3. Portability of Skills

You are going to invest a lot of time, energy and money in preparing for an IT career. One of the best things about IT skills is that they are portable from industry to industry. Pharmaceutical companies, banks, steel mills and retail stores all have computer networks. A networking job in the clothing manufacturing industry uses the same primary skill set as a networking job for a supermarket chain. Therefore, if something disastrous happens to the industry you are in now (buggy whip manufacturers went out of business when automobiles became popular), you should be able to make a transition to another industry with little trouble.

In addition, the skills gained in IT tend to be universal as opposed to country specific. Your knowledge and experience will be valid around the world, not just in your hometown. This is somewhat unique to IT careers. My CPA (Certified Public Accountant) certification, while valid in America, would not be recognized in the UK. I would need to be certified by a British certification body before being allowed to audit financial statements in the UK. This makes good sense since accounting laws and practices vary widely between the US and the UK. However, my C++ programming skills are immediately recognized and useable in the UK. C++ programming works the same way in the UK as it does in the US. Professional IT certifications, such as the Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer (MCSE), are readily recognized in foreign countries. The tests for these certifications do not vary from country to country, therefore, an employer can be assured that an employee has gained the same level of skills no matter where they took the examination.

As you can see, a job in IT provides you more than just job security - it provides you with career security!^ix