The CompTIA Network+ certification has been around since 1999, when it was introduced by the Computing Technology Industry Association (CompTIA). The certification was designed to test the skills of technicians with some experience with networking and the minimum knowledge that is needed for working on network design and implementation.

 

Information security professionals are in high demand — job opportunities and salaries are on the rise as organizations seek top talent to help defend cloud-based networks, improve application security and develop innovative threat-reduction strategies.

 

Organizations are now looking for infosec specialists — IT professionals who have both hands-on experience in network defense and the high-level certifications necessary to help develop advanced security strategies.

 

The Certified Ethical Hacking (CEH) certification isn’t just another credential that IT professionals add to their collection. It’s an important IT role that organizations need in today’s technologically advanced world to protect their systems, data, and IT infrastructure. Ethical hackers are the “white hat” counterparts of cybercriminals who use hacking to attack and exploit private businesses, government agencies, and public organizations. Obtaining the CEH certification demonstrates that you have the knowledge and skills to fill this essential role.

Some of the best and most popular certifications in the IT industry are CompTIA certifications. But what can you do when you are starting out and have just passed the CompTIA Security+ exam? With the Security+ credential, but limited experience in information security, it may seem like you have to get other certifications in order to find a good job. But that isn’t the case. You can find great entry-level security jobs that you qualify for when you have a Security Plus certification.

Highly skilled IT professionals are in demand. Expanding corporate need is outstripping current candidate pools, and as a result, companies are now looking for outside-the-box IT skills that are transferable across job markets and can fill expanding cyber vacancies.

IT pros, meanwhile, aren’t static in their job searches. Recent data suggests the average worker changes jobs between 10 and 15 times over the course of his/her career. The reasons vary — better pay, improved benefits, greater autonomy — but IT career advancement often depends on transferable IT skills that are in demand across multiple industries. Let’s tackle the top four.

What do digital transformation, rapid mobile adoption and increasing cloud uptake have in common? They’re driving substantial market growth for IT professionals. According to recent U.S. Bureau of Labor statistics, IT will grow “faster than the average for all other occupations,” adding more than 500,000 jobs over the next five years.

If you’re considering careers in information technology, opportunity is knocking. The caveat? Figuring out your best fit.

Companies need IT expertise.  Recent data suggests that by 2020, more than three-quarters of organizations will “experience visible business disruptions due to skills gaps.” Just two years ago, only 25 percent of businesses said the skills gap was an issue.

Not all hackers are cybercriminals. Increasingly businesses are employing ethical hackers (also known as white hat hackers) to break into their computer networks to expose vulnerabilities. Ethical hacking has become a mainstream niche within the IT Industry, employing a highly skilled cohort of programmers and computer experts. In this info-graphic we lay out the differences between black hat and white hat hackers, differentiating between cybercriminals and ethical hackers.

Every year, during the holiday season, TrainACE likes to give back to the communities that we live and work in by choosing local non-profit charities to contribute to. This year we chose Companion Bridge and the Brainy Camp Association.

In today's blog Alice Peek, one of Companion Bridge's founders describes how the organization started, what it does and how your contributions can help keep struggling families and individuals, united with their animal companions.