No longer is knowledge of Information Technology (IT) reserved for a small subset of people staring at computer screens, it's everywhere, including our jobs, no matter what industry we work in. The ability to connect such a wide variety of devices to the internet, local networks, and to other peripheral devices has prompted a substantial need for basic understanding of IT to be successful in the workplace.

Outside of a relatively small number of occupations that focus intensively on IT, nearly every worker nowadays needs to understand basic network principles and the opportunities and risks associated with them in order to maximize the effectiveness of advancing technologies in the workplace. However, IT is a vague term that describes neither an industry nor occupation, but rather a system that crosses multiple boundaries. This important and difficult to define economic need has created opportunities for workers in various occupations and industries that have IT-related skills and knowledge.

Larger companies that have more need and resources often have dedicated professionals who have trained in a specific IT field, even if they aren't associated with the IT industry. Other companies might focus on the development and delivery of IT solutions and also hire dedicated staff with specific skills, many of which are in demand and pay handsomely. In Central Minnesota, there are eight specific IT occupations that are in high demand. All require additional education after high school, ranging from vocational training to a bachelor's degree.

The most common IT-related occupation in Central Minnesota is Software Developers & Software Quality Assurance Analysts & Testers with an estimated 980 jobs in the region, and a median wage of nearly $91k per year. Other high demand occupations include Computer User Support Specialists, Computer Systems Analysts, and Network & Computer Systems Administrators. The highest earning IT occupation is Computer & Information Systems Managers, which had median wages above $121k (see Figure 1).

At smaller companies, IT skills are oftentimes leveraged by workers in occupations that aren't clearly defined as being "IT". Sometimes this means the worker who has the most knowledge of IT, regardless of their training, becomes the de facto "IT person", doing whatever they can to meet the needs of the organization. This not only creates opportunities for workers without formal IT-related training, but it also means IT-related skills are becoming increasingly important for workers to be successful in the workplace, regardless of their occupation.

For More Information

Contact Luke Greiner, Labor Market Analyst, at luke.greiner@state.mn.us