Herzing Blog

When Kris Wattie was finishing high school, he didn’t really know what he wanted to do with his life.

He did know that he enjoyed gaming. He got very involved in the gaming community, and a game server owner gave him a chance to start learning about the administration aspect.

That inspired him to pursue a career in network administration. But first he needed some quality training.

Kris looked around for a course that reflected his learning style. He wanted a program that would let him explore one topic fully before moving on to the next.

He found it in the computer networking technology program at Herzing College.

Kris successfully completed the program—and landed a job as an IT administrator at Novotech!

We caught up with him recently to get his take on the course, the staff, and his experiences during training. Here’s his story.

Updated December 2023

If you’re technically minded and enjoy the challenge of solving problems and helping people, you might be cut out for a career as an IT support technician.

IT support technicians are the pros who come to the rescue when people’s computers don’t work the way they should. Their job is to find the cause of the issue and take people through the steps needed to get back on track.

Think you’d like to work in this field? Curious about what it takes to launch a career in IT support?

These five straightforward steps can help you reach your goal.

Updated December 2023

Network security is all about safeguarding computer networks against breaches and threats. The idea is to keep unauthorized users from wreaking havoc on a business’s networks and the devices linked to them.

That’s a critically important function in today’s world. A secure network is fundamental to the operation of most modern organizations, including banks, insurance companies, retailers, educational institutions, healthcare facilities, and government agencies.

But before you can decide whether to pursue a career in network security, you need some more details about the field.

In this post, we explain what network security encompasses, how it’s in demand, what salaries are like, and how beginners can get started. Here’s what you need to know.

Updated December 2023

Few fields are as hot as cybersecurity.

The massive shift to remote work and online services during the pandemic generated huge demand for IT security experts. The Government of Canada Job Bank forecasts good-to-very-good employment prospects for cybersecurity specialists in several areas of the country over the next few years.

And these are high-paying roles, with a median salary of more than $91K.

So you're smart to be thinking about getting into this field. But if you're completely new to IT, it can be challenging to choose the ideal training program (especially if you want to avoid a four-year university degree).  What course should you choose?

In this post, we outline the top traits of a quality cybersecurity diploma. A diploma is a good alternative for people seeking comprehensive training that is much shorter than a degree.

Here's what to look for in a good cybersecurity diploma for beginners.

Updated July 2023

Interested in becoming a programmer? Concerned that it might be too difficult to break into the field?

The good news is that you can complete programming training in a fairly short time and be ready to join the workforce.

But if you want to land great jobs and move up in the programming field, you will need a specific set of skills and characteristics. You’ll also need to know how to handle a few challenges programmers typically face when trying to move their careers forward.

We studied industry data and spoke with some programming pros to get a sense of just how hard it is to get started in the field.

Here’s what you need to know.

Updated December 2023

Cybersecurity focuses on protecting information systems and electronic devices against malicious digital attacks.

If you’ve ever had your email or social media accounts hacked, you’ve seen what happens when cybersecurity measures fall short.

And attacks on major companies are constantly in the news. Facebook, LinkedIn, Yahoo, and Uber are just a few of the big names that have had their systems compromised in recent years.

So you’re probably aware that cybersecurity is a hot field. But before you make it the focus of your career, you need some more information.

In this post, we explain exactly what the cybersecurity field involves, what job options it offers, and how you can get started in the industry.

Here are the facts you need.

The field of computer networking has evolved tremendously over the past 20 years, from the dawn of the internet to the increasingly complex information systems we use today.

Sergio Gonzalez has been working in the field since those early days, graduating from his first technical engineering program in 1998.

Since then, he's earned degrees in information technology and education, and accumulated over 20 years of experience in networking and IT security roles.

Sergio's passion for teaching brought him to Herzing College, where he's recently become an instructor for the Computer Networking Technology program.

This week, we chatted with Sergio to learn more about his fascinating background and get an inside look at the program.

Meet the instructor, learn about networking careers, and find out what to expect in class.

Updated December 2023

In the information technology industry, the line between different jobs can be very blurry. Such is the case with programmers, developers, and software engineers.

They all create computer programs, right? So what’s the difference between these roles?

The answer largely depends on who you ask. Every company defines the positions slightly differently, and some use the job titles interchangeably.

However, there can be important distinctions between these three roles.

In this post, we show you how the roles of programmers, developers, and software engineers compare. You’ll see how these three jobs stack up in terms of tasks, salaries, training requirements, and more.

Let’s get to it.

The demand for cybersecurity professionals has never been so high. Some experts say millions of IT security positions are going unfilled because there just aren't enough people with the right skills.

Herzing's accelerated Cybersecurity Specialist training program was specifically developed to turn out grads who can fill that shortage.

Derek Lewis is the Vice-President of Academics at Herzing College Toronto. He has extensive experience in both cybersecurity and education.

We spoke with Derek recently to learn about the latest trends in the IT security field, what employers are looking for, and what makes Herzing's program so unique.

Here's what we found out.

Image: Fortinet presentation on the risks of IoT devices at the RSA cybersecurity conference 

If you follow the world of cybersecurity, you've probably heard of Fortinet. In just over 20 years, they have become the largest cybersecurity company in the world.

Fortinet dominates the industry with over 800 patents, 50 hardware and software products, and billions in yearly revenue.

Fortinet provides integrated cyber solutions for all kinds of organizations, from hospitality and health care, to financial services companies and governments.

But did you know that Fortinet is also a cybersecurity training provider? They partner with educational institutions across the globe, helping schools deliver cutting-edge training.

Most importantly, they provide globally-recognized cybersecurity certifications that help newcomers prove their expertise, learn how to use Fortinet products, and advance their careers.

So, we're very pleased to announce that Herzing College is now a Fortinet Academy partner.

This week, we interviewed Al Nasturzio, Director of Training and Education Partners at Fortinet, to get all the details on how this partnership will benefit our IT and cybersecurity students.