What Recommendations Do You Have for IT Consultants to Stay Current With Emerging Technologies?

What Recommendations Do You Have for IT Consultants to Stay Current With Emerging Technologies?

To help IT consultants stay current with emerging technologies, we asked Chief Solutions Architects and CEOs for their top recommendations. From keeping learning and networking to scheduling consistent learning activities, here are the four best tips these experts shared.

• Keep Learning and Networking
• Dedicate Time for Continuous Learning
• Experiment and Participate in Online Communities
• Schedule Consistent Learning Activities

Keep Learning and Networking

As someone who's been in the IT field for over ten years, I'd say the best advice for IT consultants is to keep learning and stay on top of new tech trends. The industry changes fast, and if you don't keep up, you'll get left behind. Go to industry events, take online courses, and get certifications to stay sharp. Also, networking with other professionals is a great way to get fresh insights and keep your skills relevant. In this line of work, being adaptable and always learning is key to staying ahead.

Dedicate Time for Continuous Learning

For IT consultants, staying current with emerging technologies is crucial to maintaining relevance and providing value to clients. One effective strategy is to dedicate time for continuous learning and professional development. Engaging in ongoing training programs and obtaining certifications in new technologies not only keeps your skills sharp but also signals your commitment and expertise to clients. Becoming active in technology forums, online communities, and local tech groups is also invaluable. These platforms facilitate the exchange of ideas, problem-solving, and staying informed about the latest developments in your field. Additionally, subscribing to leading technology blogs, magazines, and journals can help you keep a pulse on industry trends and innovations. Furthermore, setting up a "lab environment" to experiment with new tools and technologies provides hands-on experience that is crucial for understanding practical applications in real-world scenarios. This might include researching and implementing technologies such as artificial intelligence, blockchains, serverless infrastructure, and more. By integrating these practices into your routine, you can ensure that you establish yourself as a capable professional who is able to advise clients on the latest technologies and how these can be leveraged to advance their business objectives.

Experiment and Participate in Online Communities

As the founder of an edtech startup, I'm always looking for ways to keep my technical skills sharp while staying on the cutting edge. I'd recommend constantly learning about new technologies that could benefit your clients, even if you don't implement them right away. For example, my team has been experimenting with AI and machine learning recently to improve our interactive touchscreen software. Although we're still in the testing phase, studying these emerging technologies helps ensure we provide the best solutions for our customers.

I'd also suggest getting involved in online communities around the technical areas you specialize in. Participating in Reddit AMAs, Stack Overflow, and industry forums is a great way to share knowledge and pick up new skills from more experienced professionals. For example, a few months ago I learned about a new SEO technique from a marketing subreddit that ended up boosting our site traffic by over 20%.

Finally, don't be afraid to get your hands dirty and build something new. At my company, we're always creating prototype web apps, software integrations, and other projects to help us find new capabilities. Even if the prototypes don't end up launching to customers, building them in-house has been invaluable for identifying our technical strengths and weaknesses. Staying on top of emerging tech is key to providing value as an IT consultant.

Schedule Consistent Learning Activities

One recommendation for IT consultants to stay current with emerging technologies is to dedicate time regularly to continuous learning through online courses, webinars, and industry conferences. Platforms like Coursera, Udemy, and LinkedIn Learning offer courses on the latest tech trends, while attending conferences and webinars provides insights and networking opportunities with industry experts. Keeping a schedule for consistent learning ensures that skills remain relevant and up-to-date, allowing IT consultants to provide the best advice and solutions to their clients.