Best Software Engineering Certificates Pittsburgh, PA: Find Courses & Onsite Training

Learn More About Pittsburgh Software Engineering Certificates

Developed in the late 1960s, software engineering is an engineering discipline focused on all aspects of software production, including the concepts, principles, theories, techniques, and tools used for developing high-quality professional software. First introduced at the 1968 NATO Software Engineering Conference in Garmisch, Germany, software engineering relies on a systematic, disciplined approach to software development and evolution and typically applies to the construction of large software systems (or products).

Software Engineers bring in-depth knowledge of programming, design, and engineering principles to build software systems and are often tasked with creating web applications, mobile applications, video games, robots, operating systems, and network systems. These professionals can be engineers, developers, scientists, designers, and other creative and technical professionals.

Regardless of the job title, software engineering is an evolving field with endless opportunities for those with the right skills. Studying software engineering can be great career development for established professionals or an entry point for those new to the field. Below you’ll find more information on software engineering certificate programs to help you get started.

Why Become Certified in Software Engineering?

There are many benefits to becoming certified in software engineering, chief among them being the higher pay. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), software developers, quality assurance analysts, and testers earn a median salary of $124,000, more than double the national average. These roles are projected to see a 22% employment growth from 2020 to 2030, a much faster rate than the national average growth projection for all occupations (8%). High pay and high demand can help ensure a long and successful career.

Software engineering is also a great field for remote work. Gone are the days of spending 40 hours per week in an office building. Now you can collaborate with team members, attend meetings, create products, and troubleshoot issues from the comfort of your own home (or anywhere you choose). You can avoid frustrating commutes and not be tied to living in places with high costs of living, all thanks to a virtual software engineering role.

Do you love to solve puzzles and find resolutions for problems? Software engineers develop products to fit specific needs, working to eliminate any bugs that may be created as a result. Designing various software programs and products allows you to think in different ways and come up with creative solutions to your employer's or client's problems.

As you can see, there are many reasons to pursue software engineering. If you’re interested in learning more, read below to learn about the skills you’ll master in a certification course that can help you start your career as a software developer, engineer, or analyst.

What You’ll Learn While Becoming Software Engineering Certified

Training in software engineering can open up countless doors to fulfilling careers in software engineering, development, and various other scientific fields. By creating software programs and products, you’ll leverage various hard and soft skills to solve industry problems and provide solutions to customers and clients. Below is a list of the most important skills needed to work in the field of software engineering. If you already possess a few of these, then consider yourself ahead of the game.

Programming Languages

The foundation of software engineering, programming language skills are essential for creating instructions that a computer can execute. You don’t need to know every language, but the four most commonly used programming languages in software engineering are JavaScript, HTML and CSS, Python, and SQL. A general understanding of one or more of these will help you learn software engineering more efficiently.

Data Structure and Algorithms

Used to create efficiently optimized code, data structures and algorithms require a good understanding of math, computer architecture, and dynamic programming. A data structure is a method of organizing data in a system, while an algorithm is a sequence of steps executed by a computer to take an input and transform it into a target output.

Data structures you’ll see across different programming languages include linked lists, stacks, queues, sets, maps, hash tables, and search trees. Some common categories of algorithms are search, sorting, graph/tree traversing, dynamic programming, and hashing and regex (string pattern matching). It’s important to be proficient in both data structures and algorithms.

Testing and Debugging

Vital to the success of your creations, testing and debugging must be completed before you can release any finalized work. Testing is the process of verifying and validating that software or an application is bug-free, meets technical requirements, and effectively fulfills user requirements by handling all exceptional and boundary cases. Debugging involves fixing errors found during the testing process.

Project Management

As a Software Engineer, you’ll often lead one or more projects simultaneously. Being adept at project management will be key to making sure your work is completed on time and to the correct specifications. Risk management, project scope, scheduling, effective leadership, and problem-solving are just a few of the skills needed for successful project management.

Communication and Collaboration

As a Software Engineer, you’ll need to collaborate and communicate with various team members to complete projects. Listening to differing opinions provides new perspectives, while effective communication ensures that your perspective and position are understood. Both skills will ultimately help you and your team solve problems.

Software Engineering Industries in Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, has been known for its steel industry since the Gilded Age, thanks to industrialists such as Andrew Carnegie and George Westinghouse. The steel industry played an enormous role in the history of Pittsburgh business, but the city is now also home to many other industries including life sciences, healthcare, business services, computer science, and more.

Climate tech is one of these thriving industries, employing 86,000 residents and receiving $1.2 billion in venture capital funding for CleanTech from 2018-2022. Pittsburgh International Airport is the first airport in the world to be completely powered by natural gas and solar energy, thanks to its unique microgrid. The Tower at PNC Plaza is the most sustainable business building and a 33-story landmark in the city’s center. With a 6 percent growth in clean energy jobs in Pennsylvania since 2017, there are many opportunities in the field as well.

Pittsburgh also boasts a robust cybersecurity industry. Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) ranks as the top school in the U.S. for Computer Science, while The NSA and Dept. Of Homeland Security have designated the Pittsburgh Technical College (PTC) as a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense Education (CAE-CDE). The tech talent pool has grown by 20.7 percent in the last five years, showing a promising expansion of the cybersecurity industry in “Steel City.”

Software Engineering Careers in Pittsburgh

There are several jobs that you could pursue once you’re certified in software engineering. The most common job title you’ll encounter is Software Engineer, a role where you’ll create various types of software, from games to operating systems. As a Software Engineer, you could work in almost any industry and collaborate with a team of Designers, UX and UI professionals, management teams, sales teams, and Developers. A new Software Engineer can make $84,000-$110,000, while a Senior Software Engineer can earn upwards of $140,000.

You could also become a Staff Engineer once you have enough experience. A senior contributor within an engineering team that usually specializes in civil, industrial, mechanical, software, or electrical engineering, you could make $119,000- $130,000 as a Staff Engineer.

You could also become an Engineering Director. Compared to a Software Engineer or Staff Engineer, the Engineering Director contributes to technology research and development for the company. You can expect to make between $173,000 and $212,000 in Pittsburgh as an Engineering Director.

Should You Pursue a Certificate or Certification

Certificate and certification programs both offer a great education, but they do have some fundamental differences that you should keep in mind. Understanding these differences will help you decide which option is right for you.

Often considered continuing education or professional development, a certificate is awarded at the end of a course or training. Mid-career professionals acquire certificates to enhance or develop high-demand skills in their industry, while novices might be looking to change their careers and gain much-needed new knowledge from a certificate program.

Certificates are noncredit programs sponsored by educational institutions but typically require fewer credits than an associate degree as they involve fewer courses in a particular subject matter area. With designated learning objectives and a specific curriculum, certificates are held in regular classrooms or taken online and are typically shorter than other graduate programs. A certificate can add value to your resume, but it’s important to remember that it won't carry the same weight as an associate's or bachelor’s degree, which is commonly required for many jobs.

In contrast, a certification is a professional credential that you earn through a professional training program or assessment. These typically culminate in a final exam or test, and many jobs and fields require specific certifications for promotions or career advancement.

Certifications can lead to increased pay, potential promotions, and enhanced professional expertise. For many professions, certifications must be renewed at regular intervals to prove you are up-to-date on current industry standards and guidelines. Some companies may even pay for your training or certification exam, as these credentials can bring value to the workplace.

So, what do these differences mean for you? If you want to change career fields entirely and need to learn as much about your new industry as possible, then a certificate could be the right choice. If you are established in your career and looking to gain a new title or increase your pay, then a certification course is probably the right route.

How much money and time you can commit will influence your decision as well. If your company requires a certification for you to advance in your career, they will most likely pay in full or offer assistance for your certification course. If they don’t, it’s best to know your budget before you begin your search. Both certificates and certifications can vary in length, so it’s also important to be mindful of how long the program will take you to complete. If you’re looking to change careers quickly, a shorter certificate can be a great choice.

Regardless of whether you choose to pursue a certificate or a certification, both can give you an upper hand in your professional development and expand your skill set, making you highly desirable within your current field or a new one.

Top Software Engineering Certificate Programs in Pittsburgh

A certificate in software engineering has many benefits – setting you apart from other applicants, helping you create a portfolio of work, and thoroughly preparing you for a new career – but choosing the right certificate program can seem challenging.

While there aren’t currently any in-person software engineering certifications in Pittsburgh, there are plenty of top-quality online options that will fit the bill. Each of the below certificate programs and bootcamps will teach you everything you need to know to gain an entry-level position as a Software Engineer.

Professional Certificate Program in Data Engineering

This course from Simplilearn is offered in collaboration with Purdue University and IBM and focuses on Hadoop distributed processing, Spark large-scale data processing, Kafka data pipelines, and data processing on AWS and Azure cloud infrastructures. You’ll also cover Big Data and Data Engineering concepts, Apache Python basics, AWS EMR, Quicksight, Sagemaker, the AWS cloud platform, MongoDB, and Java. You’ll become familiar with real-time data processing, data visualization, encryption techniques, implementing security requirements, and data governance and compliance controls (among many other things).

With live sessions on the latest AI trends such as generative AI, prompt engineering, and explainable AI, you’ll gain up-to-date knowledge on current tools and techniques that will make you a successful data and Software Engineer. By enrolling in this course, you’ll also have access to Simplilearn’s career services, exclusive Master Classes, and Ask me Anything sessions by IBM, and you can earn an IBM certificate in tandem with your certificate from Simplilearn.

This course prefers two or more years of work experience and requires you to have a bachelor's degree with an average of 50% or higher marks, as well as a basic understanding of object-oriented programming.

Software Developer Certificate Program

South College hosts this online certificate program that’s ideal for those who are new to software development and engineering. Focused on applied skills and the development of programming abilities, you’ll develop a fundamental understanding of computer operations and components, from software engineering to complex programming techniques. You’ll create initial code to its final execution and learn to create software that solves organizational problems by utilizing data processing and representation.

You’ll also learn to author algorithmic solutions with branching logic and create and build on knowledge of operating systems, databases, and network signals to gather data and report information from software systems. By designing data constructs and developing software to solve specific problems, you’ll use appropriate algorithms and logic to process data that produces relevant information and actionable results.

Financial aid, scholarships, and assistance may be available. Incorporating existing courses from the Associate of Science in Computer Science and Bachelor of Science in Computer Science degree programs, this certificate can be taken on its own or stacked into South College’s Associate of Science degree program in Computer Science for students who wish to go on to pursue additional, professional IT credentials.

Systems Design Certificate

Offered by eCornell, this course takes an interdisciplinary systems design approach to guide you through the process of developing documentation for any system, from initial scoping through detailed design. You’ll learn to define the challenges you are trying to solve and the functional requirements, and objectively measure the value of any potential solution. After understanding the purpose, intent, and audience for the project, you will implement fundamental systems architecture techniques to develop a deeper understanding of how all of the components of the solution work together.

Held entirely online, you can complete this course in approximately three months with just 3-5 hours of work per week. You’ll be awarded a certificate upon completion of this course that you can add to your resume or LinkedIn. You’ll also walk away with a practical understanding of how to meet the most stringent requirements for design documentation and manage risk across potentially complex projects, and a deep understanding of how each system tool that you invest time in can provide you with the maximum benefit.

Software Engineering Certificate

Offered by Noble Desktop, this online program is divided into front-end development, React Development, and Django (Python) Development. You will learn HTML to mark up webpages and CSS for styling; the fundamentals of JavaScript and Git; and how to use Flexbox and Grid to layout, align, reorder, and adapt webpage content to different size screens. You’ll then move on to the fundamental JavaScript programming concepts, including variables, data types, loops, and DOM. Plus, you’ll cover topics like React, a powerful JavaScript library for web development, and master Node.js, MongoDB, and Express.js to round out your JavaScript development skills.

By creating a portfolio of projects, preparing for common interview questions, and polishing your resume and LinkedIn profile, this course will have you ready to pursue a new job in software engineering in as little as 20 weeks (on a full-time schedule). One-on-one mentoring and a free one-year retake are included in the cost of this course. Payment plans and tuition assistance are available, and this training requires no previous experience, making it great for beginners.

Python Developer Bootcamp

Also offered by Noble Desktop, this three-week online course teaches Python for software development with Django, Django REST, and other developer tools like Git and SQL. You’ll start by learning the basics of Python including its lexical syntax, then move to more advanced topics like dictionaries, custom functions, and sorting algorithms. In week two, you'll learn object-oriented programming, how to work with APIs, and get an introduction to web databases using SQL. By creating projects that can be added to your portfolio, you’ll master URL dispatchers, querying models, and automating tasks with Django, as well as how to work with images, authentication, and use API endpoints with Django REST.

It’s recommended that you are comfortable coding HTML and basic CSS. You should possess equivalent knowledge of Noble Desktop’s Web Development with HTML & CSS class, and mastery of another programming language is helpful, but not required. Payment plans and financing are available, in addition to extra perks like one-on-one mentoring, a free one-year retake, and a verified digital certificate are included with your purchase.

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Software Engineering Certificate Learn The Skills Guarantee™

Key Insights

Learn More About Pittsburgh Software Engineering Certificates

Why Become Certified in Software Engineering?

What You’ll Learn While Becoming Software Engineering Certified

Programming Languages

Data Structure and Algorithms

Project Management

Communication and Collaboration

Software Engineering Industries in Pittsburgh

Software Engineering Careers in Pittsburgh

Should You Pursue a Certificate or Certification

Top Software Engineering Certificate Programs in Pittsburgh

Professional Certificate Program in Data Engineering

Software Developer Certificate Program

Systems Design Certificate

Pittsburgh Software Engineering Corporate & Onsite Training Noble Desktop

Software Engineering Training Locations in or Near Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh Careers & Salaries Related to Software Engineering

Pittsburgh Software Engineering
Corporate & Onsite Training