Resources for IT Training

IT Training

IT professionals bring long-term value to any business. People with an IT certification can receive higher pay and have more job opportunities available to them. As an employer, training existing or new employees in IT gives those employees the knowledge they need to be more efficient at their jobs. Providing IT training may seem like a win-win situation for employees and businesses, but it does involve budgeting and allocating time and cost that might otherwise be spent on another aspect of a business. Although providing IT training for staff members has both risks and benefits, it is effective in a time when technology is part of everyday business and is continually changing.

Benefits

IT technicians are some of the most sought-after and in-demand field professionals in the job market today. A guaranteed way to increase your paycheck and expand your knowledge is by acquiring certifications and IT training. This will open the door to more job opportunities and will show your current or potential boss that you show initiative.

Increased Pay

When you receive IT training certification of any kind, you can automatically ask for higher pay no matter what your specialization. The certification gives your customers or boss satisfaction in knowing you have undergone extensive training in the knowledge you claim to have. The certification is as necessary for an IT professional just as a diploma is for a college graduate.

Certification

Researched from an article at TCPmag.com, it is clear that Cisco-certified IT technicians earn a greater amount when compared to uncertified networking technicians. The article explained that those who were uncertified earned on average just under $70 K per year, and those with certification earned an average of just over $71 K per year. Lastly, certified IT technicians who have acquired the most amount of certifications end up earning just under $117 K per year. As you can see, investing in acquiring certifications is well worth the cost.

Expand Your Knowledge

As you begin to gather information on receiving IT training, it is only a matter of time until you learn something new and valuable that you will then be able to implement on a job site. No matter what the problem is during a tech job, with the correct training or certification, you will have the knowledge to handle it and find a quick solution.

Job Opportunities

With more certifications come more open doors to different types of jobs with ever-increasing pay scales. As mentioned before, certifications or IT training show an employer that you have the ability you say you do and you have proof to back it up. This demonstrates that you are more qualified when you apply for new jobs or move up in the company for which you already work.

Pitfalls

IT training is a good way to ensure that your staff is well-versed and up to date with modern technology as it affects your business, but it is not without risks.

Initial Cost

The initial cost of providing IT training for your employees may be significant, for both in-house and outside training. This may be a turnoff for prospective business owners looking to update their IT staff. The cost of training usually increases with quality, and if you want the best possible training, it will cost more. The long-term benefits of proper IT training will more than reward you and your business for the initial capital spent.

Staff May Leave After Completion

A common fear among business owners is that their staff, after receiving free training, will leave the company for a better-paying job, completely depleting any chance at a return on investment. This is a large potential problem. Once you pay for your employee’s education, you need to know that your investment will be returned in the form of dedicated hard work. An often-used solution to this is a contract that stipulates your employees who receive either in-house or outside training must remain with the company for a certain period of time.

Loss of Actual Work Time

On-the-job and in-house training will require that your IT staff be exempt from any actual work that needs to be carried out during the training period. Loss of time means loss of productivity. There are several possible ways to remedy this situation. The most common solution to your training dilemma is to have multiple training sessions in which only a portion of your IT staff attends. This will allow you to always have IT personnel on hand should you need them, while everyone will get the information that they need. Training may also take some time to complete, which may leave you without a full team for some time.

In-House Versus Outside Training

The type of training that you wish to send your employees to will depend on the amount of material that they need to cover. Larger amounts of material should probably be studied outside of work, while small amounts can be undertaken in-house. Outside training can be done on the employee’s own time and will not interfere with work scheduling. In-house training ensures that you are getting the exact training that your IT staff needs.

Pricing

Preparing Your Budget for Information Technology Training

Wilson Research Group conducted a survey that concluded the base salary for MCSEs is down 7 percent to $63,400. When you spend that type of money paying an IT employee, you want to ensure that you get the best performance for your money. One way to do this is to make sure that your IT person has adequate training.

Initial Cost

When you first hire an employee for a position requiring IT training, you will incur the biggest expense. The exact cost depends on the specific training your new employee needs. If only a minor certification is needed, your cost will be minimal, but if a specialized certification or degree is needed, your cost will be much greater.

Continuing Education Cost

Because of frequent technological advances, your IT employees will have to stay up to date on the technologies. This requires continuing education courses. Generally, these courses are just meant to update current IT specialists about recent changes. In most cases, these periodic courses are much less expensive than initial program costs.

Conclusion

An IT certification is important for those who seek to work in the IT field. A certification can back up an IT professional’s abilities, knowledge, and experience, making it more likely that the professional will be able to earn a higher pay and have access to more job opportunities. Providing IT training to current employees can give them the knowledge they need to come up with fast solutions to technical problems, but free training without requiring some form of loyalty in return can cause newly-trained employees to look for another job opportunity elsewhere. Spending time training employees can also lead to decreased productivity in other departments, so an organized program that takes into account the division of labor is important to consider. Investing in IT training or certification is valuable for any individual or business seeking to be competitive in today’s market.