The statement “I want to work in IT” often leads to many questions…
¿A quien conozco que trabaje en IT?
“Where are all of the IT jobs actually located?”
“Do people with my background really work in IT?”
“How much do IT jobs pay?”
“Where do I get started???”
Within the IT programs at Wake Tech, we help students answer these questions and ask many of our own. We constantly research new technologies and new jobs in order to prepare our students for future careers. While the image of gazing into a crystal ball sounds alluring (or these days just typing questions into one of many AI chatbots could get the same result), we review labor market data, refer to industry research, rely on the expertise of our faculty and engage with partners to learn how and where the IT industry is moving.
So, what are we looking at and learning about these days? Before I dive into that topic, let’s learn more about our students.
Nearly 6,000 students have enrolled in Wake Tech’s IT programs throughout the past year. Most of these students are enrolled in degree programs with many others enrolled in our workforce continuing education courses. All our IT programs and courses align to the job skills that employers are asking for. Many students bring prior experience and certifications, so they can earn credit for some early program courses. All our IT degree students can continue their studies at local colleges and universities after graduation.
The average age of our degree students is 27 years old (39 years old for workforce continuing education students). We serve a diverse student population representative of the demographic makeup of Wake County itself.
Nearly 6,000 students have enrolled in Wake Tech’s IT programs throughout the past year.
Setting students up for early career success
In order for our students “to go as far as their dreams, talents, and resilience take them,” as our vision statement reads, we anchor our programs in the knowledge, skills and experiences required for early career success in the IT industry. Technologies change. Threats emerge. Devices get smaller, faster and more complex (they also break and people need help using them). Data surrounds us. Websites increasingly focus on user experience. Gaming and simulations get more realistic. The cloud is where everything seems to live. Jobs and companies adapt, as do the people who work in them.
Latisha Alford, senior director of IT Workforce Readiness at Wake Tech, summarizes our approach well. “Given the rapid changes in IT, continuous education is essential to remain industry-relevant,” Alford states. “Our programs are tailored to meet industry demands, enabling students to acquire the skills necessary to adapt to change, embrace new technologies and enhanced career opportunities.”
Dean Cindy Luttrell explains the importance of hiring qualified and experienced instructors: “One of the IT Division’s greatest strengths in delivering quality instruction is our outstanding faculty. A hiring requirement for all IT faculty is relevant industry experience, which we feel is paramount in connecting the student’s education with real world scenarios.”
Marva Bell, who teaches data analytics, shared why she chose be an instructor, saying, “I wanted to pass on the knowledge I have gained through years of experience. I also like the diversity of the students at Wake Tech during these classes. Wake Tech has allowed me to also grow/learn in my own field in preparation for teaching these classes.”
The insight provided by tech organizations and industry partners is invaluable as we create and update our curriculum. Program advisory committees, comprised of subject matter experts, provide information, guidance and support. Along with their time and knowledge, many members provide scholarships and employment opportunities. Advisory committee feedback has been especially valuable to help us receive significant grants from the National Science Foundation earned by our Simulation and Game Development program and Cloud Infrastructure program.
Identifying skills the industry needs
CompTIA, an organization known for its industry certifications, also provides insight into IT trends. In mid-February, CompTIA published a list of the top 24 IT skills to learn in the year 2024 – including programming, AI, cybersecurity, big data, networking, technical support, web technologies, IT project management and business skills. Frankly, their list reads just like our course catalog. Similarly, their IT Industry Outlook 2024 highlighted the areas of AI, cybersecurity, big data, cloud computing and IT business practices – not just for tech companies, but for all companies and industries. Along with CompTIA’s certifications in these areas, we prepare students to earn certifications from ISC2, Certiport, Microsoft and Cisco.
When students succeed in our classes and earn certifications, they find themselves prepared for their futures. “I never imagined that I’d get an education beyond my expectations,” shared Wake Tech Cybersecurity student Beatrice Pate. “Wake Tech was already a good deal based on the cost, but the programs I have chosen prepared me beyond what I initially hoped for. I passed the ISC2 Certified in Cybersecurity with a cursory review at the beginning of the month. That shows me that the program prepared me to take the other certification examinations.”
Focused locally, NC TECH represents numerous “tech-enabled” (their word and, really, this means everyone) businesses, institutions, workers and students. They host conferences, support job fairs, provide advocacy for the IT industry and publish research. Among their resources includes a monthly IT Job Trends report that provides insight into hiring trends, including listing top jobs and in-demand skills. These findings mirror the research from CompTIA: programming, project management, data analytics, and web services are currently among the top skills listed in IT job postings statewide.
Another cybersecurity student, Olga Vaurynovich, helps drive home the point that all areas of IT, especially cybersecurity, affect everyone. “Cybersecurity is not limited to just one specific field; it spans all areas and permeates virtually every aspect of modern life. Considering the gravity of the situation, the job outlook for cybersecurity is promising to keep a steady pace upward and the needed skills will be in extremely high demand.”
Olga is right. As Cyberseek reports, there were 18,337 cybersecurity jobs posted in North Carolina within a 12 month period ending in August 2023. Their data also show that more than one-quarter of cybersecurity jobs in the state may go unfilled because of a lack of qualified talent. That’s in line with the national average. There are more cybersecurity jobs than people trained to fill them.
Developing durable skills
Durable skills are also important. America Succeeds recently partnered with CompTIA and others to develop a framework to help schools and businesses support students and employees “ultimately find success in their careers and communities” through the development of durable skills. These skills focus around ten themes: leadership, character, collaboration, communication, creativity, critical thinking, metacognition, mindfulness, growth mindset, and fortitude. According to their research, “seven out of the ten most requested skills in job postings are Durable Skills” and “employers seek these skills nearly four times more frequently than the top five technical or hard skills.” The Wake County Economic Development’s recent release of their “Triangle Talent: A Regional Skills Analysis (Volume 3)” listed communication skills and client relations, also durable skills, among their top five most important skills in IT jobs.
Data analytics instructor Chris Irabor discussed the importance of problem solving and other durable skills that are taught in our courses. “Students study data science and analytics for a combination of practical career prospects, intellectual stimulation, interdisciplinary appeal, and the opportunity to make a meaningful impact on the world,” said Irabor. “Data science teaches students how to extract actionable insights from data, enabling them to solve complex problems effectively. This skill set is transferable across many domains, making data scientists versatile problem solvers.”
Wake Tech students learn from instructors with relevant IT industry experience that connect to real-world scenarios.
At Wake Tech, we incorporate these technical and durable skills in our curriculum through courses, high-impact practices and extra-curricular activities. Whether taking courses on-campus or online, students engage in the same rigorous, relevant and active learning activities. All of our IT students can engage in internships or apprenticeships – which give them even more opportunities to build both technical and durable skills in a supportive work-based setting.
Two Cloud Infrastructure students gave specific examples about how they have applied lessons learned in class to real-world conditions on the job. Daniel Nguyen, an intern at Lenovo, said that “the Windows Administration class and (learning) PowerShell were very helpful for me,” and Avana Fullerton, an intern at NetApp, said that “The most helpful classes for me so far have been my Linux classes. Troubleshooting and hands-on experience are very useful!”
Students also participate in many clubs, including Code in Color, Game Development Club, Graphic Designers Association, National Society of Black Engineers and the Programming Club. These clubs provide a social outlet, support a sense of belongingness and help students network with industry professionals. Wake Tech Career Services also supports our students to network, apply for jobs, prepare for interviews and land their first IT role.
The IT employment landscape, just like all hiring trends, is constantly changing. We are preparing students for jobs that didn’t exist (with some companies that weren’t even here) six years ago when I joined the college. We will continue to rely on industry partners and labor market data, alongside the expertise of our faculty and interest of our students, to drive the decisions we make. We are our community’s college, with a mission to serve the entire community and will continue to provide the qualified and diverse candidates our employers rely on us for.
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Dr. Keith Babuszczak has served as provost at Wake Tech since 2019. Prior roles include dean and department head of Wake Tech’s IT Division. Before coming to Wake Tech, Keith led, supported and taught in middle and high school Career and Technical Education programs in Massachusetts, New York and Texas. He holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Sam Houston State University in Texas, a Master of Education in Information Science and Learning Technologies from the University of Missouri and a doctorate in Education from Sage College in Albany, NY. He recently traveled to India as a 2024-25 Fulbright Scholar.
