Why High School Students Should Get IT Certifications Before They Graduate

IT careers are some of the most in demand jobs in Canada and there does not seem to be any slowing down of opportunities in the IT sector. Recently, a high school student posted on social media asking if she should take her CompTIA certifications the summer before university. Of course, many responses said yes, absolutely! But why wait for graduation? Why not now? Many high school students are capable of successfully taking IT certification exams. Why not encourage these youths to start taking these exams earlier on in their high school years? Students have time off in the summer, so why not participate in a boot camp program or do a self-paced online learning course? The more you research, the more you cannot turn away from the benefits of encouraging youth to get their certifications young. So, why should you encourage youth who are interested in IT to get certified?  

1. IT certifications introduces youth to the career before starting post-secondary, giving them valuable insight into expectations and their potential career path.  
2. Delivery of prep courses such as the CompTIA A+ certification or Fundamentals + certification have never been more diverse. The pandemic resulted in many courses being delivered online from the convenience of your home. There are live-online instructor-led programs or on-demand self-paced courses that allow flexibility. 
3. The opportunity to break into a career in IT upon graduating high school is a real possibility for students who already have their IT certifications. Post-secondary education is not for everyone and often not required for positions in IT such as help desk technicians and network field technicians.  These positions are often fulfilled by individuals who have certifications such as the CompTIA Network+ certification or Google’s IT support professional certification.  
4. Certifications ingrained in the IT profession. If your child is thinking about IT, they will inevitably complete certification exams on a regular basis and may as well become comfortable with them now. Unlike most other career paths, IT professionals are consistently updating their skills and regularly taking certification exams to prove their knowledge. In fact, most positions have certification requirements on job postings and most certifications expire. The use of certifications in the field ensure that professionals are staying up to date with the ever-changing IT industry. Youth who start early can move up the certification pathway and have numerous certifications before graduating.  
5. Internships, co-ops, and volunteer placements will be easier to obtain because certifications prove to employers that there will be added value to having the student join their team.  
6. Students can experiment with different IT topics and pathways. IT certifications can be found in areas such as app building, cloud computing, IT solutions and cybersecurity.  
7. Certifications and the knowledge that students learn when preparing for these exams help to give students a confidence boost. Those looking to attend University or college will have learned foundational knowledge that will help them to succeed in the post-secondary pathway.  

IT certification pathways have so much to offer youth. Find out more about how youth can prepare to become certified through one of TechnoEdge Learning’s cybersecurity courses. If you want to learn more about different types of IT training certification, read our previous blog comparing Vendor-Neutral and Vendor-Specific training. 

Written by: Marla Ovenden‑Cooper