If you are eyeing the IT service sector you need to be very cautious about the degree you choose to pursue. For most IT companies, a degree in engineering with technical skills remains the basic qualification. Although specific technical skills are an added advantage, training continues to be a part of an organisation’s orientation and differs according to the needs of the respective organisation.

Money matters

Remuneration has always been a big factor for students to select their careers and the IT industry is known for just that. Over the years entry-level salaries have seen a sharp increase, especially for graduates form top B-schools. However, students coming from tier II and tier III towns should not expect similar entry-level salaries. After all, the reason the industry has been taking business to these towns and setting up offices is because the salary demands in these towns are lower than those for tier I towns.

Indian IT salaries have been growing by 14-15% a year and yet, they are still pale in comparison to the US. But, as demand continues to outstrip supply, the salary levels in India will continue to grow. Besides, the salaries offered will also differ based on the size of the organisation. Even if salary levels do not change, with consolidation of business and the US market affecting profit margins, benefits and compensations will take a back seat.

Special training

The list for areas of specialised training that can benefit beginners is long. The Indian information technology sector is dominated by IT software and services such as custom application development and maintenance (CADM), system integration, IT consulting, application management, infrastructure management services, software testing, service-oriented architecture and web services.

Security is another issue in this sector and specialised technical skills in this area are also in demand. Application development and integration, business intelligence and data warehousing, data centre and IT operations, and enterprise architecture are just a few of the items on the list that aspirants can look to explore.

Taken from - Times Of India.