Technology & Cybersecurity – Indianapolis Business Journal
Ivan Shefrin: I personally value hands-on experience more than certifications, but it’s certainly true that certifications help establish credibility—especially for people who don’t have a lengthy resume of job experience.
In terms of IT overall, I always recommend that people start by learning networking since the Internet is so fundamental to business and the economy today. Cisco has several good certifications to get started. Also, for general IT operations, Information Technology Infrastructure Library Foundation is always a good place to get started.
For those interested in a career in cybersecurity, the Certified Information Systems Security Professional is a great certification because it covers such a wide range of information fundamental to the security practitioner. CompTIA Security is another good starting point.
Stephen Daugherty: If you’re in the IT industry or you’ve been trying to build your business’s IT team, you have probably noticed a shortage of talent in the field. The plus side of this for individuals is that it’s a great time to grow your IT career. My perspective is to pick your niche and build up your certifications around that. As more and more companies continue to move to the cloud, certifications like AWS, Azure, and Salesforce are in high demand. As cybersecurity continues to be a concern, businesses will be looking to add cyber-specific roles to their team, so having Security+, CISSP, and CISA on your resume will certainly get you noticed. For an infrastructure focus, I suggest VMWare, Cisco, and Veeam certifications.
Andy Miller: The most in-demand roles in technology are programming, cloud computing, business applications, and information security. Training and certification in these fields provide entry- and mastery-level competency development. Programming training includes database management and an array of coding languages for various applications. Cloud computing involves the management of Amazon Web Services, Microsoft, Google, and Linux cloud infrastructures. Business applications include specific customer relationship management systems such as Salesforce and Hubspot, and enterprise resource planning systems such as NetSuite and Banner. A wide array of information security certifications provides a foundation and advanced knowledge in the field. Notable examples include CISM, CompTIA Security+, CISSP, and CISA, each with its unique level of sophistication. Access to this training is available from a variety of vendors and institutions. An example is Indiana Wesleyan University's Talent Ladder (thetalentladder.com), which provides training and a connection to a degree for those interested.
Gloss