Overview
We tailored the Mastering IT curriculum for people of all ages, and designed it to prepare you to establish or advance in your IT career, regardless of where you start. As of 2023 more than a million IT jobs in the USA cry out for tech-savvy workers. We designed our curriculum to better prepare you for the best-paying jobs in IT, for a fraction of the cost of a generic computer science degree. If you want to land a good entry level job as quickly as possible, enroll in our fast-track offering and you're on your way.
Start learning now, and figure out as you learn which career path is right for you. Our team of senior IT professionals has prepared a curriculum of carefully selected presentations and interactive training materials, supplemented by an extensive reading list and linked videos, to prepare you for your career in IT. You will work at your own pace to master a wide range of vital topics, from basic to intermediate to advanced. Upon successfully completing this training, take your expertise to businesses of all sizes. Go after the best-paying jobs in large enterprises, if that’s your goal. You may even want to start your own business while you are still working through our fast-track offering. Academic lessons go deeper when applied to real-life.
Most other computer science curricula emphasize learning how to program in languages that may or may not be obsolete. Our mastering IT curriculum emphasizes what you need to know to become an IT professional with the knowledge, expertise and confidence to take on almost any challenge or opportunity, in any industry, not just IT. Learning about programming is included, but learning how to program is optional and is something you can pursue on your own if interested. In IT, code writers are typically the lowest-paid digital serfs.
The Approach is Key
When the subject matter is complex, the approach taken in learning is very crucial. For example, a chess master learned to play the game in reverse. He started at the end of a game with only a king and a pawn against a single pawn. His first coach didn’t begin by having him memorize opening move sequences. Instead he learned how to control the board. By working through the game in reverse he created a learning framework. In like manner, this curriculum emphasizes cutting-edge technologies and trends. That will position you to more readily recognize what is relevant as you broaden your foundations and expand your knowledge base. Soon, you’ll actually know more about where the industry is headed than many of the people who will be interviewing you for a job. Many technology professionals have a laser focus on a highly-specialized skill set, but lack of breadth, depth, or both.
Learn from the Pros
The team of IT pros who designed this curriculum have enjoyed successful and rewarding careers, and now seek to pass on what they’ve learned to the next generation. Billionaire Warren Buffett famously says "the more you learn, the more you earn". This is especially true in IT because all you need to become a successful IT professional is motivation to learn combined with self-discipline. A successful IT professional knows how to work independently, as well as how to be a productive team member. Having soft skills like being a good communicator or problem solver is a plus, but we can help you acquire any soft skills you may need. Never let a lack of knowledge about a particular subject embarrass you. Find the right people or resources to answer your questions, and it’s just a matter of time and effort before you can master ANY topic or tool. In the age of google and youtube, ignorance about a particular topic is temporary. Having a robust frame of reference, however, lets you know where to look for answers.
Our Goals for You
Yes, you want to absorb the extremely valuable information we present. We also want to show you how to think for yourself. We want to teach you how to ask the right questions, and how to come up with the right answers. We want to teach you about the best practices in the IT industry, how to stand out among your professional peers, and how to excel in the IT career of your choosing.
Start learning now, and figure out as you learn which career path is right for you. Our team of senior IT professionals has prepared a curriculum of carefully selected presentations and interactive training materials, supplemented by an extensive reading list and linked videos, to prepare you for your career in IT. You will work at your own pace to master a wide range of vital topics, from basic to intermediate to advanced. Upon successfully completing this training, take your expertise to businesses of all sizes. Go after the best-paying jobs in large enterprises, if that’s your goal. You may even want to start your own business while you are still working through our fast-track offering. Academic lessons go deeper when applied to real-life.
Most other computer science curricula emphasize learning how to program in languages that may or may not be obsolete. Our mastering IT curriculum emphasizes what you need to know to become an IT professional with the knowledge, expertise and confidence to take on almost any challenge or opportunity, in any industry, not just IT. Learning about programming is included, but learning how to program is optional and is something you can pursue on your own if interested. In IT, code writers are typically the lowest-paid digital serfs.
The Approach is Key
When the subject matter is complex, the approach taken in learning is very crucial. For example, a chess master learned to play the game in reverse. He started at the end of a game with only a king and a pawn against a single pawn. His first coach didn’t begin by having him memorize opening move sequences. Instead he learned how to control the board. By working through the game in reverse he created a learning framework. In like manner, this curriculum emphasizes cutting-edge technologies and trends. That will position you to more readily recognize what is relevant as you broaden your foundations and expand your knowledge base. Soon, you’ll actually know more about where the industry is headed than many of the people who will be interviewing you for a job. Many technology professionals have a laser focus on a highly-specialized skill set, but lack of breadth, depth, or both.
Learn from the Pros
The team of IT pros who designed this curriculum have enjoyed successful and rewarding careers, and now seek to pass on what they’ve learned to the next generation. Billionaire Warren Buffett famously says "the more you learn, the more you earn". This is especially true in IT because all you need to become a successful IT professional is motivation to learn combined with self-discipline. A successful IT professional knows how to work independently, as well as how to be a productive team member. Having soft skills like being a good communicator or problem solver is a plus, but we can help you acquire any soft skills you may need. Never let a lack of knowledge about a particular subject embarrass you. Find the right people or resources to answer your questions, and it’s just a matter of time and effort before you can master ANY topic or tool. In the age of google and youtube, ignorance about a particular topic is temporary. Having a robust frame of reference, however, lets you know where to look for answers.
Our Goals for You
Yes, you want to absorb the extremely valuable information we present. We also want to show you how to think for yourself. We want to teach you how to ask the right questions, and how to come up with the right answers. We want to teach you about the best practices in the IT industry, how to stand out among your professional peers, and how to excel in the IT career of your choosing.
Project Leader
Bill Carico - IT professional, software developer, writer, and educator since 1973. Bill has designed software solutions and provided IT education to over 1800 companies world wide throughout his career. He was contracted by industry leaders IBM, Hewlett Packard, and Hitachi to build custom IT training programs to make their own employees more savvy across the technology spectrum. Bill became the project leader for the Mastering IT training series because he wants to preserve and pass on the great heritage and progress in technology development that he has personally witnessed over the last 50 years, to create a better future for his own grand kids, and anyone else who wants to master technology. His team of curriculum advisers are like-minded people Bill has known personally for decades, and hand-picked for this bold and innovative education initiative.
A Personal Anecdote
Bill Carico - IT professional, software developer, writer, and educator since 1973. Bill has designed software solutions and provided IT education to over 1800 companies world wide throughout his career. He was contracted by industry leaders IBM, Hewlett Packard, and Hitachi to build custom IT training programs to make their own employees more savvy across the technology spectrum. Bill became the project leader for the Mastering IT training series because he wants to preserve and pass on the great heritage and progress in technology development that he has personally witnessed over the last 50 years, to create a better future for his own grand kids, and anyone else who wants to master technology. His team of curriculum advisers are like-minded people Bill has known personally for decades, and hand-picked for this bold and innovative education initiative.
A Personal Anecdote
At the 2000 VM and VSE Technical Conference held May 31 - June 3 in Orlando, Florida, Bill and his youngest daughter Allie, who was six weeks shy of her 9th birthday at the time, teamed up to give the keynote address to 500 IT professionals who were attending the general session. This appearance made Allie the youngest known keynote speaker at a major technology conference, as she made predictions about the approaching limits of fabrication technology in making computer chips using silicon.
Click Here to see more photos of Allie and Bill at this event.
Here are two more pictures of Allie with her Dad:
Click Here to see more photos of Allie and Bill at this event.
Here are two more pictures of Allie with her Dad:
Bill married Patti in 1973 and together they have raised three children. They currently have six grandchildren ranging in age from 9 to 20, all of whom who have helped test course content.
Bill was born in Wise County, VA, and grew up in Coeburn and Roanoke. Patti was born in San Antonio, TX and grew up in Springfield, VA. They met and eloped while attending Roanoke College. For more information about these two, please refer to their personal website, x4.com
Bill was born in Wise County, VA, and grew up in Coeburn and Roanoke. Patti was born in San Antonio, TX and grew up in Springfield, VA. They met and eloped while attending Roanoke College. For more information about these two, please refer to their personal website, x4.com
Here is a story for both children and parents:
A young man went to seek an important position at a large printing company. He passed the initial interview and was going to meet the director for the final interview. The director saw his resume, it was excellent. And asked,'
"Have you received a scholarship for school?" The boy replied, "No".
'It was your father who paid for your studies? '' Yes.' He replied.
'Where does your father work? ' 'My father is a Blacksmith'
The Director asked the young man to show him his hands.
The young man showed a pair of hands soft and perfect.
'Have you ever helped your parents at their job? '
'Never, my parents always wanted me to study and read more books. Besides, he can do the job better than me.
The director said:
'I have got a request: When you go home today, go and wash the hands of your father and then come see me tomorrow morning.'
The young man felt his chance to get the job was high.
When he returned to his house he asked his father if he would allow him to wash his hands.
His father felt strange, happy, but with mixed feelings and showed his hands to his son. The young man washed his hands, little by little. It was the first time that he noticed his father's hands were wrinkled and they had so many scars. Some bruises were so painful that his skin shuddered when he touched them.
This was the first time that the young man recognized what it meant for this pair of hands to work every day to be able to pay for his studies. The bruises on the hands were the price that his father payed for his education, his school activities and his future.
After cleaning his father's hands the young man stood in silence and began to tidy and clean up the workshop. That night, father and son talked for a long time.
The next morning, the young man went to the office of the director.
The Director noticed the tears in the eyes of the young man when He asked him,
'Can you tell me what you did and what you learned yesterday at your house?'
The boy replied: 'I washed my father's hands and when I finished I stayed and cleaned his workshop.'
'Now I know what it is to appreciate and recognize that without my parents, I would not be who I am today. By helping my father I now realize how difficult and hard it is to do something on my own. I have come to appreciate the importance and the value in helping my family.
The director said, "This is what I look for in my people. I want to hire someone who can appreciate the help of others, a person who knows the hardship others go through to accomplish things, and a person who realizes that money is not his only goal in life".
'You are hired'.
A child that has been coddled, protected and given everything he or she wants, develops a mentality of "I have the right" and will always put himself or herself first, ignoring the efforts of parents, family and friends. If we are this type of protective parent are we really showing love or are we helping to destroy our children?
You can give your child their own room in a big house, good food, a computer, tablet, cell phone, and a big screen TV, but when you're washing the floor or painting a wall, children need to experience that too.
After eating, have them wash the dishes with their brothers and sisters, let them fold laundry or cook with you, pull weeds or mow the lawn. You are not doing this because you are poor and can't afford help. You are doing this because you love them and want them to understand certain things about life.
Children need to learn to appreciate the amount of effort it takes to do a job right. They need to experience the difficulties in life that people must overcome to be successful and they must learn about failure to be able to succeed.
Children must also learn how to work and play with others and that they will not always win, but they can always work harder to reach their goals. If they've done their best, then they can take pride in all the effort they put forth.
Life is about giving and serving and these qualities are taught in our homes. If you take care of that we will take care of teaching the IT part designed to prepare you for that initial interview, plus teach you how to think critically, and give you advantages throughout your career.
A young man went to seek an important position at a large printing company. He passed the initial interview and was going to meet the director for the final interview. The director saw his resume, it was excellent. And asked,'
"Have you received a scholarship for school?" The boy replied, "No".
'It was your father who paid for your studies? '' Yes.' He replied.
'Where does your father work? ' 'My father is a Blacksmith'
The Director asked the young man to show him his hands.
The young man showed a pair of hands soft and perfect.
'Have you ever helped your parents at their job? '
'Never, my parents always wanted me to study and read more books. Besides, he can do the job better than me.
The director said:
'I have got a request: When you go home today, go and wash the hands of your father and then come see me tomorrow morning.'
The young man felt his chance to get the job was high.
When he returned to his house he asked his father if he would allow him to wash his hands.
His father felt strange, happy, but with mixed feelings and showed his hands to his son. The young man washed his hands, little by little. It was the first time that he noticed his father's hands were wrinkled and they had so many scars. Some bruises were so painful that his skin shuddered when he touched them.
This was the first time that the young man recognized what it meant for this pair of hands to work every day to be able to pay for his studies. The bruises on the hands were the price that his father payed for his education, his school activities and his future.
After cleaning his father's hands the young man stood in silence and began to tidy and clean up the workshop. That night, father and son talked for a long time.
The next morning, the young man went to the office of the director.
The Director noticed the tears in the eyes of the young man when He asked him,
'Can you tell me what you did and what you learned yesterday at your house?'
The boy replied: 'I washed my father's hands and when I finished I stayed and cleaned his workshop.'
'Now I know what it is to appreciate and recognize that without my parents, I would not be who I am today. By helping my father I now realize how difficult and hard it is to do something on my own. I have come to appreciate the importance and the value in helping my family.
The director said, "This is what I look for in my people. I want to hire someone who can appreciate the help of others, a person who knows the hardship others go through to accomplish things, and a person who realizes that money is not his only goal in life".
'You are hired'.
A child that has been coddled, protected and given everything he or she wants, develops a mentality of "I have the right" and will always put himself or herself first, ignoring the efforts of parents, family and friends. If we are this type of protective parent are we really showing love or are we helping to destroy our children?
You can give your child their own room in a big house, good food, a computer, tablet, cell phone, and a big screen TV, but when you're washing the floor or painting a wall, children need to experience that too.
After eating, have them wash the dishes with their brothers and sisters, let them fold laundry or cook with you, pull weeds or mow the lawn. You are not doing this because you are poor and can't afford help. You are doing this because you love them and want them to understand certain things about life.
Children need to learn to appreciate the amount of effort it takes to do a job right. They need to experience the difficulties in life that people must overcome to be successful and they must learn about failure to be able to succeed.
Children must also learn how to work and play with others and that they will not always win, but they can always work harder to reach their goals. If they've done their best, then they can take pride in all the effort they put forth.
Life is about giving and serving and these qualities are taught in our homes. If you take care of that we will take care of teaching the IT part designed to prepare you for that initial interview, plus teach you how to think critically, and give you advantages throughout your career.
The X4 brand is owned by ACTS Corporation, actscorp.com, a full C-corporation privately owned and operated since 1981 by Bill and Patti Carico.
