
Microsoft
Skills you'll gain: Microsoft 365, Network Security, Business Software, Computer Hardware, Cybersecurity, Microsoft Office, Desktop Support, Virtual Private Networks (VPN), Network Troubleshooting, Technical Support, Hardware Troubleshooting, Generative AI, Operating Systems, Collaborative Software, System Support, Network Protocols, TCP/IP, Application Security, Microsoft Teams, Cloud Computing
Beginner · Professional Certificate · 3 - 6 Months

Johns Hopkins University
Skills you'll gain: Medical Privacy, Health Insurance Portability And Accountability Act (HIPAA) Compliance, Electronic Medical Record, Telehealth, Patient Safety, Health Technology, Health Information Management, Clinical Informatics, Security Awareness, Encryption, Personally Identifiable Information, Help Desk Support, Medical Equipment, Desktop Support, End User Training and Support, Health Care, Clinical Documentation, Patient Communication, Technical Support, Customer Support
Beginner · Specialization · 3 - 6 Months

University of Minnesota
Skills you'll gain: Enterprise Resource Planning, Business Systems Analysis, Systems Analysis, Requirements Analysis, Cybersecurity, Business Requirements, Business Systems, Cloud Computing, IT Management, Supply Chain Systems, Change Management, Business Technologies, Information Technology, Organizational Change, Technology Strategies, System Implementation, User Requirements Documents, Technology Solutions, Project Management, Critical Thinking
Beginner · Specialization · 3 - 6 Months

Fundação Instituto de Administração
Skills you'll gain: Process Mapping, Operations Management, Process Improvement, Revenue Management, Business Modeling, Business Process Improvement, Supply Chain, Supply Chain Management, Business Process, Organizational Structure, Process Analysis, Supply Chain Planning, Business Operations, Lean Six Sigma, Operational Performance Management, Strategic Thinking, Materials Management, Business Strategy, Business Strategies, Strategic Decision-Making
Beginner · Specialization · 3 - 6 Months

Salesforce
Skills you'll gain: Sales Pipelines, Sales Process, Sales Operations, Customer Success Management, Order Management, Sales Management, Salesforce, Dashboard, Sales, Sales Development, Closing (Sales), Lead Generation, Request For Quotation (RFQ), Sales Support, Customer Relationship Management, Sales Enablement, Product Knowledge, B2B Sales, Campaign Management, Data Visualization
Build toward a degree
Beginner · Professional Certificate · 3 - 6 Months

Multiple educators
Skills you'll gain: Sustainable Design, Environmental Social And Corporate Governance (ESG), Sustainable Business, Corporate Sustainability, Sustainable Technologies, Sustainability Reporting, Sustainable Development, Supply Management, Supply Chain Management, Business Ethics, Supply Chain, Operations Management, Sustainability Standards, Manufacturing Operations, Supplier Relationship Management, Environmental Engineering, Labor Compliance, Procurement, Logistics Management, Product Design
Build toward a degree
Beginner · Specialization · 1 - 3 Months

IBM
Skills you'll gain: Cloud Computing Architecture, Technical Support, Technical Support and Services, Cloud Services, Generative AI, Hardware Troubleshooting, IT Service Management, Cloud Security, Cybersecurity, Desktop Support, Cloud Platforms, Cloud Hosting, Cloud Engineering, Cloud Computing, Professional Networking, Data Storage, Peripheral Devices, Information Technology, Cloud Infrastructure, Customer Service
Beginner · Professional Certificate · 3 - 6 Months

Akamai Technologies, Inc.
Skills you'll gain: Endpoint Security, Database Systems, Computer Security Incident Management, Security Management, Ubuntu, Routing Protocols, Database Design, Application Development, Network Architecture, Linux Commands, TCP/IP, Operating Systems, Database Theory, Web Design and Development, Cascading Style Sheets (CSS), Web Development, Data Structures, Python Programming, Data Analysis, Software Development
Beginner · Professional Certificate · 3 - 6 Months

Skills you'll gain: Computer Hardware, Technical Support, Software Installation, Technical Documentation, Hardware Troubleshooting, Customer Support, Computer Networking, System Software, Technical Communication, Computer Literacy, Linux, Microsoft Windows
Beginner · Course · 1 - 3 Months
Skills you'll gain: Terraform, CI/CD, Infrastructure as Code (IaC), Continuous Integration, Ansible, Application Performance Management, Prometheus (Software), Continuous Deployment, Kubernetes, Application Deployment, System Monitoring, Package and Software Management, GitHub, Software Development Tools, Docker (Software), Version Control, Containerization, YAML, Infrastructure As A Service (IaaS), Automation
Beginner · Specialization · 3 - 6 Months

Skills you'll gain: Manufacturing Operations, Production Management, Production Planning, Production Process, Operations Management, Production Schedule, Business Operations, Inventory Control, Quality Control, Scheduling, Inventory Management System, Operational Efficiency, Lean Manufacturing, Material Requirements Planning, Quality Management, Project Schedules, Project Management, Capacity Planning, Statistical Process Controls, Process Analysis
Mixed · Course · 1 - 3 Months

Skills you'll gain: Operating System Administration, Package and Software Management, File Systems, Microsoft Windows, Linux, Operating Systems, OS Process Management, Linux Administration, Remote Access Systems, System Monitoring, Command-Line Interface, User Accounts, Systems Administration, Windows PowerShell, Technical Support and Services, File Management, Virtualization
Beginner · Course · 1 - 3 Months
Excellent computer skills are a must before learning support and operations. Any work or educational experience in IT, particularly quality assurance, infrastructure management, or technical support are helpful too. Because many people in support and operations deal directly with consumers and vendors, a background in customer service, even if it is from an entry-level retail job, can be beneficial too before starting to learn about support and operations.
People who are good communicators are well-suited for roles in support and operations. You'll spend much of your time communicating with customers, vendors, other IT team members, and people from other departments in your company. If you're planning to go into IT operations management, you'll also have to clearly communicate the needs of the job to your employees. This means you'll also need good leadership and decision-making skills. You should be a good problem solver too. When something goes wrong, it may be your job to figure out why and get to the bottom of it. Because troubleshooting can be time-consuming, excellent time management skills are a must as well.
People who work in IT support and operations may begin with entry-level positions, such as IT technicians, desktop support specialists, and field service technicians. As you earn your degree, gain more experience, and earn specializations or take courses related to your field, you may work towards more advanced jobs, like field engineers and support operations managers. You may also work towards jobs in cybersecurity, web development, software development, and data analytics.
Any education related to computer science or information technology can relate back to the field of support and operations. You may consider specializations in areas like IT support, IT automation, technical support, operations systems, and programming languages like Python. People who work in operations and support may also want to study English or communications to improve their written and verbal communication skills.
Companies that require IT support are the most common places that hire people with a background in support and operations. However, while some companies may have a team in-house, others may outsource to a third-party firm, so working for a company that specializes in support may also be an option. You may also find yourself working in schools, universities, government agencies, hospitals, and anywhere that operates using a computer network.