IT Futures - News

Current trends in IT Recruitment

12 Dec 2011 3:04 PM | Mansoor Walli (Administrator)

Recruitment across all fields faces an acute problem; good communication skills. I come across many candidates who are excellent with their IT skills but lack good communication; a total let down for the recruiter and the client. Working on your communication skills is as important as working on your IT skills set.

Read more • Add comment

Why Should You Get IT Certified?

08 Aug 2011 4:24 PM | Salim Karim (Administrator)

Numerous recent studies and surveys show that IT certification...

…demonstrates your expertise and gets you the recognition your skills deserve.

It is tangible evidence that you not only have the know-how to provide top-notch support to your employer, but are committed to a life-long, continuous learning process.

…proves you are proficient on the latest technology.

Undergoing IT training and becoming certificated means you have a comprehensive understanding of the most recent technology and can apply it to the current business need.

…often means you have the best access to technical support.

Test sponsors such as Microsoft, Novell and Check Point offer their certified professionals exclusive access to amenities such as discounts on products and services, entry into protected knowledge bases, troubleshooting information and online technical support.

…contributes to customer satisfaction.

Using certified professionals for installation, repair and maintenance demonstrates a higher level of concern and care for the customer. Customers can be confident that work will be performed at optimum efficiency, which results in the best cost effectiveness.

…can mean higher salaries and better job offers.

Many IT professionals report that after becoming IT certified they were offered more lucrative and more challenging jobs.

Why delay? Become IT certified and find out what it can do for you.

This article is courtesy of Pearson VUE.

Read more • Add comment

10 reasons to stay in IT

04 Jul 2011 6:03 PM | Salim Karim (Administrator)

by Alan Norton

Takeaway: Thinking about quitting IT? Alan Norton did undefined more than once. See why he says there are 10 good reasons to hang in there.

In his article 10 reasons for quitting IT, Jack Wallen listed some rationales for leaving the IT profession. I would like to offer a different viewpoint, with a few thoughts of my own that may help elucidate why you should stay in IT.

To read the full article, visit http://tek.io/m4ocYx

Read more • Add comment

IT Futures becomes Victoria's first ICDL Training and Exam Centre

02 Jun 2011 12:43 PM | Salim Karim (Administrator)

The ICDL certification program allows individuals, organisations and Governments to obtain a globally recognised benchmark for digital literacy. In Australia a successful digital economy is essential for economic growth. It offers new opportunities for businesses to a larger, potentially global, audience and for individuals to connect and collaborate.

ICDL Australia's mission is to enable proficient use of Information and Communications Technology that empowers individuals, organisations and society, through the development, promotion and delivery of quality certification programs throughout Australia and Papua New Guinea.

IT Futures in conjunction with ICDL Australia aim to deliver the best Training, Personal Development and Exam Centre in Victoria.

If you or your organisation is interested in learning more about ICDL Training and Exam options, please contact IT Futures on (03) 9866 7737.

Read more • Add comment

Alternative English language tests for Student Visas

23 May 2011 11:04 AM | Salim Karim (Administrator)

On 20 May 2011 the minister announced that the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), the Pearson Test of English Academic (Pearson) and the Cambridge English: Advanced (CAE) from Cambridge ESOL (Cambridge) would also be acceptable tests for Student visa application purposes.

IT Futures is an Authorised TOEFL Test Centre.

For more information, please contact the Exam Centre on (03) 9866 7737 or email exams@itfutures.net.au

Read more • Add comment

IPv6 Forum awards Gold certification to Cisco

22 May 2011 9:27 AM | IT Futures Testimonial (Administrator)

IPv6 Forum awards gold certification to Cisco's CCNA, CCNP, and CCIE Routing and Switching certifications

Three certifications, CCNA™, CCNP™, and CCIE™ Routing and Switching, have received Gold certification from the IPv6 Forum's Education Certification Program.

The IPv6 Forum is a worldwide consortium of leading Internet vendors, Industry Subject Matter Experts, Research & Education Networks, with the mission to advocate the adoption of IPv6 technology.

IPv6 Forum offers the IPv6 Education Certification Logo Program. This program encourages and accelerates education on IPv6 and promotes swifter adoption of IPv6 by certifying courses, engineers and trainers.

By taking the CCNA, CCNP, or CCIE Routing and Switching certification exams - certified by the IPv6 Education Certification Program - IT professionals will be able to demonstrate that they have attained IPv6 knowledge and skills at the associate, professional or expert level.

Read more • Add comment

A Choice Between Online And Classroom Based IT Training

26 Apr 2011 1:45 PM | Salim Karim (Administrator)

If you plan to undertake IT training, you have to decide whether it should be in a classroom setting or online from the comfort of your own home. There are definite pros and cons for both types of study which we will cover here.

Firstly, let’s look at the positives of online training. It’s a highly desirable way to study because you don’t have to travel and be somewhere at any particular time. You have more time to study and you can wear whatever you like because it doesn’t matter.

You can still participate in individual online discussions and group meetings via chat services or Skype. The costs are somewhat cheaper so you don’t have to accrue as much debt just to study. You can fit your course around work and social commitments. You can study at the times that best suit your individual body clock. Some students prefer to study at night while others love the early morning hours.

There are also negatives to learning through online methods. You’re more isolated. You don’t have the pressure to perform (this could either be a blessing or a curse depending on the individual.) It can be harder and take longer to get answers to questions you may have. You don’t have the constant support of fellow classmates or the friendly competition that happens when a group of students study and participate in exams.

You really need to motivate yourself because nobody is looking over your shoulder to make sure you’re working hard enough. If your computer breaks down or you lose your internet connection, you may be unable to complete your work on time.

Now for the negatives of classroom learning. You can’t always get one-on-one help when needed because your teacher has other students to help as well. There’s always competition, whether it’s friendly or nasty, and some people get very stressed about that.

There are many positives of classroom learning. You get plenty of interpersonal contact and that’s important. You get to share ideas and have group discussions frequently so you can learn from other students as well as from your own reference material.

Studying is more than just textbooks. It’s also about the teacher and how they present the material. Some teachers do a better job than others. However, it’s still very beneficial to have that constant teacher - student contact.

When you have to attend class each day and have goals set for you by a teacher, it motivates you and also teaches you good habits for the future. You get into a good routine and usually you get more done because of that routine. If you study at home, it’s easy to go watch TV or spend time on the phone when you really should be studying.

When you compare online and classroom teaching, it’s clear that classroom teaching is definitely the better option, even though many students would disagree. The self-discipline and commitment you learn will stand you in good stead throughout your life. Teachers do know what’s best for you, even if it may not seem like it at the time.

Read more • Add comment

Why Is It Important To Upgrade From Old To New IT Certifications?

19 Apr 2011 12:05 PM | Salim Karim (Administrator)

IT certifications are essential for anyone wanting a career in the IT industry. However, there’s also a downside related to the required certifications needed to maintain an IT career. They need to constantly be updated in order to keep up with current and new technologies.

If a company is faced with having to letting some staff go due to cutbacks, they’re more likely to keep the most valuable personnel. This includes people who have kept their certifications up to date so they’re able to perform their duties perfectly, despite any changes that may have been made to technology over a period of time.

If you want to increases in your salary and/or apply for promotions, it’s necessary to keep your certifications current so employers can see you’re making every effort to do your job properly, improve your skills and keep your knowledge up to date.

Because some companies reduce their staff numbers, other people are sometimes called on to carry out extra duties. If your certifications are up-to-date, you’re in a better position to fill any gaps that become available and to prove your versatility and reliability. This looks good on your overall performance record and may give you additional opportunities for advancement.

Updating IT certifications improves the skills and deepens the knowledge of employees that do this regularly. It means that these employees can greatly improve their chances at achieving a stronger career path, higher salary and better positions over the term of their career as compared to people that don’t upgrade their certifications.

Most employers know the immense value of constant upgrades to IT certifications and many are prepared to invest money to pay for these upgrades to occur. It inspires greater loyalty among employees and provides better value to the employer because they know their staff are still qualified to do any work that they are given.

It’s also more economical for companies to update certifications for current staff than to employ extra people with the additional certifications. Of course, employers have to be wary of upgrading staff to the point that they go elsewhere for better jobs so there’s a certain amount of negotiation that should go on to cover themselves if they do invest in current staff.

If you’re looking for a job in the IT industry and your certifications aren’t current, that reduces your chances of securing a decent position because employers don’t want to waste their time employing people with outdated knowledge when they can hire someone who has current certifications.

It’s pretty black and white. If you want a good job, want to stay in your job, want a raise or promotion, then you need to continually upgrade your certifications so that you remain as valuable an employee as possible.

Read more • Add comment

A Pathway For An IT Graduate

17 Apr 2011 11:46 AM | Salim Karim (Administrator)

Students who intend to find employment in the IT industry need to seek advice and understand what’s required to achieve their goals. There are a number of steps involved and they each follow in a logical progression.

It’s recommended that you choose the specialised field you would ideally want to work in if given the opportunity because there are so many different options. Once you have graduated from university or college, it’s essential that you find a job to get some experience. This is one way to help you decide what you would really like to do. It also gives you practical experience and some important industry contacts.

Depending on the job, you may end up staying there and progressing through the company over a period of time. However, many jobs are just stepping stones to the ideal career. The more experience you can get, the better the chances are that you can secure the ideal role down the track. You can also get referrals from jobs you do so that may give you a foot in the door when applying for better jobs.

Consider that you may find a great company to work for and if you’re happy there, you may even be able to get them to pay for your certifications if you stay with them. It can be an economical way to start achieving your goals or even fast tracking them if you find the right opportunity.

Once you have chosen your specific field, you have to become fully certified so that you’re employable in that type of job. Do some solid research because there are many ways to gain certifications. You have to ensure your qualifications will enable you to do what you want if given the opportunity.

You can study either online or in a classroom situation to get your required certifications. Regardless of whether you’re looking at doing networking, software development, programming, technical or testing work, you need the right certifications. If you have a weakness in certain areas, you can also take short courses to improve your skills either online or in a classroom situation.

A career in IT is a long term objective. It’s important that you realise that you do need to go through the various steps if you want to be successful in your chosen career. Unlike many jobs where people don’t even need a college education at all, you can’t simply look at what is happening this month or even this year.

There are many ways to achieve your goals but you must be persistent and patient because it won’t be an easy path. However, if it’s what you really want to do, then it’s worth the effort in the long run.

Read more • Add comment

IT Job Worries Increase The Importance Of Training

14 Apr 2011 9:59 AM | Salim Karim (Administrator)

The global financial crisis really had a major effect on companies and many had to lay off staff and others had to stop hiring. This lead to a lot of uncertainty among employees because many feared they would lose jobs and the ramifications of that could have meant many would lose their homes as well.

If you have a job in the IT industry, your qualifications can set you apart from other employees. If you’re the sort of person who is content to rest on your laurels and not bother to update your certifications when required, you can potentially put yourself higher on the list of candidates for termination if the need arises in your workplace.

If, however, you keep your certifications updated, your value as an employee increases and the likelihood of being fired reduces considerably because you move down the list due to your increased value. Naturally, certifications aren’t the only deciding factor but surely common sense would tell you that you should do everything in your power to keep your job, assuming you do want to keep it.

Because there are so many different certifications, it’s essential to keep yourself apprised of any new information available so you can make the best decisions at the right time. Many jobs are being outsourced because the costs are reduced for the company if they do so. This makes your job even harder because you’re competing with overseas fully qualified IT specialists as well as other employees within your own company.

Many employers will pay for staff to get the updated certifications so they can perform their job better. This is great news for employees who may not be able to afford to stay current but really want to do so. It’s also an added incentive for employees to remain loyal.

The IT industry’s top certifications are: Network+, PMP, CISSP, MCITP, A+, CCIE, CCNP, CDIA+, CSSA, CCNA and MCTS but they are by no means the only certifications available. You need to know the relevant certifications for your job and the specialised field you want to work in.

There are many broad certifications under the banners of the following companies: Adobe, Apple, Cisco, Citrix, CompTIA, ITIL, Juniper, Linux, Microsoft, MYOB, SDI-E, Symantec and VMware.

If you had some of these current certifications, your employment chances would be higher because they’re a broad range designed to give you increased versatility.

If you’re looking for a job, the ideal situation would be to get one similar to your previous job so your certifications are current. If you start an entirely new job, you may have to invest money to acquire the relevant certifications because employers won’t pay to certify new employees when there are plenty of suitable candidates already certified.

The bottom line is that the more current certifications you have, the more employable you are. It’s a never-ending task that you need to do.

Read more • Add comment