HIGHEST Paid Skills in IT and Cybersecurity: Want to start an IT Career? HINT: Start with Networking

Summary

This video discusses the rising demand for IT and cybersecurity skills in light of the U.S. government's shift towards skill-based hiring, eliminating the four-year degree requirement. It highlights high-paying roles such as network engineering, cloud engineering, data center engineering, automation engineering, and security engineering, detailing average salaries and essential skills for each. Sponsored by Juniper Networks, the video emphasizes the availability of free training programs to help viewers gain foundational knowledge and certifications in these fields, encouraging hands-on projects to further enhance practical skills.

Takeaways

• 🚀 The U.S. government has removed the four-year degree requirement for cybersecurity and IT jobs, emphasizing skill-based hiring.
• 📈 There is a significant demand for cybersecurity and IT talent, driven by a growing skills gap in the industry.
• 🌐 Network engineering is a high-paying skill, with an average salary of $118,000 in the U.S.
• 🛡️ As a network engineer, essential skills include configuring network protocols and implementing security controls.
• ☁️ Cloud engineering averages $130,000 annually, requiring familiarity with platforms like AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud.
• 💾 Data center engineering offers a salary of $154,000 per year and involves managing physical servers and storage devices.
• 🤖 Automation engineers earn around $116,000 per year and focus on developing systems to automate repetitive tasks.
• 🔒 Security engineering has an average salary of $153,000 and includes designing processes to ensure data security.
• 📚 Juniper Networks offers free training paths in IT and cybersecurity, providing valuable resources for beginners.
• 👩‍💻 Hands-on projects, such as creating an intrusion detection system, can enhance practical skills and improve employability.

Q & A

What recent policy change has been made by the US government regarding IT and cybersecurity jobs?

The US government has removed the four-year degree requirement for cybersecurity and IT jobs, shifting towards skill-based hiring to attract talent.

What is the significance of the $244 million investment mentioned in the video?

This investment aims to expand work-based learning programs, including registered apprenticeships, to help fill the skills gap in the IT and cybersecurity sectors.

What are the average salaries for network engineers and cloud engineers in the US?

The average salary for a network engineer is $118,000, while a cloud engineer earns an average of $130,000 per year.

What are the primary responsibilities of a network engineer?

Network engineers design, implement, and manage networks, ensuring effective communication, resource sharing, and network security within an organization.

Which tools are recommended for beginners in network engineering?

Beginners are advised to learn to configure common networking devices like Junos, and use tools such as Wireshark and Nmap.

How can someone start learning cloud engineering according to the video?

Aspiring cloud engineers should focus on one specific cloud platform (e.g., AWS, Azure, or Google Cloud) and utilize free training resources provided by these platforms.

What distinguishes the role of a data center engineer from that of a cloud engineer?

Data center engineers manage the physical infrastructure of a company's data center, ensuring operational performance and availability, while cloud engineers handle cloud-based resources and services.

What skills should an automation engineer focus on developing?

Automation engineers should learn DevOps best practices, a common scripting language like Python, and tools such as Ansible and REST APIs.

What are the core responsibilities of a security engineer?

Security engineers implement and design processes to secure data, provide security guidance to development teams, manage incidents, and work on compliance requirements.

What hands-on projects are suggested for gaining experience in IT and cybersecurity?

The video suggests projects such as setting up a home lab with an intrusion detection system or creating a phishing attack simulator for practical experience.