now reside in the cloud, a robust comprehension of cloud computing and cloud-based architectures is essential.
Though technical skills are crucial, business aptitude is also a must. Professionals in this field must also demonstrate proficiency in project management and business analysis, allowing them to facilitate effective collaboration between IT teams and other departments.
Which personality traits make a “good fit” for the industry?
Beyond technical skills, the IT & Operations industry seeks professionals with the right personality traits to excel in leadership positions. A successful IT operations manager should possess
exceptional interpersonal and people management skills to effectively interact with both internal IT teams and external vendors. They should also demonstrate an openness to new ideas and a continuous learning mindset, embracing emerging technologies and best practices to optimise IT processes for their organisations. Attention to detail, organisational finesse, and a flair for financial management are equally vital attributes, helping ensure optimal resource allocation and smooth company functions.
Studying IT & Operations with Upskilled
Those who possess the right skills, experience, and character for the IT & Operations field are sure to find plenty of lucrative, fulfilling career opportunities in the sector.
Fortunately, Upskilled currently offers a wide range of online training courses to help you sharpen your skills for this ever-evolving industry – whether you’re a current IT professional, a career changer, or a first-time job-seeker.
The benefits of upskilling in the IT industry
Technology is advancing at a rapid rate, with 1 in 10 Australian jobs considered at “high risk” of being automated in the foreseeable future.
Upskilling in the field of tech can thus help ensure your skills remain relevant and adaptable, especially as more “menial” tasks are increasingly relegated to technology. Learning to leverage these up-and-coming tools, rather than being replaced by them, can effectively help “future-proof” your careers – allowing you to stay ahead of the curve and embrace new opportunities as they arise.
Pursuing an IT & Operations course
As mentioned, Upskilled currently offers a generous range of IT & Operations courses that cater to the various roles and responsibilities of the field. These programs are suited to multiple interests, and among others, include:
- ICT30120 - Certificate III in Information Technology – Focus on Basic Cloud Computing: Those curious about the complex systems and processes of the cloud can get started through our course on cloud computing fundamentals. This qualification will take you through the basics of network management, cloud solutions, cloud configuration, and device security.
- ICT30120 - Certificate III in Information Technology - Focus on Basic Cyber Security Awareness: If you’re interested in the realm of cyber security, this course may help you get your foot in the door. You’ll get a deep dive of the fundamentals, including cyber security best practices, threat detection, device security, and risk management.
- ICT30120 - Certificate III in Information Technology - Focus on Programming: Aspiring software developers may be best suited to our qualification in the programming basics. This course will get you familiar with introductory coding techniques, simple webpage building, digital image production, and writing scripts for software applications.
- ICT30120 - Certificate III in Information Technology: If you’re simply looking for general skills introduction to IT, this certificate provides you with a robust overview of all the critical skills areas – including programming, cloud computing, and security.
Our available courses aren’t limited to certificate-level qualifications, however. Interested students can also choose from short courses or bootcamp programs depending on their current experience and time constraints. These courses serve more as “tasters” of certain IT areas or as quick skills boosts for those looking to switch roles or advance their careers within a brief timeframe.
Such courses include our comprehensive SL-ATE - Automation Test Engineer bootcamp and our SL-SFCAAB – Salesforce Certification – Administrator & App Builder course.
Flexible payments are available for all our qualifications and are focused on equipping you with practical, work-ready skills for successful employment.
Qualified trainers and industry connections
All students will be carefully guided under the expertise of our qualified trainers, who are dedicated to providing you with all the resources and feedback you need. Through their extensive industry experience in both IT and working with commercial training organisations, you’ll receive all the necessary support in completing your assessments, understanding the course concepts, and using relevant tools and software.
These courses have also been developed in partnership with leading industry figures, including AWS Academy, Simplilearn and VMWare IT Academy to name a few.
Step foot into the world of IT today!
Whether it’s a short course, a bootcamp, or a fully-fledged certificate – you can unlock your IT potential today through one of Upskilled’s comprehensive programs. Best of all, each course is fully delivered online, helping you study at a time, place, and pace that suits your learning needs best.
Get started in the world of IT & operations, and enquire with us on a course today. You can also find a full list of our available qualifications, enrolment information, trainer details, and further statistics on the industry and its market growth on Upskilled’s Information Technology & Operations page.
Vanessa Ciabatti
Vanessa is a Marketing Specialist working at Upskilled. Beyond the professional world of marketing, she can be found sipping a Chatime, playing or watching soccer and spending time with her wonderfully loud Italian family.