Which IT career is right for me

Thanks to the continuous evolution of digital technologies, the rise of artificial intelligence (AI), and the rising awareness of the significance of cybersecurity practices, the growth of the industry is showing no signs of slowing down. At the same time, the industry is extremely broad, offering an extensive range of career opportunities.

Has the IT industry always piqued your interest? Have you been thinking about the career opportunities the industry offers, but aren’t sure where to begin?

We’re here to help you find which avenue is right for you.

The outlook of the IT industry 

According to Deloitte, the tech sector is forecast to see a growth in global IT spend in 2024 of 5.7% to 8%. This growth is expected to continue into the distant future, with the Australian Computer Society’s (ACS) Digital Pulse report predicting the nation’s technology investment to surpass $260 billion in 2030.

Despite this, the ACS has highlighted the need for skilled professionals, with the current trajectory showcasing a failure to cater for the industry's growth. With an expected 11.2 million Australian workers expected to need to reskill due to the industry’s evolution, this tech skills shortage is expected to cost the economy up to $16 billion by 2030.

So if you’re looking to start a career in IT, there’s never been a better time than right now.

What fields of IT can you study?

In-demand IT career fields include:

• Artificial intelligence
• Cybersecurity
• Data analytics
• Game programming
• Software development
• Web or app development and UX

At Torrens University, our Bachelor of Information Technology offers a modern curriculum designed in tandem with industry leaders and focused on developing highly skilled, in-demand graduates.

Within the course, you will have an opportunity to complete four elective subjects from a specialist area of your choosing – broadening your skillset and tailoring your course towards your specific career goals.

How do you start a career in artificial intelligence?

The world of Artificial Intelligence (AI) has taken the world by storm, with modern applications like ChatGPT rising to the fore. However, there’s much more to AI than that. From robotics and natural language processing to speech recognition and machine learning – the power of AI is a truly fascinating study.

The reality that such technology is continuously evolving has made it a compelling field to pursue a career in, as more and more businesses understand its significance and look to integrate it within their day-to-day operations.

With a degree qualification in AI, you’ll place yourself at the forefront of industry demand for skilled workers in a career such as a Systems Architect, which has a promising 27% growth rate over the coming five years.

To get started, you’ll want to develop skills including programming, data modelling and machine learning. You could get this by specialising in AI through our Bachelor of Information Technology, or deep dive into the field with our Bachelor of Software Engineering (Artificial Intelligence).

How do you start a career in cybersecurity?

Cybersecurity has grown in prevalence as global cyberattacks continue to skyrocket. Are you always wondering how hackers penetrate businesses? By gaining expertise in cybersecurity, you will gain invaluable skills as you explore principles ranging from ethical hacking to penetration testing. You’ll learn to protect the digital fortress, developing innovative cybersecurity solutions to safeguard against attacks.

With a qualification in Cybersecurity, you could pursue roles such as Cybersecurity Analyst. It’s a career where skilled workers are in demand, projected to experience a job growth of 38.9% over the next 5 years.

How do you start a career in data analytics?

By choosing to specialise in data analytics, you’ll understand how to prepare, handle and model data to help companies make strategic business decisions. You’ll cover aspects including probabilities and statistics, and classification and regression, allowing you to build your data prowess.

With this data expertise, you’ll open the door to a multitude of career doors, including as a Data Engineer. This role has become a key role in IT departments, where you will be able to apply your extensive analytical and programming skills.

To advance in this career area, look to our Data Analytics specialisations and graduate equipped with the skills you need to guide major business decisions.

How do you start a career in game programming?

Through specialising in game programming, you will be able to transform your love for coding and games into a career. With access to industry-standard software, and gaming engines like Unity and Unreal Engine, you’ll be able to code games to life using programming languages including Python, C++ and C#. You’ll even be able to develop games using the PlayStation platform!

With this skillset under your belt, careers at leading AAA-studios will be within reach, joining game designers in roles such as Game Programmer and Game Systems Designer. Could you be on the team that develops the world’s next big video game?

Ready to get started as a Game Programmer? Right now is the perfect time, with the video game industry projected to grow by 73.8% from 2020 to 2027.

How do you start a career in software development?

By choosing to specialise in software development, you will gain expertise in the holistic process of designing, documenting, programming, testing and maintaining innovative software solutions. These skills can be applied across a wide range of business information systems and environments. You will learn how to take ideas across the software journey to implementation with your knowledge of Python, C++, C# and more.

Studying software development will also open you up to career opportunities in roles such as Software Developer, which SEEK forecasts to see a 27% job growth over the next five years.

How do you start a career in web or app development and UX?

Leverage the latest in interaction design and front-end design technologies to create compelling user experiences across mediums like web and app. In a web development and design course, you’ll learn to code your ideas to life as you gain proficiency in coding languages like JavaScript and acquire an understanding of the end-to-end user experience design process – from understanding the problem to hypothesising solutions and ultimately developing innovative solutions across a broad range of applications.

With this specialisation, you’ll set yourself up for success in in-demand roles like Web Developer, which is expected to grow 27% over the next five years.