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Studying IT - Has the bubble burst?

Many news reports suggest the decline of the IT sector and the need for IT graduates. Should you do an IT degree or has the bubble burst?

Certainly the heady days of late 90's/early 2000 have gone, and the sky high salaries that programmers, developers, project managers and other IT staff could command are over. But that doesn't mean that there are no jobs.

Most online job sites still show more IT related jobs than any other sector. However the market - that's the employers - are now being more demanding.

Good development skills are going to continue to be in demand as the internet continues to become a mainstream product and IT affects more lives every day.

But the best IT staff are those that also have other strings to their bow. Employers have long complained that programmers never understand the business implications of what that are being asked to develop, and this often causing problems at all stages of the development.

It has also seen the rise of a new breed of developer - the business savvy developer. These people understand the business issues at play and how IT decision can affect the business and its future success. They are able to provide a bridge between programming teams and management because they speak both languages - business and tech. And these people are in demand.

How do you become one of these in demand business savvy developers?

Many universities and colleges now include business and other courses as part of IT degrees. MBAs are becoming increasingly popular with IT graduates who have great programming skills but lack a fundamental business education.

Find a program that mixes both IT and business studies - in today's world the two tied together in almost all areas of business. Take a few non-IT courses in your degree to get a broader exposure to the environment around you.

The bubble hasn't burst on an IT career, but the more you understand the business implications and applications of the IT you are developing, the more in demand you will be.