According to a report published earlier this month by IT professional magazine Computerworld, a phenomena is currently plaguing hiring executives across the American technology industry: the "skills gap."
What this means is that there aren't enough qualified IT applicants to fill the positions currently needed by companies and firms all across America. Due in part to the cost-cutting measures instituted in the wake of the 2008 financial crisis and subsequent reduction in corporate credit, this condition is still being felt years later. According to Computerworld, experts and professionals are divided on the exact cause of this problem, but most agree that skills in the areas of mobile communication, network security and system administration are in heavy demand but short supply.
"People who have those skills are becoming a smaller percentage of the overall population," Todd Weinman, president of The Weinman Group, a corporate talent search firm, told the IT magazine.
Computerworld predicts in its article that IT departments will become more efficient and, by association, employ fewer people. It recommends that prospective candidates "pursue training and certifications – on your own time and on your own dime, if necessary."
"If you're the hiring director of one of these very lean teams, you want only A+ workers. In the past, someone could get away with being a solid middle-of-the-road employee. Not anymore," Weinman told the magazine.
If what these hiring professionals say is true, certifications are vital to any IT candidate's success in the job market. Alliance Micro Solutions (AMS) offers a wide variety of applicable computer training courses taught by Subject Matter Experts who understand how the industry works and possess the knowledge that can help trainees move their careers forward. For more information, explore an AMS course offering guide today.