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ALTERNATIVE CAREERS FOR SELF-EMPLOYED GIG WORKERS

August 30, 2022 in Career Change to IT, Centriq News, College Alternatives, IT Career Program
by Centriq

The gig economy is attractive work for those who value freedom in their roles. But jumping from one project or role to the next takes its toll. What freelancers may not realize is that going from self-employed to employed offers many of the same benefits in the IT industry. Gig workers are self-motivated and reliable people, making them a great fit for IT careers that require people to be dedicated to self-learning and following through on commitments.

If you are looking for how to get out of the self-employment life and into a full-time role, a transition into an IT career is the fit for you. Whether you are an Uber delivery driver, pet sitter, virtual assistant, or personal shopper, your skills will transfer seamlessly to the IT field.

What is the Gig Economy?

The gig economy is defined as a labor market made up of freelancers or part-time workers that complete short-term projects or gigs. The demand for jobs is based on the availability and resources of those requesting the services. Examples of gig economy jobs include driving for a rideshare company like Lyft or Uber; delivering food orders through Grubhub, Uber Eats, or Postmates; completing and delivering grocery orders through Instacart; dog walking and pet sitting; writing freelance articles; creating graphics or videos for clients; and more.

Is the Gig Economy Bad for Workers?

Boosting your income through these part-time or freelance gigs is smart, but solely relying on them to pay your rent or mortgage or support your family can be dangerous. If our country undergoes an economic crisis, these jobs are usually the first to be cut. On top of a lack of benefits and steady work, gig economy workers face both financial and emotional stress from having to worry about tips and the availability of gigs to pay their bills. Pay from gig economy jobs offer a wonderful addition to your base income, but if you want to grow your career and skills into the future with a sustainable job with benefits, good pay, and growth opportunities without having to attend a 2- or 4-year college, consider transitioning into the world of IT.

What Are the Best Jobs After Being Self-Employed?

You take initiative and have a high sense of responsibility. You are great at problem solving because you are oriented towards your goal. You also do well with change and can adapt to different experiences. This probably sounds like your everyday life. We’re here to tell you this is also what everyday life looks like in IT. The life of a gig worker is characterized by taking what comes your way in stride. Couriers and delivery drivers have great memory for routes and can also adjust with any surprises which can resemble a computer technician’s day of blending routine software maintenance and last-minute issues. Personal assistants are highly organized individuals. They would make excellent help desk technicians with their ability to juggle multiple tasks while being experts at prioritizing. What’s great is you can keep the flexibility because many IT roles (and our program) can be done from the comfort of home. A career in information technology can be in your future.

Cybersecurity Specialist

Security support specialists are essential to any organization, as they are responsible for overseeing and managing the company’s security. They must be highly skilled in safeguarding information from cyber threats and in monitoring for any suspicious activity. Learn more about Cybersecurity Specialists.

IT Support Specialist

IT Support Specialists play a core role in organizations by providing information technology support. This can look like answering questions and resolving technical issues, troubleshooting problems and maintaining software, and improving IT systems. Learn more about IT Support Specialists.

Computer Technician

Computer Technicians help set companies up for success. A regular day may look like installing computers, printers, or software and working on managing the organization’s network and equipment. Learn more about Computer Technicians.

Technical Support Technician

Technical Support Specialists get their hands metaphorically dirty by getting down to the nitty-gritty of computer support and troubleshooting. They provide end-users with assistance in technical, software, and hardware problems. Learn more about Technical Support Specialist.

Help Desk Technician

Help Desk Technicians help keep the system running smoothly by managing communications between the end user and the rest of the IT team. Sorting support tickets, diagnosing problems, and guiding customers to where they need to go is a glimpse into their day-to-day. Learn more about Help Desk Technicians.

Desktop Support Technician

Desktop Support Technicians develop strong understandings of the system and its hardware and software. They are all about supporting and maintaining the organization’s technology to ensure optimal workspace performance. Learn more about Desktop Support Technicians.

Service Desk Analyst

Service Desk Analysts are IT professionals who help monitor inquiries, problems, and IT issues as well as responding to and supporting end users who request help. Learn more about Service Desk Analysts.

NOC Technician

NOC Technicians also known as Network Operations Center Technicians keep operations up and going by keeping an eye on user incident and outage reporting and then providing resolutions as needed. This could look like direct support to the customer or implementing or repairing firewalls, routing, or remote access protocols. Learn more about NOC Technicians.

Transitioning From the Gig Economy to the Office

Training is critical for any professional job. It helps you build the skills needed to become efficient in your new role and gives you hands-on opportunities to learn about the field before starting. You supply the reliability, confidence, and organization like you are used to already and we’ll provide the rest. Our program prepares every Centriq student for a lifelong IT career so you can leave the gig economy behind you.

Online IT Training Program

A few months is all it takes to step into a new industry. Our curriculum is focused on networking, systems, and security to provide optimal IT network support. This is a strategic path towards your first day at your dream job.

Start Date	End Date	Day/Eve	Break Weeks	Track
Jan 23, 2023	Jul 27, 2023	Eve	4/3/23-4/7/23 5/22/23-5/26/23 7/3/23-7/7/23	CSSP-V
Jan 30, 2023	May 5, 2023	Day	3/6/23-3/10/23 4/10/23-4/14/23	CSSP-V
Feb 6, 2023	May 19, 2023	Day	3/27/23-3/31/23	FSCP-V
Mar 20, 2023	Jun 23, 2023	Day	4/24/23-4/28/23 5/22/23-5/26/23	CSSP-V
Apr 10, 2023	Jul 28, 2023	Day	5/29/23-6/2/23 7/3/23-7/7/23	FSCP-V
Apr 24, 2023	Oct 19, 2023	Eve	7/3/23-7/7/23 8/21/23-8/25/23	CSSP-V
May 15, 2023	Dec 14, 2023	Eve	7/3/23-7/7/23 9/4/23-9/8/23 11/20/23-11/24/23	FSCP-V
Jun 5, 2023	Sep 8, 2023	Day	7/3/23-7/7/23 8/7/23-8/11/23	CSSP-V
Jun 19, 2023	Oct 6, 2023	Day	7/3/23-7/7/23 9/4/23-9/8/23	FSCP-V
Jul 24, 2023	Jan 25, 2024	Eve	10/2/23-10/6/23 11/20/23-11/24/23 12/25/23-12/29/23	CSSP-V
Aug 14, 2023	Nov 17, 2023	Day	9/5/23-9/8/23 10/16/23-10/2/23	CSSP-V
Aug 28, 2023	Dec 15, 2023	Day	9/4/23-9/8/23 11/20/23-11/24/23	FSCP-V
Oct 30, 2023	Feb 2, 2024	Day	11/20/23-11/24/23 12/25/23-12/29/23	CSSP-V
Oct 30, 2023	May 2, 2024	Eve	11/20/23-11/23/23 3/4/23-3/7/23	CSSP-V
Nov 6, 2023	Mar 1, 2024	Day	11/20/23-11/24/23 12/25/23-12/29/23 1/29/24-2/2/24	FSCP-V

Start Date	End Date	Day/Eve	Break Weeks	Track
Feb 29, 2024	Mar 24, 2024	Day	3/25/24-3/29/24 4/22/24-4/26/24	CSSP-I
May 13, 2024	Aug 16, 2024	Day	5/27/24-5/31/24 7/1/24-7/5/24	CSSP-I
Aug 19, 2024	Nov 22, 2024	Day	9/2/24-9/6/24 10/21/24-10/25/24	CSSP-I
Dec 2, 2024	Mar 14, 2025	Day	12/23/24-12/27/24 12/30/24-1/3/25 2/10/25-2/14/25	CSSP-I

Start Date	End Date	Day/Eve	Break Weeks	Track
Aug 18, 2025	Feb 26, 2026	Eve	9/1/25-9/4/25 11/24/25-11/27/25 12/22/25-12/25/25 12/29/25-1/1/26	CSSP-I
Sep 8, 2025	Dec 12, 2025	Day	10/13/25-10/17/25 11/24/25-11/28/25	CSSP-I
Oct 13, 2025	Jan 23, 2026	Day	11/24/25-11/28/25 12/22/25-12/26/25 12/29/25-1/2/26	CSSP-I
Dec 1, 2025	Mar 13, 2025	Day	12/22/25-12/26/25 12/29/25-1/2/26 2/9/26-2/13/26	CSSP-I
Jan 5, 2026	Apr 10, 2026	Day	2/9/26-2/13/26 3/9/2026-3/13/26	CSSP-I
Jan 26, 2026	Jul 30, 2026	Eve	4/6/26-4/9/26 5/25/26-5/28/26 6/29/26-7/3/26	CSSP-I
Feb 23, 2026	Jun 5, 2026	Day	3/30/26-4/3/26 4/27/26-5/1/26 5/25/26-5/29/26	CSSP-I
Mar 30, 2026	Jul 10, 2026	Day	5/4/26-5/8/26 5/25/26-5/29/26 6/29/26-7/3/26	CSSP-I
May 4, 2026	Aug 7, 2026	Day	5/25/26-5/29/26 6/29/26-7/3/26	CSSP-I
Jun 8, 2026	Sep 18, 2026	Day	6/29/26-7/3/26 8/10/26-8/14/26 9/7/26-9/11/26	CSSP-I
Jul 27, 2026	Oct 30, 2026	Day	9/7/26-9/11/26 10/5/26-10/9/26	CSSP-I
Aug 17, 2026	Feb 25, 2027	Eve	9/7/26-9/10/26 11/23/26-11/26/26 12/21/26-12/24/26 12/28/26-12/31/26	CSSP-I
Sep 14, 2026	Dec 18, 2026	Day	10/19/26-10/23/26 11/2326-11/27/26	CSSP-I
Oct 19, 2026	Jan 29, 2027	Day	11/23/26-11/27/26 12/21/26-12/25/26 12/28/26-1/1/27	CSSP-I
Nov 30, 2026	Mar 12, 2027	Day	12/21/26-12/25/26 12/28/26-1/1/27 2/8/27-2/12/27	CSSP-I