Many of us will have met young people who have been unable to find a job and wondered why they bothered to spend three or more years studying for a degree. While their plight may seem unfair, the reality is that some skills are in greater demand than others. In many cases, a tertiary qualification might be a means for someone already employed to advance their career. However, typically, only those seeking employment in high-demand occupations can guarantee their degrees will improve their chances. Completing an IT graduate programme has proved to be a means for anyone to boost their job prospects.
The diverse nature of information technology and its applications are the primary reasons for the continuing high demand for those with a related qualification. Anyone in their teens during the ‘70s would probably remember the launch of the first personal computers. Although mainframes first appeared in the ‘30’s, they generally filled an entire room and cost hundreds of thousands in hard currency. The affordable, compact PC marked the true beginning of the digital age and the need for IT graduate programmes.
It’s a Digital World
Within a few decades, lives changed dramatically. First, the internet and then cellular telephony followed by robotics, 3D printing, virtual reality and artificial intelligence (AI) have contributed to that change thanks to the ingenuity of programmers. It is unlikely that any other skill offers as many varied opportunities for those willing to learn. Web design alone offers openings both for front-end and back-end developers. The former requires a flair for design with basic programming knowledge, while the latter demands more in-depth coding abilities. A suitable IT graduate programme could combine both skillsets and earn you a job as a full-stack developer in a sector that is well-known for paying exceptional salaries.
Looking for Overseas Opportunities?
Although South Africa once attracted thousands of expatriates with much-needed skills, the situation has since reversed. Instead, many South Africans are now seeking to make a new life in countries such as Canada, Australia, America and the United Kingdom. However, many find their ambitions frustrated because they lack the skills sought by their destination of choice. The demand for programmers is universal, and IT graduate programmes could be your passport to that desired new life.
Building the Future
Whether at home or abroad, the future is destined to become ever more dependent on technology as programmers address new needs in fields such as medicine, manufacturing and logistics. Virtual and augmented reality are helping to improve training and speed up operations on vital assembly lines. In parallel, AI is solving supply chain problems, ensuring production keeps pace with demand and aiding medical research. In effect, people with programming skills are busy building a new tomorrow. IT graduate programmes offer you a chance to be one of the architects.
What is Available?
The primary requirement for a full-stack developer is proficiency in a high-level object-oriented programming language. Geeks4Learning offers 12-month full-time courses leading to an NQF level 5 qualification in either C# or Java. Both courses cover all the additional knowledge you will require for front- and back-end development. Alternatively, the company also hosts a Sofware Testing course. If you are interested in one of these IT graduate programmes, email us or you can check our courses here.
