COMPTIA IT INDUSTRY OUTLOOK 2019 - CompTIA Certifications

The pace, scope, and accessibility of innovation today provides organizations an ever-expanding array of digital transformation tools; but it also brings new challenges in orchestrating technology, people, and process. This is one of the key themes explored in the “IT Industry Outlook 2019,” the annual report published by CompTIA, the leading association for the global tech industry.

On the strength of this innovation, CompTIA projects global industry growth of 4 percent, with upside potential of 6.4 percent. Conversely, an economic slowdown, exacerbated by international trade turmoil, could push the growth forecast to its low-end projection of 1.5 percent. Growth expectations for the U.S. market are in line with the global projection.

“It’s an exciting time as we embark on the next wave of innovation. Technology is more accessible than ever; and there are more opportunities to use technology to build and grow organizations,” said Todd Thibodeaux, president and CEO, CompTIA.

“While the potential is great, the challenges and anxieties are great, too,” Thibodeaux continued. “Our mission is to work with the tech community, and the workforce of today and tomorrow, to turn the possibilities of innovation into the realities of real-word benefits for the users of technology.”

Among factors cited by industry executives surveyed by CompTIA that will help drive growth in the year ahead is their ability to reach new customer segments, and successfully selling new business lines and launching new products, such as in emerging technology areas.

CompTIA’s IT Industry Business Confidence Index remains in solidly positive territory, but there are a number of concerns on the minds of industry executives. Beyond the usual concern over customer spending weakness, executives cited the possibility of an unexpected shock, such as a financial crisis, government turmoil, and margin pressure as factors that could hinder growth.

CompTIA’s 12 Trends to Watch in 2019

CompTIA’s “IT Industry Outlook 2019” explores 12 trends shaping the tech landscape, its workforce, and its business models in the year ahead.

1. Cloud, Edge and 5G Form the Modern Economic Infrastructure
2. IoT and AI Open New Possibilities in Ambient Computing
3. Distributed Technology Models Challenge Existing Structures
4. Stackable Technologies Supercharge Digitization Efforts
5. Business of Emerging Technology Prompts Sales Channels Reinvention
6. Hyper-personalization Takes Customer Experience to Next Level
7. Partnerships Bridge Gaps in New Tech Ecosystem
8. Persistent Tech-Worker Shortages Fuel New, Creative Solutions
9. Digital-Human Models Begin to Shape the Workplace of Tomorrow
10. Technology Professionals Take the Lead in Anticipating Unintended Consequences
11. High Tech Increasingly Transforms Low Tech
12. Global Tech Hubs Put Spotlight on the Ingredients for Innovation

“This year’s trends reaffirm the importance of thinking about technology holistically,” said Tim Herbert, senior vice president for research and market intelligence at CompTIA. “While discussions of ‘The Next Big Thing’ have their place, the practical reality for most organizations is the need to understand how technology building blocks spanning infrastructure, applications, data, and as-a-service models fit together.”

Success Secrets: How you can Pass CompTIA Certification Exams in first attempt

THE CENTER FOR TECHNOLOGY ESTABLISHES ACADEMIC PARTNERSHIP WITH GEORGE MASON UNIVERSITY

The Center for Tech Workforce Solutions (CTWS), a new think tank dedicated to both expanding and diversifying the technology workforce, has established an academic partnership with George Mason University to determine a working definition of employability skills, often referred to as soft skills.

Under the collaboration, George Mason is offering an honors course titled “Honor 430: Multidisciplinary Challenges in Professional Environments.” It will include three to five current George Mason Honors College students, each at least in their second year at Mason. As part of a multidisciplinary approach, team members will come from different fields of study and bring with them distinct knowledge, competencies, and experiences. CTWS will provide mentors from their staff and an honoraria to the program to further their good work, which will support George Mason University Honors College students with need-based scholarship.  The project begins on January 25, 2018 and culminates with a public presentation on May 3, 2018.

“This is a great opportunity that speaks to our commitment to building strong partnerships with academia and the community AND finding solutions that create technology career opportunities for all Americans,” said David Hyman, president of the CTWS. 

Hyman added, “Employability skills in IT careers matter more than people think. The innate personal qualities one brings to the table not only influence a person’s success in the IT field but also helps to determine the IT job role they should pursue. Defining soft skills is critical.  We are looking forward to working with these highly qualified and highly motivated undergraduate students at George Mason University’s Honors College.”

“We are very excited that The Center for Technology & Workforce Solutions (CTWS) is partnering with George Mason University’s Honors College. This academic collaboration will provide a team of multidisciplinary honors students the opportunity to investigate and develop responses to challenges currently facing the tech industry by determining a working definition of employability skills, often referred to as soft skills,” said Dr. Anthony Dyer Hoefer, Assistant Dean of the Honors College.

“Students will learn a variety of problem-solving strategies including design thinking – an approach that emerged from the engineering practice but which is now fundamental to many MBA curricula and to the process used by many consulting firms. We are excited by the challenge given to us by CTWS and the students look forward to sharing their findings later this Spring.”

About the Center for Technology & Workforce Solutions

The Center for Technology & Workforce Solutions (CTWS) is a 501c (3) dedicated to finding solutions that create technology career opportunities for all Americans, regardless of background or education level. CTWS partners with industry, educators, government leaders and non-profits to grow the tech workforce.

About George Mason University

George Mason University is Virginia’s largest public research university. Located near Washington, D.C., Mason enrolls 37,000 students from 130 countries and all 50 states. Mason has grown rapidly over the last half-century and is recognized for its innovation and entrepreneurship, remarkable diversity and commitment to accessibility.

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Get into Cybersecurity with a Security Intelligence Background - CompTIA Certification

If you work in security intelligence, you are well on your way to having the skills needed in cybersecurity. While they both aim to identify, monitor and counter cyber threats, security intelligence takes a broader perspective and includes physical and cybersecurity whereas cybersecurity analytics homes in on protecting critical IT infrastructure. Security intelligence roles are most prevalent in government and enterprise, where cybersecurity roles can be found in any number of organizations and industries, opening up more job opportunities. People looking to switch from security intelligence to cybersecurity may need additional training or IT certifications to round out their skillset.  

If you work in security intelligence – or have a security intelligence background but are struggling to find work – take a look at cybersecurity. This booming field won’t be changing anytime soon, and CyberSeek outlines career paths that can set you on the road to success. Keep reading to see what a career path in cybersecurity might look like for someone with security intelligence skills.

Pathway to Success

You can see from the image below that there are a variety of entry-, mid- and advanced-level cybersecurity roles that are easily transitioned from other feeder roles. A career in cybersecurity offers endless possibilities and paths that you can take. You have control over where you go next! We will be going into detail on one role from each career level, and remember – this is just one of the many paths you can venture on in cybersecurity. You can head over to CyberSeek’s Career Pathway and explore other paths and choose your own adventure!

Success Secrets: How you can Pass CompTIA Certification Exams in first attempt

COMPTIA INTRODUCES DIGITAL BADGES FOR CERTIFICATION HOLDERS

CompTIA, the world’s leading technology industry association and the top provider of vendor-neutral skills certifications for technology professionals around the globe, today launched a new digital badging program for its certification holders.

“By providing a secure, digital representation of CompTIA certifications, our certified IT professionals can more easily manage, share and verify their credentials within their networks, across their social platforms and on their résumés,” said Randy Gross, CompTIA CIO.

“For employers, digital badging makes it easy to find and verify people with the specific skills they are looking for,” Gross added.

CompTIA has partnered with Credly, a leader in the digital credentialing movement, to offer CompTIA Digital Badges. Credly works with many leading technology companies, service providers and industry organizations who are similarly focused on the value of verified skills and achievements.

“Skills are a currency. In a data-driven world, that currency must be digital and machine-readable,” said Jonathan Finkelstein, founder and CEO of Credly. “By issuing its industry-leading certifications as digital credentials on Credly, CompTIA empowers its certified professionals to advance their careers with portable, shareable, data-rich evidence of their skills.”

The program is available to all CompTIA certified IT professionals and covers all individual CompTIA certifications, as well as CompTIA Stackable Certifications which were introduced earlier this year.

Participants in the CompTIA Digital Badging program will have access to Credly’s labor market insights resources. CompTIA certified professionals can use their badge and its associated skill tags to search for jobs by job title, location, employer, and salary range. If they find a job they’re interested in, they can apply for the position with just a few clicks.

The program will also provide access to special promotional offers and learning pathways available only to badge earners.

CompTIA certification holders will be notified this month via email of their eligibility to participate in the digital badging program, along with instructions for claiming their badges and creating an account. For more information on the program, visit https://certification.comptia.org/certifications/comptia-digital-badges.

CompTIA is the leading provider of vendor-neutral skills certifications for the global technology workforce. The association has awarded nearly 2.5 million certifications in core technology skills, cybersecurity, infrastructure, and other specialty technology areas.

About CompTIA

The Computing Technology Industry Association (CompTIA) is a leading voice and advocate for the $4.8 trillion global information technology ecosystem; and the more than 35 million industry and tech professionals who design, implement, manage, and safeguard the technology that powers the world’s economy. Through education, training, certifications, advocacy, philanthropy, and market research, CompTIA is the hub for advancing the tech industry and its workforce.

Success Secrets: How you can Pass CompTIA Certification Exams in first attempt