50-Year-Old IT Professional with 17 Years Experience Seeks Guidance on Studying and Working Abroad

Ans: Dear Venkat,

Thank you for writing in.

It's nice that you are looking at building your skills. IT, as an industry is quite vast. I may not be in the position to give you a direct answer as to which course you should do but few q's you may ask yourself which will you help come to conclusion-
1- Which latest technology that is having competitive advantage
2- Do I want to change the domain/ language or continue in the same. If you want to continue then you can look at relatable courses.
3- What are the opportunities I may have if I add these (x) skills to my profile. How will it help me stand out in the competition
4- Should I work on my soft skills for example- (People skills, managerial skills, communication skills etc.) as these will be needed at every level of your career
5- Speak to senior professionals in your industry and take their views points

Before enrolling into any course assess your current skills, interests and the specific need of the industry you are in. Choose a course which will align with your career, aspiration and interest that you want to take professionally.

Hope this helps. All the best.

To your success. Be You. Be Confident
Ashwini Dasgupta
Author of Confidence Decoded. Is it a skill or attitude.

Ans: Considering your extensive work experience in the IT industry and your desire to pursue further studies to boost your career growth, there are several options you could consider. An executive MBA program is specifically designed for professionals with significant work experience who are looking to enhance their managerial and leadership skills. EMBA programs typically offer flexible schedules, allowing you to continue working while pursuing your studies. This option would provide you with advanced business knowledge and skills, preparing you for higher-level management roles within IT companies or other industries. Pursuing a master's degree in IT can deepen your technical expertise and knowledge in specific areas of information technology. You can also consider specialized master's programs in areas such as cybersecurity, data science, artificial intelligence, cloud computing, or software engineering, depending on your interests and career goals. You can obtain professional certifications in relevant IT domains to demonstrate your expertise and proficiency to employers. Certifications such as Project Management Professional (PMP), Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP), AWS Certified Solutions Architect, or Certified Scrum Master (CSM) can enhance your skills and credibility. If you're interested in pursuing advanced research or academic roles in the IT field, consider pursuing a Ph.D. program. A Ph.D. would allow you to delve deeply into a specific area of IT, contribute to cutting-edge research, and potentially transition into roles such as university professor or research scientist. Explore short-term courses, workshops, or boot camps offered by reputable institutions or online platforms in areas of interest within IT.

Before making a decision, carefully consider your career goals, interests, and personal circumstances. Research the different options available to you, including program requirements, curriculum, faculty expertise, and career outcomes.

Ans: Hello Robin,

To begin with, thank you for contacting us. I am glad to know that you are working as a technical support engineer and now wish to settle abroad. To answer your question first, I would like to tell you that when thinking about moving overseas for a job in technical support, you should consider nations with robust technology industries and a high demand for information technology specialists. I would like to let you know that the UK, the USA, Germany, and Canada are ideal options owing to their strong technology industries and abundance of employment possibilities in technical support professions. These nations have not only a significant need for technology experts but also provide an excellent standard of living, competitive pay, and varied workplace settings.

To help boost their technology industries, Canada and Germany specifically have been actively recruiting skilled immigrants. You would be glad to know that technology experts find it easier to immigrate thanks to Canada’s Global Talent Stream program and Germany’s EU Blue Card initiative. A wealth of possibilities particularly in technology hotspots viz., Silicon Valley are provided by the USA, nevertheless, acquiring a work visa can be more difficult. The UK also boasts a vibrant technology environment, particularly in cities viz., Manchester and London, and provides technology experts with a Tech Nation Visa. I would recommend that you take into account these nations based on your linguistic abilities, professional objectives, and individual choices.

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