BECOMING
IT
PART OF THE
CROWD Yavapai College Offers Google IT Support Professional Certificate Program. -Zara Glidden and Yavapai College
A
s an Information Technology (IT) specialist in the digital age, can you really help your clients from any location? Is it possible to live in Northern Arizona, work on your own terms, and still play an active role in your community? The short answer to those questions is yes. IT workers have countless options open to them. No matter whether they plan to work for a company or as independent contractors, demand for IT services isn’t limited by region or population. IT support is one of the fastest-growing fields in the United States. With the right skills, dedication, and connections, you can carve out a flourishing career in this sector, working from anywhere in the world. The availability of high-wage IT jobs in areas with a higher quality of life (and lower cost-of-living) has slowed the flow of IT workers toward urban U.S. tech hubs. Tech professionals are increasingly seeking work in new areas, and even large companies are scouting more rural and suburban talent. Specializing in keeping systems running smoothly, and upgrading and updating as needed, IT support workers frequently do their jobs remotely. It’s only really necessary to have an onsite presence in two situations: when installing new hardware or infrastructure, and when replacing faulty equipment. Beyond that, IT workers generally only need to go on-site once to physically install remote-access programs. Well before the COVID-19 pandemic, remote tech work in the US had become easier and more
widely accepted than ever before. The shutdowns due to the pandemic in 2020 accelerated the remote work trend, with many businesses pleasantly surprised at how well workfrom-home solutions performed. As Arizo-
nans become more interested in what’s possible as remote work options, area schools, colleges and universities are stepping up their tech education programs. For those looking to start a career in IT, the resources and education necessary are closer than you might think. Yavapai College (YC) has partnered with Google to offer their students an opportunity to earn the Google IT Support Professional Certificate. This is an accredited online course that teaches the skills needed to start a career path in IT support. As part of the Grow with Google initiative to ensure tech opportunities are available to all, YC’s certificate program is designed to graduate students with skills in troubleshooting, customer service, networking, operating systems, system administration and security.
What is truly exciting about this program is that Grow with Google reports 80% of Google IT Support Professional Certificate learners in the U.S. experience a career impact within 6 months, such as finding a new job, getting a raise, or starting a new business. The program, developed by Google, is specifically designed to cover what IT professionals need to know to start or move ahead in the field. Yavapai College offers its own advantages by offering online tutoring for the selfpaced IT support certificate classes. While it is possible to enroll in the certificate program and walk out the door with the core skills needed to become an IT professional, students also earn 3 credit hours for each of the two courses. This means students can also apply those credit hours to an Associate degree if they choose to move ahead with their college education. As more business moves online, there has never been a greater need for IT support professionals and Northern Arizona is rising to meet that demand. Yavapai College is listening to what their students and businesses want and is helping people enter this part of the tech sector better prepared than ever before. u
