IT professionals of all sorts need to know how to talk tech. XML, or Extensible Markup Language, is simply another way to make tech do the talking.
According to information from TechTarget, XML is “a flexible way to create common information formats and share both the format and the data on the World Wide Web, intranets and elsewhere.” TechTarget also notes that one of XML’s best applications is that is gives IT pros a consistent way to share information with uniform language. As a result, XML has become a popular format for both software development and document publishing and its widespread proliferation has created a wealth of job opportunities for those with XML training.
Who can benefit from XML training?
Modis, an international IT staffing firm, has pointed out that XML has become a standard tool for developers and it has an increasing role in the way data of all kinds are exchanged on the Web and within networks. This means that developers, network administrators and architects, programmers and systems managers are all good candidates for XML courses and training.
What should XML training cover?
For the most part, thorough XML training can be a great way to prepare for a career as an XML developer or programmer. Job duties for these in-demand tech pros often include include designing, developing and maintaining user interface using not only XML, but also HTML, XLS, DHTML and JavaScript. Because the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) has given XML a formal recommendation, Modis recommends that XML courses also cover W3C standards.
Career information from Modis also indicates that most XML jobs require candidates to have the following skills or qualifications in addition to XML training:
- Technical or vocational degree
- Great communications skills
- Logical, analytic problem -solving and thought-processing abilities
- Grasp of computer software lifecycles
Job opportunities: Life after XML training
A quick search of Dice.com, an IT job search website, pulled up nearly 10,000 current openings around the world for those with XML experience. This figure is right on track with figures from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, which show that the employment of computer software engineers and computer programmers, including those with XML training, is projected to increase by 21 percent between 2008 and 2018.
Those with XML training and skills will be able to fill many different job roles: The Dice search showed job opportunities for project managers, developers, program analysts, programmers, consultants and engineers all expected candidates to have completed some form of XML training.
