If you are looking for some entry-level IT certifications to boost your career in the IT domain, you are at the right place. This article will discuss some of the best IT certifications for entry-level jobs that will build your foundation in the IT industry.
Whether you have recently graduated from college or are thinking about a career change, these certifications will help you launch your career in the right direction. Let us get started:
Here are top 10 Entry-level IT Certifications to Launch Your Career.
1. Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH)
Let us start with the most basic certification that offers you many opportunities in the IT sector, i.e., Ethical Hacking.
EC-COUNCIL OFFERS a CEH certification and proves that you are well trained to search for and identify vulnerabilities in computer systems. This certification makes the students think like hackers and encourages them to identify and solve the possible issues in the system.
This skill is always in demand in the IT industry and can land you excellent well-paying jobs.
2. Cisco Certified Technician (CCT)
CCT verifies that you can search for and repair or replace all sorts of Cisco Networking and System Devices.
The Cisco Certified Technician (CCT) certification validates your ability to diagnose, restore, repair, and replace critical Cisco networking and system devices at customer sites. It is available for various routes like Cisco data centre, collaboration, and routing, and switching.
If you have some data centre certification, you can take the exams for routing and switching certification. It is a 90-minute exam that requires 60-70 questions to be answered in 90 minutes, and every exam costs $125. Also, you have to renew your certificate every three years.
3. Certified Information System Security Professional (CISSP)
The next on the list is Certified Information System Security Professional (CISSP), a popular exam among IT experts that establishes your competence in cybersecurity. It is a badge that can protect the organization in case of a cyber-attack and showcases your technical and managerial skills.
The complete program contains topics like security and risk management, asset security, security architecture and engineering, communication and network security, identity and access management (IAM), and more. And through this certification, you can get jobs like security analyst, IT auditor, or information security analyst.
4. CompTIA IT Fundamentals+ (ITF+)
If you want to start a career in the IT industry, the CompTIA IT Fundamentals+ (ITF+) certification is one practical exam for you. It validates your knowledge in IT and offers you an idea about the overall work functions in the industry.
The whole course covers fundamental topics like roles and highlights of common operating systems, network connectivity, essential security practices, and the identification of common software applications.
If you want to continue the CompTIA certifications, it is the basic building block for you. You can take your examinations after paying the fee of $123.
5. CompTIA A+
The CompTIA A+ certification is one of the most well-known IT certifications in the profession. If you want to start your journey in the IT sector positions like service centre or help desk, it can be the hiring prerequisite.
It validates that you can solve problems with networking, operating systems, mobile devices, and security.
The exam costs $232 each, and you have to pass two exams that validate nine major IT skills. Also, you have to renew the certification after every three years.
6. Microsoft 365 Fundamentals
When talking about basic entry-level certification for the IT industry, Microsoft 365 Fundamentals certification cannot be avoided. It incorporates the basics of the Microsoft 365 suite of products and services and tests that you have basic knowledge about cloud services or the Software as a Service (SaaS) cloud model.
The best part about the certification is that it does not demand any prerequisites and costs just $99.
Check out Microsoft Certifications here.
7. Microsoft Technology Associate (MTA)
MTA is another entry-level certification for you if you want to switch your career to IT. It covers all the IT basics like software development, databases, HTML programming, and infrastructure. It can also offer you basic jobs like IT auditor or systems, network, or security administrator.
It is one such certification that you can call the foundation for other higher credentials for Microsoft. So if you are interested in working with Microsoft and want to launch your career, it is a well-recommended path for you.
Check out Microsoft Certifications here.
8. Google IT Support Professional Certificate
Google IT Support Professional Certification is developed by Google and hosted on Coursera.
It is designed to endorse a set of basic IT skills required in any entry-level job. In addition, it teaches the students to implement IT support exercises such as wireless networking and computer assembly. Once you complete your certification, you can send your resume to 20 project partners like Bank of America, PNC Bank, Hulu, Intel, and Google.
Check out Google Certifications here.
9. Systems Certified Security Practitioner (SSCP)
The SSCP is administered by the International Information Security Certification Consortium (ISC)² and reinforces your skills in implementing, monitoring, and administering IT infrastructure.
It is intended to demonstrate technical skills and knowledge in security practices, policies. If you are interested in security practices, it can offer you jobs like network security engineers, system administrators, analysts, consultants, administrators, systems and network analysts, and more.
The certification demands some prerequisites like at least one year of experience in one or more security-related areas or at least a bachelor’s degree in a computer-related program along with an (ISC)² membership.
10. PMI Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM)
The last on the list is the Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM) certification, one of the most common entry-level certifications for project management. It is offered by the Project Management Institute (PMI) and makes you qualified for many IT jobs.
It requires a secondary degree and at least 23 hours of project management education that you can attain through PMI’s Project Management Basics course (if you do not have that already).
You are a very clever individual!