How to become a leading IT professional

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To rise above and get noticed among the next-generation of tech-savvy talent, many undergraduate IT students are seeking Master’s courses that will future-proof their portfolios with skills that can’t be achieved by automation.

Furthering into the Fourth Industrial Revolution (IR4.0), IT graduates are bound to thrive in a world shaped by a range of new technologies that are fusing the physical, digital and biological worlds, impacting all disciplines, industries, economies and challenging ideas about what it means to be human.

But what will it take to become a leading IT professional in the future?

A recent study, conducted by sales recruitment specialist Pareto Law, chose to tabulate data from 20,000 keywords in entry-level job postings to reveal the top skill sets that will continue to be sought by employers.

For the IT sector, positive and professional attitudes are the top asks for talent.

“With some business’ entire operations dependent on the smooth running of servers and the whirr of office computers, IT professionals are under a lot of pressure to perform around the clock (…) employers want to counteract the effects of a robotic revolution with the personal touch that only people can provide. A readiness to take on even the most taxing aspects of a role is a clear sign of confidence, ambition and talent,” notes the report.

Oreva Omu. Credit David Vogt

That’s why academic institutions like the University of New Hampshire (UNH) are focused on how AI and automation are making some roles obsolete, merging their courses to meet future industry demands.

Through the Master of Science in Information Technology (MS IT), UNH is preparing students for progressive IT or computing-related careers and for advanced studies in a computing discipline. Acknowledging that tools, platforms and programming languages used in the IT industry evolve rapidly, the MS IT course mixes the latest methodologies with valuable career insights.

With first-hand experience of the many career advantages MS IT graduates attain, software engineer and UNH alumnus, Raghava Adusumilli, understands how this course provides a pathway from student status to fully-fledged IT professional.

Exposed to traditional lectures and tutorials within campus grounds that impart technical knowledge and practical work experience gained through placements with off-campus companies and organisations, MS IT students like Raghava have strived for ultimate career success in a time of workplace uncertainty.

When deciding where he should pursue his Master of Science in Information Technology (MS IT), Raghava was drawn to the academic offerings at UNH for many reasons.

“Firstly, UNH is a nationally ranked university. Secondly, the curriculum for the MS IT involves a lot of hands-on training instead of just theory and it also involves building software and following approaches closely resembling real-life work environments; they also consider your previous professional experience during admissions.

“And finally, UNH has one of the lowest tuitions for a Master’s degree for out-of-state students. All these factors made it an easy choice for me,” he explains.

The campus location in Manchester also led Raghava to study the MS IT course at UNH.

Knowing that Manchester is a top-10 tech city in the US, acting as a technological hotbed and home for internet performance companies like Oracle Dyn, IT engineering organisations like Texas Instruments and robotics businesses like FIRST, it’s the perfect place for any aspiring IT professional to gain industry exposure and explore career opportunities in the US while studying.

Credit David Vogt

“The companies being in such proximity helps students learn about their events easier and makes it very convenient to attend too. We also have a lot of career fairs at school and get a chance to tour these companies through internship classes.

“Also, MS IT is a course that caters to working professionals, so there are students who are working at these companies while getting their Master’s of IT. This helps students build their professional network while studying at school,” Raghava reveals.

To sync studies with real-world expectations and futuristic skills, UNH ensures that they’re using the latest tools and that instructors are staying ahead of the tech game.

In Raghava’s opinion, all the courses are designed to expose learners to current real-world technologies along with the basics, enabling students to ease their way through interviews and demonstrate sought-after talent.

“We are all encouraged to build a GitHub profile and to work in teams to learn how things are done at workplaces. The MS IT also lets students do an internship after their first semester itself and to take on more than one internship, which definitely helps build relevant industry experience,” he adds.

Instilling a positive and professional attitude in students through mandatory internship components and supportive faculty members, those who choose to study at UNH are destined to take on advancements in technology with confidence and comply with the top skills that leading companies are searching for.

Progressing alongside the speed of tech, UNH MS IT graduates like Raghava are already making their presence known in the professional world, balancing both desirable soft and hard skills.

So, if you’re ready to take your IT intuition to the next level and you want to learn how to leverage AI advancements, find out how you can apply to this future-facing course by clicking here.

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