What you can do with a Diploma of Information Technology

Australia’s tech field is in bloom more than ever, with surging gains in both its employment and education sectors.

Just last year, the Department of Education recorded Information Technology among the top four fields to experience the strongest growth in applications, ranking fourth under Architecture and Building, Natural and Physical Sciences, and Society and Culture.

In 2018, subject-only enrollments in the ICT field experienced a sharp increase to 52,770 – up from 31,410 in the previous year.

These high student numbers bode well for the industry, as skills demand is expected to spike; with statistics projecting the need for an extra 100,000 ICT employees in Australia by 2024.

For new, aspiring professionals – a Diploma of Information Technology can well-equip them with the foundational skills to pursue entry-level opportunities in the field.

Below, we explore the various pathways to take after earning this qualification (and how you can pursue one today!).

Option 1: Pursue a technical IT career

Those who graduate with a Diploma of Information Technology can seek out entry-level job positions or internships available in the field. The career outcomes of this qualification commonly include:

• ICT Support Officer: These professionals are responsible for the maintenance of a business’ technologies, diagnosing and resolving any technical problems they encounter.

• Computer Network Professional: This role requires the maintenance and management of a company’s network systems; often monitored, analysed, and configured to optimise performance and improve architecture.

• Programmer or Software Developer: These roles are not only common in the ICT industry, but are of high demand; revolving around the design, development, and maintenance of program code according to user needs and system requirements.

• Web Developer: Through a mix of creativity, visual artistry, and programming knowledge, these professionals design, develop, and maintain high-functioning audio-visual Internet websites.

According to Job Outlook, these jobs are set to experience strong growth in the years to 2023, with plenty of opportunity for full-time work. While formal qualifications aren’t critical to most of these roles, a diploma can help you stand out in the job market as further, credible proof of your technical skills.

Option 2: Apply your skills across other industries

Of course, the opportunities of an IT diploma aren’t limited to the industry. The skills earned from this qualification can lend themselves to a variety of professions – including those not necessarily tech-related.

In fact, the Australian Industry Skills Committee estimates that 51% of ICT workers were employed outside of “ICT-specific” industries.

With the digital revolution making its mark across sectors, these findings aren’t surprising. IT skills are now regarded in most – if not all – fields, with reports suggesting that 90% of the Australian workforce will need at least basic IT proficiency in the coming years; lest they dim their chances of finding employment.

Using the skills from your diploma, you can also pursue a career in the finance, healthcare, or education industry.

Financial technology, or “fintech”, is currently on a global rise, with Australia experiencing a five-fold increase in fintech companies over a mere five-year timespan. Its adoption rate sat at 58% in 2019, with employers on an increasing hunt for app developers and security engineers to ensure efficient, convenient, and secure online transactions.

The healthcare industry relies heavily on advanced technologies, with plenty of businesses looking to IT experts for hardware and software maintenance, network administration, and data analysis.

Finally, with the increasing adoption of “online learning” in the global education sector, IT professionals will be ever required in designing tools, platforms, and mobile apps to create seamless, interactive digital learning experiences.

Option 3: Pursue a higher qualification

Students who graduate with an IT diploma can also choose to build on their skills with a higher qualification.

A Diploma of Information Technology explores the base competencies in administering and managing a business’ technology systems and architecture. Those holding this qualification are equipped to seek out support or entry-level roles; though for individuals looking at higher-level, specialised opportunities, an Advanced Diploma of Information Technology can give them the extra career boost they need.

According to MySkills, an advanced diploma in the field can not only improve on one’s ICT abilities – but their process improvement and business skills, to boot. Those graduating at this level can go on to pursue more senior, managerial IT roles; positions also headed for strong employment growth.

You can also choose to specialise. Now that you’ve got the essentials under your belt, you may want to consider a beginner-level IT certification – such as those provided by CompTIA, Microsoft, and Cisco.

Option 4: Offer your skills online

Along with finding employment or pursuing further education, you can also use your newfound expertise to start, contribute to, or freelance for online IT projects.

Open-source projects are popular among starting professionals, as they’re opportunities to share your knowledge and learn from other experts. These projects are online software that’s made free for public use, study, and modification – allowing coders across the globe to contribute their ideas for improvement or alteration. New programmers can turn to the open-source community for opportunities to experiment and build on their coding skills, as well as collaborate with others and start new, independent projects.

Currently, there are also a wide variety of online platforms for app development – including Appery.io, TheAppBuilder, and AppMachine – giving you chance to build then next Snapchat, or simply put your developer skills to practice.

Alternatively, you can also use your expertise to undertake freelance projects. Websites such as Gun.io, ProgrammerMeetDesigner, and Localsolo have frequently-updated job boards for remote coding assignments; helping you sharpen your skills while earning a bit of side cash.

Option 5: Share your knowledge as a teacher

Finally, you can choose to impart your newfound knowledge in an academic environment yourself. Those holding a Diploma of Information Technology can seek opportunities as an online or on-site vocational trainer, where they can help other aspiring professionals acquire the essential IT skills they need to succeed. Of course, a qualification in Training and Assessment is generally required to pursue this role.

Those teaching information technology commonly explore the basics of hardware and software management; usage and troubleshooting of systems applications; and basic word processing and spreadsheet use. They also typically create project-based, practical assignments to assess the technical (often coding-based) knowledge of their students.

According to Payscale Australia, IT trainers earn an average of $76,166 annually, with opportunities for higher pay as their experience grows.

So, looking to get qualified in IT?

A Diploma of Information Technology can give you the head start you need for a rewarding career in ICT. Not only does the qualification lead to varying employment opportunities in the industry; it also provides you with transferable IT skills to enhance any job role or profession.

Those looking to pursue these skills can undertake flexible, online training with Lumify Learn's Diploma of Information Technology. The program delves into essential key areas such as security, networking, management, and administration; equipping you with the tools and expertise to solve real-world IT problems. The program also covers learning material for vendor-aligned courses in Microsoft systems.

Best of all, with 100% online delivery, students can easily tailor their studies around other life commitments; or pursue other courses and career opportunities on the side.

Get your start in the IT field today, and enquire with us on a course.