Glossary
IT Training
IT training is a broad phrase that covers a variety of industries, technical information, and other aspects related to the internal processes that a business relies on to function.
Technical IT training encompasses many skill sets. Knowing exactly what it means to your company will help you the next time you’re looking for training labs or reading the resume of a potential new hire.
IT training is precisely what it sounds like: education that targets the Information Technology (IT) industry.
IT training solutions provide you with the skills required for the various jobs in IT. Having a certification goes a long way to understanding the latest industry standards and practices, and many job seekers sign up for IT labs for this reason.
What Skills Does IT Training Encompass?
IT courses cover most of the business processes regarding computer information systems, including:
- Design and development
- Implementation
- Technical support
- Maintenance and management
Companies can use these skills to train employees, customers, and partners. The skills an individual earns through these programs can enable them to complete tasks, including:
- Building and maintaining digital infrastructure
- Managing and coding databases
- Dealing with enterprise applications, such as CRM, call center technologies, and automated billing
- Handling desktop applications, or programs and services for desktop users throughout the business
- Obtaining necessary certifications
- Protecting the company’s IT networks and systems through cybersecurity training
IT training is broad and can cover a variety of industries, each with unique needs. However, every company requires IT expertise in some form.
Who Takes IT Training?
Many large fields seek out workers who have taken information technology coursework. Some sectors of the tech industry that desire this type of training the most include:
- App development
- Cloud computing
- Communications and VoIP
- Database management
- Engineering
- Networking
- Web design
The types of employees, customers, and partners most likely to participate in IT training courses involve business professionals who handle computers and software often for their organizations. It’s not uncommon for even lower-level management to receive business-to-consumer (B2C) training.
Others may choose to learn IT skills to gain job credentials or certifications to help in their future careers. Many governments invest in training for the sake of cybersecurity too.
Why Do Definitions Vary?
Experienced hiring managers realize that there is an unfortunate dichotomy in what many perceive as “IT training.” Whenever you see “experienced in IT” on a resume, it could refer to either:
- Basic knowledge of office programs like Microsoft Word, Excel, or PowerPoint
- Business-level understanding of CMS (content management systems), CRM (customer relationship management), or other similar technology
- Specialized skills for popular programs like Photoshop
- Deep-level IT knowledge, such as helpdesk skills, hardware maintenance and installation, and complicated software packages.
That’s why it’s essential to clear up what kind of experience you’re talking about. While none of these definitions are entirely wrong, a generic reference to “IT training” can be misleading.
The Relationship Between IT and eLearning
One of the best ways to provide IT training is through virtual IT labs. This type of training includes virtual classrooms that teach the necessary technical skills to employees, business partners, and even clients.
Virtual labs have a variety of advantages over traditional physical classes, including:
- Online classes can provide a deeper understanding of the material. Lessons may include videos, images, interactive modules, and other multimedia. During instructor-led training, participants can communicate both with their peers and with instructors regarding difficult sections. Instructors can even assume control to help a participant work through a specific problem.
- Online training means lower costs. All material is accessible from any device that can access the Internet. This can help your organization reduce your costs.
- Your participants can attend from anywhere. You can easily interact with and train employees and clients from anywhere in the world. There’s no need for them to be physically present.
- Virtual labs are more flexible. They enable users to take on self-paced training and spend extra time on what they find challenging without holding up the rest of the class.
- You can create customizable coursework. Whether your teaching basic company policy or high-level programming, you can tailor each lesson to the skill level of a user. This allows you to provide a deeper understanding thanks to simulated workstations and tutorials. Virtual labs are the closest you can get to hands-on IT training online.
- Take advantage of deep level analytics. Businesses receive instant feedback on employee performance through analytics. You can see how individual users are performing and where they are struggling.
Does My Organization Need IT Training?
Virtual software training increases your employees’ and customers’ productivity and confidence. The certifications and skills they receive will assist them not only in their current roles but also in their overall career.
Not convinced? Consider that, according to the LinkedIn 2019 Workplace Learning Report, over 80% of executives encourage professional learning in the workplace, and almost 60% claim they will be investing in online education.
It’s not just about knowing how to use certain types of software; IT training will positively impact your business’s bottom line. Your business can’t compete without the right skills, confidence, and experience it provides.
