Although their continues to be a growing need for people who are skilled in technology and science, those who are interested in a career in this field are looking for ways to make certain they provide a skill that cannot be outsourced. .After all, some people within the technology field have found that their talents can be easily obtained by people living in other countries who can perform the tasks at a much lower rate. As such, many people with a technology background are choosing to go back to school in order to gain new skills or to improve the ones they already have so they can be more marketable in our increasingly global market.

While some students are simply looking for refresher courses or in taking workshops that only take a few days to complete, others are interested in graduate degree programs that can take them years to finish. The demand for these programs is so great that some schools are reporting that enrollment is up by as much as 50% in their continuing education programs.

In many cases, the students are looking for the training they need to provide a niche service that will help to broaden their appeal. As some experts in the field have put it, technology professionals need to be “T-shaped,” meaning they need to be highly knowledgeable in one technology discipline while also possessing a broad range of other desirable skills. As a result, many schools are choosing to offer hybrid courses that focus on computing skills as well as business practices. In many cases, these courses include topics such as data analytics and knowledge services in combination with business processes.

“All the business knowledge and data analytics is further up the economic ladder than pure technology along,” said Ram Akella, who is a professor of information systems and technology management at the University of California in Santa Cruz, in a New York Times article. “That work is not going to go offshore.”

Heading back to school doesn’t just help technology professionals brush up on their skills, however, as it also serves as an important networking opportunity. By enrolling in classes – whether through an online school or a ground school – you will come in contact with other professionals in the field. These connections can ultimately lead to employment opportunities that you might not have otherwise discovered. Furthermore, many employers are impressed by professionals who have taken the initiative to enroll in classes and to improve upon their skills. Therefore, no matter how you look at it, enrolling in classes can go a long way toward making you more marketable and more likely to hang onto your job once you have landed it.

If you are interested in pursuing a technology career, visit the Top Colleges Computers page to learn more about exciting career opportunities. Or, if you are a technology expert who is looking to add marketable skills to your resume, you might want to check out our Business page to learn more about how to brush up on your business skills.