According to corporate research and advisory firm Foote Partners, enterprise solutions courses can help boost a student’s salary by as much as 8 percent. Job candidates in over 250 project management and specialty software niches can earn more than their peers, even without completing official tech certifications. For professionals without the time to pursue advanced IT certifications, enterprise solutions training offers a fast path to incremental career growth.
What do students learn from enterprise solutions courses?
Enterprise solutions courses include both broad concepts and targeted software training, but they all share the goal of equipping tech professionals with the know-how to help business run smoothly and efficiently. For example, a seasoned professional getting ready to implement a new software application may take a few catch up courses in the complementary technologies. A job seeker preparing to change industries, on the other hand, may prefer to enroll in a more comprehensive enterprise solutions program to gain a wider set of enterprise skills.
What professions benefit the most from enterprise solutions training?
According to Foote Partners’ research, professionals earn more when they blend their career experience with exposure to the latest technology. Many of the applications and systems taught in enterprise solutions training transfer across multiple businesses and industries. A strong project manager in the software development industry, for example, could combine his or her skills and a love of cars to earn a job working in the IT side of the automotive field. Technology career experts note that the highest-paid managers at large companies often create their own niches through rare combinations of training and talent.
Which subjects will enterprise solutions courses normally cover?
Enterprise solutions courses range from broad, conceptual programs to classes that cover just a single application. Employers often seek team members with training in specialized tools and processes, such as:
- Intuit QuickBooks. This ubiquitous tool for small business has grown into an essential platform at many medium-sized firms. Students learn the system’s more complex features, including integration into payroll and merchant processing systems.
- SAP (Systems Applications and Products). This global software developer makes customizable databases that manage customer relationships, monitor supply chains, and track compliance with legal and financial rules.
- Crystal Reports. SAP’s reporting tool helps company leaders make sense of complex data.
- Customer Relationship Management (CRM). Understanding core concepts in CRM helps students navigate a variety of tools from vendors like SAP, Salesforce and Oracle.
- Business Intelligence (BI) and Analysis. This relatively new breed of software helps professionals gain insight from a company’s data streams.
- Project Management. Regardless of the software in use, project management professionals employ a consistent set of best practices. Completing a basic course qualifies candidates to serve on formal project teams, a step toward eventual Project Management Professional certification.
- IBM Lotus. One of the first project management and collaboration suites, Lotus still plays an important role in many Fortune 500 companies.
- Management Information Systems (MIS). MIS specialists understand how to make homegrown and off-the-shelf solutions talk to one another while planning for future growth.
- Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP). With ERP suites from SAP, Oracle, and Microsoft on the market, professionals who can apply concepts across multiple platforms become especially valuable.
- Six Sigma. Motorola executives popularized this process of measuring, then eliminating defects from manufacturing processes. General Electric CEO Jack Welch used the philosophy to overhaul his company’s business development process in the 1990s.
Many colleges and universities offer enterprise solutions courses as part of their broader technology degree programs. With the right planning, these courses can earn credit toward an associate’s or a bachelor’s degree.
Are there any certification exams one could sit for after enterprise solutions training?
Foote Partners and the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics note that a handful of IT certifications carry considerable clout when it comes to the hiring process. Large companies stand ready to reward candidates holding one of these rare certifications:
- IBM Business Analytics (Cognos/SPSS)
- Project Management Professional (PMP)
- Six Sigma Black Belt or Six Sigma Master Black Belt
With many industries experiencing significant shifts in technology and methodology, broad enterprise solutions training helps professionals prepare for unpredictable changes and for tools that haven’t even been invented yet. Salary surveys show that workers who invest in lifelong learning consistently earn more than peers who rely only on their experience. Flexible learning options connect even busy managers to training programs that can redefine their careers.
