Herzing Blog

It seems like every month brings a new high-profile cybersecurity breach. Many companies simply don’t have enough trained cybersecurity professionals to set up effective monitoring, prevention, and incident response protocols.

Sergio Gonzalez designed the 12-month cybersecurity program at Herzing College to produce grads who can meet those challenges. He has more than 20 years of IT experience and knows what it takes to thrive in today’s workforce.

We spoke to Sergio recently to learn more about the program, the online format, and what students can expect in his class. Here’s what he had to say.

Eric Colaciello spent a few years pursuing post-secondary training in social science and urban studies before realizing that path just wasn’t right for him. After doing some self-reflection and exploring the available options, he decided to strike out in a totally new direction—and enrolled in the online software development program at Herzing College.

He had no experience with either coding or remote learning. But he persevered, graduating in October 2023 and landing contract work with the same organization where he’d done his internship.

We spoke with Eric to get his impressions of the program and the online learning experience in general. Here are the highlights of that conversation.

Nothing in Ayodele Daini’s background had prepared him for a career in information technology. On the contrary, he’d spent years working in the fields of agronomy and property management. But he’d always been interested in tech, and when he moved to Canada he decided to make that his new career path.

That led him to enrol in the online cybersecurity program from Herzing College. After an intense year of study, he graduated in April 2023 and quickly landed an IT security job with a major Crown corporation.

We spoke to Ayodele to get his thoughts on the training and his overall career journey. Here are the highlights of that conversation.

You've probably heard there's strong demand for software developers and programmers. But exactly what kinds of jobs can you get as a total beginner? And what salary will you make just starting out?

It can be tricky to get a clear picture of entry-level programming jobs. Employers have very different ideas about what skills a beginner should have, depending on the clients they serve and the projects they work on.

To make things easier, we analyzed dozens of programmer job postings on sites like Indeed, Monster, and LinkedIn. From there, we identified the four most common entry-level jobs in software development and programming.

In this post, we describe each role, including the average salary for candidates with little-to-no experience (based on the latest data from the Government of Canada Job Bank). We also provide details on the demand for programmers and developers, the skills employers look for, and how you can position yourself for success.

With increasing access to resources that can help you learn computer networking skills on your own, is there any reason to enrol in a more traditional program? What advantages does learning from an instructor offer over going the self-taught route?

Instructor-led training offers a more personalized, interactive learning experience. Course leaders can tailor the content and teaching approach to their audience’s needs, and students can get real-time feedback from an experienced IT pro and build connections that can help them establish and advance their careers.

In this post, we explore the advantages of instructor-led computer networking training and offer some tips on choosing the right course.

The software development field has changed enormously over the past two decades. Today, there are hundreds of different programming languages for various uses, the focus is on cloud computing, and agile methodologies allow for faster, more collaborative development.

Naresh Nagandla has plenty of first-hand experience with these changes. He’s been working in the software field for more than 15 years, in both development and teaching roles. And he recently became an instructor for the software development program at Herzing College.

We caught up with Naresh to learn more about his career journey and what students can expect from the course.

Here are the highlights of our conversation.

Updated July 2023

Just what is computer networking? It’s the practice of connecting devices to share information. And it’s one of the hottest fields around.

Companies have long relied on computer networking experts to design, build, secure, maintain, and support the digital information systems that link employees and customers. But with the enormous shift to remote work during the pandemic, the demand for networking professionals really took off.

As companies implemented work-from-home policies or a hybrid office structure, employees who were once connected to in-office setups had to learn remote practices. That often involved using new sharing software, connecting to a company-wide VPN, or other tactics. As a result, the need for those experienced in computer networking has grown dramatically.

As in any field, computer networking jobs have various levels. To succeed and move up, you need to demonstrate good problem-solving, communication, prioritizing, and teamwork skills. You also need to keep up with rapidly changing technology.

So where could you start out as a total beginner, and what opportunities are there to advance your career?

Keep reading to explore seven different computer networking jobs, from entry-level roles to the most senior positions.

Cybersecurity continues to be a top concern for companies all over the world. Tech research and consulting firm Gartner estimates that global spending on information security controls and risk management products and services will total more than $188 billion in 2023—an 11 per cent increase over 2022.

So, given the growth in this field, what can you expect in the year ahead?

Updated January 2023

Software development is a field that’s just exploding with opportunities across Canada. According to data from the Labour Market Information Council, there have been more than 11,000 online job postings for programmers annually for the last three years. What’s more, developers came in at number one on Randstad’s list of the top 15 jobs in Canada in 2023.

That’s why Herzing College launched a 12-month diploma program in software development. Delivered online, it provides comprehensive training in a variety of programming languages so that you can be ready to take advantage of growing career opportunities.

So just what can you expect from the program? To find out, we spoke with course designer Derek Lewis.

Keeping information systems secure is a big challenge for many businesses, especially as the threats continue to grow.

In CyberEdge’s latest Cyberthreat Defense Report, close to 90 per cent of Canadian IT security pros surveyed reported their companies had suffered at least one successful cyberattack in 2021. That was up from 78 per cent just two years earlier.

So how can you keep your organization from becoming another unfortunate statistic? What can you do to prevent a security breach in your workplace?

This post will help you understand the nature of security breaches: what they are, how they happen, and what steps you can take to prevent them. Keep reading to learn more about common threats as well as IT security best practices for employees.