IT Certification Roadmap: A Guide

Key takeaways

Information technology (IT) certifications can be an effective way to demonstrate your abilities and experience to potential employers.

• Skillsoft reports that 93 percent of IT professionals worldwide held at least one certification in 2024 [1].

• IT certifications can be foundational or entry-level, professional-level, or advanced/specialty certifications.

• You can earn IT certifications in several different areas, including IT support, servers and networks, cloud computing, cybersecurity, and databases.

Explore different certification paths for an IT career and learn how you can use them to advance your career. If you’re ready to start building job-relevant IT skills, consider enrolling in the Google IT Support Professional Certificate. You’ll have the opportunity to learn fundamental IT concepts like computer networking, systems administration, software management, and more in as little as three months. Upon completion, you’ll have earned a career certificate for your resume.

IT career certification roadmap: Explore certification paths in IT

The next few sections organize popular IT certifications by job title or specialization. Remember that the certifications you earn don't need to come from the same provider. Depending on your career goals and the skills you'd like to obtain, you may benefit from a combination of certifications from different providers. In general, IT certifications can be categorized into one of the following types:

• Foundational certifications: Certifications listed as foundational are generally those labeled by providers as entry-level or for early career professionals. If you're a recent graduate or someone who is trying to break into the field, foundational certificates can be an excellent starting point.

• Professional certifications: Professional certifications vary in experience level. Often, they begin with entry-level concepts and work up to more advanced subject matter. Some are designed for those who already have experience and are looking to advance to the next stage of their career.

• Advanced or specialty certifications: Advanced certifications demonstrate a high level of mastery in a specific subject. They are geared toward mid-to-advanced level professionals who want to gain additional skills or demonstrate their competency in a specialized focus area.

Read more: IT Certifications vs. Degree: Which Is Right for You?

Help desk and IT support certifications

A starting point for many IT careers, help desk support positions support a company’s employees by providing technical assistance and troubleshooting a variety of computer issues. These positions might be called IT support technicians, help desk technicians, IT associates, or something similar. An entry-level certification can make you eligible for one of these roles. From there, you can go on to get a more advanced help desk certificate, but many choose to move into a more specialized field in IT.

Interested in building the skills you'll need to start an IT career?

Consider enrolling in the Google IT Support Professional Certificate to build the skills you'll need to succeed in an entry-level IT job. While the program is not a certification by itself, you’ll receive a Professional Certificate from Google upon completion, and it will give you the opportunity to prepare for the CompTIA A+ exam should you choose to go on and take it.

Server and network certifications

Troubleshooting and maintaining computer systems, servers, and networks are key to IT work. These certifications can bring you the credentials to get started or further your career in one of these areas.

Learn network automation with Cisco

Want to expand your understanding of network automation? Cisco's Network Automation Engineering Fundamentals Specialization takes mid- to expert-level network engineers through the primary topics of network automation and programmability and prepares them for the NetDevOps environment.

Cloud certifications

Cloud computing was one of the most heavily invested IT domains in 2025, according to a survey conducted by Skillsoft [1]. The following certifications can get you acquainted with the basics and help you prepare for more advanced roles in cloud computing.

Cybersecurity certifications

Cybersecurity, along with cloud computing, is also one of the highly invested in IT fields [1]. Certifications can come from vendor-neutral organizations like CompTIA or ISACA, meaning what you’re being tested on for a certification exam can be applied to different operating systems. They can also be vendor-specific, like the Microsoft certifications.

Develop your cybersecurity skills with IBM and ISC2

Cybersecurity is integral to IT. In IBM and ISC2's Cybersecurity Specialist Professional Certificate, you'll get the opportunity to learn in-demand skills like cryptography, network security, and security risk assessment. No prior experience required.

Database certifications

Data professionals in the IT realm can be database administrators, database developers, database engineers, data warehousing specialists, or similar roles. Which database certification you pursue will probably depend on which vendor’s database technology you expect to use most heavily. If you’re looking for certifications that will show your competency more specifically in SQL, take a look at a more detailed list of SQL and database certifications. 

Prepare for Microsoft's Azure Data Fundamentals Exam

Who better to help you prepare for Microsoft's Azure Data Fundamentals certification exam than Microsoft itself?

In the Microsoft Azure Data Fundamentals DP-900 Exam Prep Specialization, you'll have the opportunity to learn the fundamentals of database concepts in a cloud environment, get basic skills in cloud data services, and build your foundational knowledge of cloud data services within Microsoft Azure.

Upon completion of the Specialization, you'll even be offered a discount on the Microsoft Azure Data Fundamentals Certification Exam at Pearson Vue, Microsoft's proctor exam site.

Which IT certification should I earn?

The certification you pursue will likely depend on your area of interest in IT, your experience level, and what the jobs you’re interested in require. If you’re currently in an IT role, you can ask your employer what skills will be most useful for you to learn.

Skill-building made simple with these guides

Focused on building new strengths? Discover the latest insights and trends related to your industry by joining our LinkedIn newsletter, Career Chat! Or if you want to keep learning about skills, careers, and courses related to IT, check out these free resources:

• Take the quiz: Which IT Course Should You Take? 

• Watch on YouTube: How to Become an IT Professional

• Hear from a fellow learner: Meet the IT Support Tech Advancing Toward a Cybersecurity Career

With Coursera Plus, you can learn and earn credentials at your own pace from over 350 leading companies and universities. With a monthly or annual subscription, you’ll gain access to over 10,000 programs—just check the course page to confirm your selection is included.

Frequently asked questions (FAQ)