Best Free IT Resources & Tutorials

Many professionals are eager to learn IT but hesitate because of the perceived up-front costs. IT is a large field with many job roles in every industry. Costs can vary based on which IT subfield you choose to pursue. If you’re still undecided about which IT career path is right for you, you may want to explore free IT resources and tutorials. A surprising amount of free resources are available to help beginners get the hang of this exciting program. 

Read on to learn more about the different types of free resources and tutorials available to help you learn IT. 

What is IT?

IT stands for Information Technology. IT is an umbrella term for many job roles that combine business with technology. People who work in IT use computers and technology to solve business problems, make business decisions, and keep businesses running smoothly. 

Many companies have IT departments that manage computers, networks, software applications, and other technical aspects of running a successful business. The IT department could include providing technical support to employees, server maintenance, network security, software development, data analytics, or maintaining hardware and network infrastructure. 

People often think of IT as a support role. While support is a role within IT, IT has many subcategories beyond support, including data science, cybersecurity, cloud computing, artificial intelligence, augmented and virtual reality, DevOps, and blockchain. IT professionals might ensure the network is secure, analyze data to help make business decisions, or develop a new software product. 

Jobs requiring IT skills are in high demand, with growth expected to continue at around 15% until 2029. IT can also be a lucrative career path: the average salary for IT professionals is around $100,000. Some IT subfields, such as cybersecurity, have a 0% unemployment rate. Training in IT could lead to an exciting career with an excellent salary.

Read more about what IT is and why you should learn it.

What Can You Do with IT?

IT describes jobs that combine technology with business, which makes it a huge field with no single job role or learning path. You’ll need verifiable technical training to become an IT professional. However, the size of IT adds a lot of flexibility to its career options and increases the number of opportunities. 

Being knowledgeable about technology is critical for working in IT. You’ll need a combination of intuitive and learned tech skills to excel, especially if you choose a role that requires troubleshooting, such as a support role or cybersecurity. People often underestimate the soft skills necessary in IT jobs, such as logical thinking, problem-solving, creativity, or critical-thinking skills.

IT skills are also highly prized because they improve your work process. Some of the most in-demand IT skills include cybersecurity, cloud computing, data analytics and data science, networking, software development, machine learning, and project management. Skills in these areas can get you hired in almost any industry.

Free IT Resources 

To learn IT, you’ll need to decide which IT career path is right for you. Free IT resources are a great way to gain introductory knowledge and explore your interest in IT without a huge time or financial commitment. 

You can find many free IT video tutorials on YouTube. For example, Noble Desktop offers free IT resources on its YouTube channel. You can watch free introductory classes in IT topics, such as web design & development, Microsoft Excel, and data analytics. Some free video tutorials you can watch include Intro to Front-End Web Development, Intro to Node.js, Top 10 Beginner Excel Tricks You Need to Know, Intro to SQL, and Get Started in Data Science. 

There are also free written IT resources, such as Noble Desktop’s Blog & Learning Resources. You’ll find resources, articles, and career advice on many IT topics, including Data Analytics, Software Development, and SQL. 

Universities can be a great source of free IT resources. Many universities and colleges offer free website training via blogs and free video courses. 

Key Insights

• Free resources are a great way to learn IT basics or decide which subfield you’d like to launch your new IT career.
• Tech schools, such as Noble Desktop, offer free resources through YouTube and their blogs.
• Universities and colleges can be great sources of free IT resources. 
• You can receive comprehensive IT training through an in-person or live online course with Noble Desktop.

Learn IT with Hands-on Training at Noble Desktop

IT is a large job field with many career paths and nearly limitless opportunities. There are many paths to working in IT. However, there are recommended training paths based on your goals. 

To become an IT professional, you’ll need verifiable job skills. Many tech and coding schools offer IT training, but you’ll want to choose one that focuses on technology and business since IT demands skills in both. Bootcamps are highly recommended for launching a new career in IT or pivoting to a different job role because they offer comprehensive technical training in the least amount of time. 

Many bootcamps offer a live online training format which is an excellent option if there are no in-person IT courses in your area. Because the class is live, it works like an in-person class. You can ask questions and interact with your instructor and classmates in real-time. You can collaborate with classmates or receive direct feedback on your work using screen-sharing software. One advantage of live online classes is that they give you the interaction of an in-person classroom without any commute time. You can train in IT skills from your home or from anywhere.

Noble Desktop is a coding, business, and design school that offers live online bootcamps and certificate programs in some of IT’s hottest career paths, including data analytics, full stack development, and cybersecurity. All their classes have guaranteed small class sizes, so you get extra guidance from an expert instructor. Noble Desktop uses a unique approach in all its classes: instructors teach a “micro-lecture” and immediately guide students through applying the concept they’ve just learned. They also have a “learn the skills guarantee,” which includes a “free retake” option in which graduates can retake a course for free to continue developing their skills. 

Noble Desktop’s Data Analytics Certificate provides comprehensive training in data analysis, data visualization, business intelligence, and databases. Data Analysts use data to help businesses make good decisions. Students are guided through real-world, hands-on projects to develop skills in using Excel for data analysis, working with Python, SQL and database operations, data interpretation, business forecasting, machine learning, and using Tableau for data visualization. Graduates earn a New York State Licensed Certificate in Data Analytics which is shareable on Linkedin. 

You can earn a New York State Licensed Certificate in Cybersecurity by taking Noble Desktop’s Cybersecurity Bootcamp. Students work with an expert instructor to develop skills in network security tools, evaluating network security using penetration testing, Security Operations Center (SOC) principles and practices, understanding attackers, security monitoring and logging techniques, information gathering techniques, and understanding application vulnerabilities. 

Full Stack Developer is listed as a Top 3 Job in the US by Glassdoor. Noble Desktop’s Full Stack Web Development Certificate provides comprehensive training for becoming a Full Stack Developer who creates both the front end (what you see) and the back end (how it runs) of websites and applications. Students learn to create layouts using HTML and CSS, program in JavaScript, create web applications using Node.js, use MongoDB to work with databases, API development using Express.js, work with Git to track changes, and use JavaScript libraries.