What is ICT and Why Should You Be Interested?

Information and Communication Technology, or ICT, refers to the suite of technologies that support modern computing. ICT comprises all of the technological tools and resources that we use to communicate, create, disseminate, store, and manage information on computers and in the cloud.

Let’s take a closer look at ICT studies and why it could be a good fit for you.

1. What is it, exactly?

If studying computer science isn’t your thing, but you want a career working with computers, communication, or technology, then ICT may be a good fit.

While it’s similar to IT—Information Technology, ICT focuses on communication. This includes the internet, wireless networks, cell phones, and other media for communication.

Communication technologies have exploded in popularity around the world. People can now communicate internationally with instant messaging, voice over IP (VoIP), and video-conferencing. Social networking sites also facilitate the ease of communication across countries.

A typical ICT degree focuses on business uses for computer networks. While you won’t study the theoretical aspects of modern computing, you will learn the theory of networks, the architecture of operating systems, and hardware operations.

You should also learn practical skills, like computer repair, fixing routers and switches, and network server operating systems and their configurations.

Some of your work will overlap with the IT world, and some of it will focus specifically on the communications piece.

2. Why Should I Be Interested?

A degree in ICT gets you a job

The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) in Paris recently published a study that showed ICT graduates with high rates of employment upon graduation.

The Education at a Glance 2017 report showed that 88 percent of 25-64 year olds who had studied ICT were employed when they graduated. Compare that to employment rates of 81 percent for those who studied arts, humanities, social sciences and journalism, and 85 percent for business and law students.

Bottom line? A degree in ICT will get you a job.

You can apply your studies to the whole world

People all over the world rely on communication technologies and computers every day to do their work. You’ll get to help by making things, applying what you know, and what you’ve learned. Your skills can be put to good use so that information can reach not just the world wide web, but the whole wide world.

You’ll have amazing travel opportunities

Because your skills have an international effect, you ‘ll have the chance to travel. ICT specialists are needed the world over—and you’ll easily find jobs wherever you look.

Working worldwide will boost your resume, too—and give you that edge you want to find more advanced jobs in the field later in your career.

You don’t need extensive math skills

Unlike studying computer science, which is math- and theory-heavy, studying ICT does not require you to be super-good at math.

What do you need? An interest in information communications, basic math and reading—and the ability to think logically and make connections.

If you’ve completed high school successfully, then you have the basic skills to launch your career in ICT.

You need lots of creativity and imagination

The field needs creative problem-solvers. Right now ICT is growing so rapidly, it can be hard to figure out which problems to solve and when.

Working in ICT requires you to be a thoughtful problem solver—and that means that not every problem can be solved with protocols.

Why? As an ICT professional, you need to create the solutions to problems—and then adapt them to fit individual cases.

Top-up your virtual problem-solving and creative skills and get your ICT career launched.