If you're interested in changing careers, these University of Arizona programs can help you upgrade your skill-set and find a fulfilling job in the tech industry.

1. Get an IT Certification

IT certifications are awarded by a certifying body, often a specific company or an industry association. Certification generally involves taking an exam (or multiple exams) to demonstrate knowledge and skills in a particular area.

An entry-level certification can open the door to a new tech career. For example, the COMPTIA A+ certification is a requirement for a sizable percentage of entry-level IT help desk jobs, according to Burning Glass.

Many of these credentials are also “stackable,” and IT professionals acquire additional certifications as they increase their skills and experience in the field. These additional credentials can often result in career advancement and increased salaries.

There are many different certifications and career paths for IT professionals. A few well-known ones are:

• COMPTIA is one of the most well-known IT certification programs. Popular and in-demand certifications include IT Fundamentals, A+, Network+ and Security+.
• Cisco certifications revolve around Cisco networking and communication technologies, with certifications such as Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) and Cisco Certified Network Professional (CCNP) demonstrating increasing levels of skill in those areas.
• Microsoft offers a variety of certifications on its applications, as well as its server technologies and developer tools. For example, the Microsoft MCSE Data Management and Analytics certification qualifies workers for a variety of database analyst, database designer, and business intelligence analyst jobs.
• ISACA focuses on IT governance, risk assessement and security management. It offers several professional certifications, including Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA) and Certified Information Security Manager (CISM).

Certification exams are typically rigorous, so many people choose to take a certification exam preparation course to increase their likelihood of passing the exam.

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2. Learn to Code

Indeed just ranked full stack developer as the second-best job in the country. But what exactly is a full-stack developer?

Web developers design and build websites. Front-end web development includes anything that a website user sees and interacts with: things like the colors, fonts, graphics, menus, sliders and the website’s overall layout and design. Back-end development focuses on the technical underpinnings of the site, such as the server, database, and applications that power the front end of the website.

A good analogy we once heard is that a back-end developer builds a house, and a front-end developer does the interior design. A full-stack web developer can do both.

Our Coding Boot Camps teach front-end and back-end technology skills to equip participants with the skills they need to become a full-stack web developer.

Not sure web development is the career for you? The same skills you need to become a web developer are in high demand in a wide variety of other industries. Burning Glass estimated that there are 7 million job openings that require coding skills, and half of programming jobs are in industries outside of technology.

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