The demand for innovative software products and solutions is at an all-time high, and rest assured, it will only peak higher in the coming years. One of the most significant boosts to the rising trend of software solutions is their versatility and application across all industries.
Today, companies, organizations, and institutions of all shapes and sizes invest in software products and tools for enhanced productivity, business process automation, seamless communication, and so much more. From IT and BFSI to healthcare, education, and national security, software solutions have become an integral part of our daily lives.
As the industry demand for software development continues to soar, it is positively stimulating more and more young minds to pursue software courses and build real-world software engineering skills. Software engineering focuses on analyzing project requirements and planning, designing, developing, maintaining, and upgrading software products.
Since the software development life cycle encompasses multiple aspects, it is crucial for software developers to be proficient in the best practices of programming and software engineering. This is why professional software courses are the best pathway to building a successful career in software engineering.
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Why Pursue Online Software Courses?
With the pandemic still raging on and the global populace choosing to stay indoors, online learning has gained immense popularity. Both students and working professionals are choosing to pursue online courses, owing to the variety, flexibility, and convenience they offer. And since software courses remain one of the top trending online learning choices, here are five reasons why you should consider taking up an online software course:
1. The job outlook is highly promising
Software engineering degrees are an excellent career choice because of the high demand created throughout all parallels of the industry. As technology advances and companies continue to leverage software solutions, software engineering will never go out of style. In fact, the US Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that by 2029, the career trajectory of software developers will increase by 22%.
2. You get to explore and exploit a broad domain
As we mentioned earlier, software development is no longer confined to IT and the tech sector alone – it is equally pivotal for many other industries like BFSI, telecommunication, travel and tourism, healthcare, education, government services, food, and agriculture, etc. Naturally, if you’re equipped with a software degree/certification, you have plenty of avenues to explore.
For instance, you can choose specialization fields like software development, cybersecurity, game development, network security, etc. There’s also a plethora of job profiles to choose from, such as Software Engineer, Full-Stack Developer, DevOps Engineer, Security Engineer, QA Architect, Tech Lead, Project Manager, to name a few.
3. You get the flexibility to progress at your own pace
The best part about online learning is that you can learn from the comfort of your home and at your preferred time. Online courses give you enough flexibility to fit your learning needs into your already existing schedule. You can create specific timing for your learning sessions with your instructor and proceed accordingly.
4. You can earn in six-figures
It is a known fact that software experts draw high-end salary packages. In India, the average annual salary of software engineers is ₹5,31,122 LPA, with Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Pune, Mumbai, Chennai, Gurgaon, Noida, and Ahmedabad being some of the highest paying cities for software professionals.
5. Online courses are cost-effective
Yes, online software courses are much more affordable than classroom programs on software development. You don’t have to bear any travel or accommodation costs – just the tuition fees is all. Thus, it is a highly cost-efficient option for anyone looking to acquire software skills or upskill for a career change in the industry.
Best Online Software Courses
Check out these 11 online software courses that can accelerate your career to the next level!
First, we’ll take a look at a few short-term certification courses on software development
1. PG Certification in Full Stack Development
This 5-month certification course on Full-Stack Development will teach you about the fundamentals of Full-Stack Development with a special focus on Java. The curriculum covers data structures & algorithms, Java programming, RESTful web services, Object-Oriented analysis & design, Object-Oriented Programming, and test-driven development, HTML, CSS, HTML5, CSS3, Javascript, Git, SQL, JUnit, Spring Boot, etc. You will learn from seasoned experts and industry leaders while also participating in case studies and assignments to sharpen your practical skills.
2. PG Certification in Front-End Development
This 7-month program on Front-End Development covers important concepts, including data structures, requirements identification, design and prototyping, integration and testing, module-level implementation and unit testing, user interfaces, user experience, and software deployment. Students get to work with tools like Git, Java, IntelliJ IDEA, JUnit, HTML, and CSS to sharpen their real-world skills. What’s more, is that all candidates receive dedicated mentor support and placement assistance.
3. PG Certification in Back-End Development
This 7-month certification focuses on teaching aspirants all about Backend development. Thus, you will learn how to design and develop end-to-end Backend infrastructures while gaining an in-depth understanding of DevOps methodology and Cloud-native development practices. Also, you have to work on four industry projects using trending tools like Python, Java Git, Amazon Web Services, Docker, Spring, Hibernate, Postgres, Swagger, Git, JavaScript, and ReactJS.
Throughout the learning period, students get numerous opportunities to interact with mentors, participate in hackathons, virtual hiring drives, and 3-month Career Support after program completion.
4. PG Certification in Cybersecurity
This certification program is a 7.5-month course that aims to help aspirants master cybersecurity. The curriculum includes industry-specific concepts like data structures, applied cryptography, data secrecy, & integrity requirements, digital signatures, user authentication, computer networks, computer security. database security, cloud application security, etc. This course also promises three-month career support after course completion as a part of its placement assistance offering.
5. PG Certification in Cloud Computing
In this 7.5-month certification program, you will learn the basics of cloud computing, including programming fundamentals, cloud computing infrastructure, services, & business, distributed systems, VMs, virtualization, design, and development of micro-services, building and deploying native cloud applications. The program also includes a 4-week capstone project. Students participate in various P2P networking events, mock interviews, resume building sessions, and hackathons.
6. PG Certification in Big Data
This 7.5-month certification course on Big Data helps learners to understand the rapidly growing world of Big Data. You will learn how to work with Python and its wide range of libraries and also the intricacies of distributed systems, distributed algorithms, programming models, web mining solutions, Big Data processing, batch processing vs. stream processing, in-memory processing, data warehousing, and NoSQL databases.
Apart from one-on-one student-mentor support, each candidate receives job assistance through various networking events and hiring drives.
Now, we move on to diploma programs on software development that are slightly more long-term than those mentioned above:
7. PG Diploma in Full Stack Development
This 12-month course aims to teach students how to build scalable websites, backend APIs, and Interactive Web UIs. It prepares you for job profiles like Full-Stack Developer, UI Developer, Backend Developer, and Frontend Developer through a comprehensive and application-based learning approach.
The course includes more than 15 programming languages/tools alongside various projects and assignments. Plus, each candidate gets a 4-month Executive Certification in Data Science & Machine Learning, completely free!
8. PG Diploma in Cybersecurity
This 13-month course is a more expansive take on cybersecurity, covering essentials like application security, data secrecy, cryptography, network security in ethical hacking, advanced concepts in cybersecurity, and fundamentals of OOP. The course is a good choice for beginners and professionals alike.
After course completion, you can bag high-paying job roles like Cybersecurity Expert, Cybersecurity Engineer, Network Security Engineer, Information Security Analyst, Application Security Engineer, and Network Analyst.
9. PG Diploma in Cloud Computing
In this 13-month diploma course, you will learn how to build cloud infrastructure, deploy native cloud applications, how to use virtual machines (VMs), distributed systems, cloud, and databases, etc.
Students are encouraged to gain hands-on experience by working on 7+ industry projects and assignments. Earning this diploma will make you eligible for roles like Cloud Architect, Cloud Engineer, Cloud Developer, QA Engineer, Network Architect, and Cloud Administrator.
10. PG Diploma in Big Data
This 13-month program will introduce students to Big Data. It is designed to help them understand how Big Data is accumulated, organized, processed, and analyzed by companies and organizations globally.
The curriculum includes important Big Data concepts like data processing, data warehousing, real-time processing, Big Data processing on cloud platforms, Big Data analytics, and OOP. Some of the most popular profiles to opt for after course completion are Big Data Engineer, Big Data Architect, Big Data Analyst, Data Analyst, Statistician, ML Engineer, etc.
11. PG Certification in DevOps
This 13-month course on DevOps will not only teach learners the nitty-gritty of DevOps methodology, but it also offers exclusive access to Data Science and Machine Learning. The curriculum focuses on imparting in-depth knowledge of Agile methodology for integration & deployment, best DevOps practices, creating software lifecycles, SDLC processes, and CICD pipelines.
After obtaining this degree, you can become a DevOps Engineer, Software Engineer, Security Engineer, Automation Architect, Backend Developer, and Release Manager.
12. Advanced Certificate Programme in Machine Learning
This 7-month course in machine learning requires 4-6 hours per week during which students are taught the basics of Data Science which include Unsupervised Learning, Supervised Learning, Large Scale Machine Learning, Querying and Indexing, Data Streams, and Introduction to Deep Learning. IIT Delhi’s case-based pedagogy also exposes students to industry-specific projects so they gain hands-on experience necessary to succeed in the field.
The program comprises 92 learning hours and 20 live sessions to help students learn the underlying mathematics of ML implementation and become familiar with the various optimization and evaluation metrics.
You require a minimum of 50% in your bachelor’s degree to qualify for the program. Post successful completion of the program, students are awarded a Certificate of Completion from CEP, IITD.
Wrapping up
if you’re interested in building a career in software development, there’s no shortage of learning options and employment opportunities for you. However, the first place to start would be by identifying your interests, that is, which software development specialization you would like to pursue. Once you figure your interests and career goals, it becomes easier for you to decide which online software course will best-suit your aspirations.
Happy learning!
