In
the instant it takes to connect to the Internet, the computer
profession changes again. So people who want to work in the
information technology field these days require supplemental
training, technically speaking.
Companies
across New Jersey need these kinds of skilled workers, and
several schools in the state offer the type of certification
programs that augment students’ computer and other skills.
Muhammad
Zafar, president and director of PC AGE, with schools in Parsippany
and Edison, says surveys have shown that as many as 356,000
computer and technical jobs are unfilled in American corporations
because companies cannot find people with the necessary skills.
"Companies
really are crying to get technical people," says Zafar,
the author of 17 books on computer programming. PC AGE offers
certifications at various levels, including Microsoft Certified
Systems Engineer (MCSE) and Certified Novell Administrator
(CNA) programs. Depending on their certification, graduates
can earn $40,000 to start and expect to earn six-figure salaries
soon thereafter.
A person
with an MCSE usually is qualified to plan, implement, maintain
and support information systems in an array of computing environments
using Microsoft Windows NT and Microsoft BackOffice suite
of software. Jobs requiring MCSE include LAN administrator,
systems analyst, network engineer and systems architect. People
with an MCSE certification command an average salary of $77,600,
according to a recent survey by Microsoft Corp.
A+, a certification
program developed by Comp TIA, helps students develop an understanding
of computer hardware and computer operating systems.
A Microsoft
Certified Solution Developer (MCSD) program qualifies people
to become Microsoft programmers, while an MCSE qualifies them
to become Microsoft engineers. Microsoft says that people
with an MCSE command average salaries of $94,000 a year in
the Northeast.
