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IT Professional Certificate
Master enterprise IT — Windows and Linux administration, networking, cloud, virtualization and cybersecurity foundations.
On this pageProgram overview
The program
Program overview
The IT Professional Certificate prepares you for a career in information technology by building practical, job-ready skills across hardware, operating systems, networking, programming, virtualization, databases and the cloud.
Delivered 100% online with hands-on browser-based labs, the program lets you learn at your own pace while applying every concept in realistic, real-world scenarios. By completion you will be able to troubleshoot complex IT issues and optimize technology resources for any organization.
Is this program right for you?
The IT Professional Certificate is a good fit if:
- You are the person friends and family call when their computer breaks
- You want to enter tech quickly through help desk or IT support, then grow into networking, cloud or security
- You are changing careers and want hands-on labs, not just theory
- You want to study online at your own pace with instructor support
What you’ll learn
- Explain core IT concepts and the role of IT in organizations
- Install, configure and manage Windows and Linux systems
- Administer networks with routing, switching and IP addressing
- Write Python scripts to automate IT and security tasks
- Apply cybersecurity principles and security controls
- Deploy virtualization and containers (Docker)
- Design and manage relational databases with SQL
- Evaluate and deploy cloud services (AWS, Azure, Google Cloud)
Curriculum
10 focused courses totalling 420 hours of guided online learning.
- First Semester
ITPR 101Introduction to Information Technology42 hrsITPR 102Enterprise Windows Administration42 hrsITPR 103Enterprise Linux Administration42 hrsITPR 104Computer Networks Fundamentals42 hrsITPR 105Introduction to Programming42 hrs- Second Semester
ITPR 201Introduction to Cybersecurity42 hrsITPR 202Computer Virtualization42 hrsITPR 203Introduction to Databases42 hrsITPR 204Cloud Computing42 hrsITPR 205Computer Networks Design and Configuration42 hrs- Total instructional hours420 hours
Admission requirements
- High school diploma or equivalent (mature-student admission may be available)
- English language proficiency
- Basic computer literacy
- A personal computer (Intel i5/8 GB RAM/250 GB storage recommended) and reliable high-speed internet (10 Mbps+)
How much time will it take?
Ucademy is flexible and largely self-paced. As a guide, you can study part-time at about 12–15 hours a week and finish in roughly 7 months, or go faster full-time and finish in around 4 months. You choose the pace that fits your work and family life — and you can start whenever you are ready.
Careers
Career outcomes
Graduates are prepared for entry-level and intermediate roles across IT operations, infrastructure and support.
- IT Support Specialist / Help Desk Analyst
- Systems Administrator
- Network Administrator
- Cloud Support Associate
- Junior Cybersecurity Analyst
- Technical Support Engineer
Helps prepare for: CompTIA A+, CompTIA Network+, CompTIA Linux+, CompTIA Server+, Cisco CCNA, Microsoft Azure Administrator (AZ-104), AWS Cloud Practitioner
Career outlook & salaries in Alberta
Typical roles and wage ranges for related occupations in Alberta. Source: Government of Canada Job Bank & Alberta alis labour-market data.
IT Support Technician
$20.19–$57.69/hrmedian $30.00/hr · NOC 22221Troubleshoot hardware, software and user issues.
Computer Network Technician
$21.00–$55.00/hrmedian $38.67/hr · NOC 22220Install, configure and maintain networks and systems.
Help Desk / Desktop Support
$20.19–$57.69/hrmedian $30.00/hr · NOC 22221Provide front-line technical support for organizations.
Wages vary by employer, experience and location and are not guaranteed. Figures are Job Bank Alberta hourly wages (low–high and median, 2023–2024) for related occupations, provided for general guidance.
The numbers behind this career
Official data about the occupations this program prepares you for. It describes these jobs across Alberta — not what Ucademy students will earn — and it shows the less favourable figures as well as the good ones. Job Bank says these occupations usually require a college diploma, an apprenticeship of two or more years, or supervisory experience, while this program is a 420-hour certificate, so check the qualifications in real job postings before you decide.
Source: Job Bank outlook and key facts — NOC 22221, NOC 22220 · recent trends Jul 28, 2026.
Hiring figures: Alberta Wage and Salary Survey 2023 (alis) — NOC 22221 · employer survey, 2023.
View the data as a table
| Area | Low | Median | High | Data |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alberta | $20.19/hr | $30.00/hr | $57.69/hr | Labour Force Survey, 2023–2024 |
| Athabasca–Grande Prairie | not published | — | — | — |
| Banff–Jasper | $26.28/hr | $35.50/hr | $49.07/hr | Statistics Canada model estimate, 2024 |
| Calgary | $22.65/hr | $33.70/hr | $49.92/hr | Statistics Canada model estimate, 2024 |
| Camrose–Drumheller | $24.90/hr | $33.58/hr | $48.15/hr | Statistics Canada model estimate, 2024 |
| Edmonton | $22.60/hr | $33.19/hr | $52.02/hr | Statistics Canada model estimate, 2024 |
| Lethbridge–Medicine Hat | $24.77/hr | $33.73/hr | $44.34/hr | Statistics Canada model estimate, 2024 |
| Red Deer | $24.91/hr | $33.96/hr | $41.76/hr | Statistics Canada model estimate, 2024 |
| Wood Buffalo–Cold Lake | not published | — | — | — |
| Canada | $20.50/hr | $31.47/hr | $49.00/hr | Labour Force Survey, 2023–2024 |
The Alberta and Canada rows are Labour Force Survey results for 2023–2024. Every regional row is a Statistics Canada model estimate for 2024 (marked *); the regional medians ($33.19 to $35.50) sit above the Alberta median ($30.00), and because the two methods differ you should compare these rows with care. Job Bank does not publish Athabasca–Grande Prairie or Wood Buffalo–Cold Lake. Wages depend on the employer, experience and location and are not guaranteed.
Source: Job Bank wages — NOC 22221 · wages updated Nov 19, 2025; outlook updated Dec 10, 2025.
View the data as a table
| Area | Low | Median | High | Data |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alberta | $21.00/hr | $38.67/hr | $55.00/hr | Labour Force Survey, 2023–2024 |
| Athabasca–Grande Prairie | not published | — | — | — |
| Banff–Jasper | $26.67/hr | $39.30/hr | $52.85/hr | Statistics Canada model estimate, 2024 |
| Calgary | $22.00/hr | $36.06/hr | $55.00/hr | Labour Force Survey, 2023–2024 |
| Camrose–Drumheller | $26.34/hr | $37.63/hr | $49.70/hr | Statistics Canada model estimate, 2024 |
| Edmonton | $19.23/hr | $38.67/hr | $52.52/hr | Labour Force Survey, 2023–2024 |
| Lethbridge–Medicine Hat | $26.75/hr | $38.78/hr | $51.47/hr | Statistics Canada model estimate, 2024 |
| Red Deer | $27.48/hr | $38.04/hr | $53.58/hr | Statistics Canada model estimate, 2024 |
| Wood Buffalo–Cold Lake | not published | — | — | — |
| Canada | $21.00/hr | $36.00/hr | $55.00/hr | Labour Force Survey, 2023–2024 |
Alberta, Calgary, Edmonton and Canada are Labour Force Survey results for 2023–2024; the other published regions are model estimates for 2024 (marked *). Job Bank does not publish Athabasca–Grande Prairie or Wood Buffalo–Cold Lake, and notes that most opportunities in this occupation will be in Calgary or Edmonton.
Source: Job Bank wages — NOC 22220 · wages updated Nov 19, 2025; outlook updated Dec 10, 2025.
| Alberta | Athabasca–Grande Prairie | Banff–Jasper | Calgary | Camrose–Drumheller | Edmonton | Lethbridge–Medicine Hat | Red Deer | Wood Buffalo–Cold Lake | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| User support technician (IT support / help desk) NOC 22221 | Moderate | Limited | Limited | Moderate | Limited | Moderate | Limited | Moderate | Limited |
| Computer network technician NOC 22220 | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Undetermined | Moderate | Moderate | Undetermined | Undetermined |
Alberta is rated Moderate for both occupations, but user support technicians are rated Limited in five regions. Job Bank expects only a few new positions in each occupation, and not many openings from retirements for user support technicians. Network technicians are Undetermined in Camrose–Drumheller, Red Deer and Wood Buffalo–Cold Lake.
Source: Job Bank outlooks · updated Dec 10, 2025.
| User support technicians | Computer network technicians | |
|---|---|---|
| Occupation group | NOC 22221 | NOC 22220 |
| Usual entry requirement (Job Bank) | College diploma, apprenticeship of 2+ years, or supervisory experience | College diploma, apprenticeship of 2+ years, or supervisory experience |
| Alberta median wage | $30.00/hr | $38.67/hr |
| Outlook 2025–2027, Alberta | Moderate | Moderate |
| Employed in Alberta | ~9,700 | ~4,000 |
| Work full-time / work all year | 93% / 73% | 93% / 79% |
| Largest industry | Computer systems design 39% | Computer systems design 32% |
| Non-wage benefits, Alberta (Canada) | 86.1% (92.9%) | 91% (87.4%) |
| Employers that hired in the last 2 years (alis 2023) | 48% | 34% |
| … of those, had trouble hiring | 15% | 16% |
| Employers with a vacancy open over 4 months | 7% | 3% |
Job Bank and alis are separate sources: Job Bank describes all workers in the occupation, alis reports what surveyed employers said in 2023, a snapshot in time.
Source: Job Bank outlook and key facts — NOC 22221, NOC 22220 · wages updated Nov 19, 2025; outlook updated Dec 10, 2025.
Source: Alberta Wage and Salary Survey 2023 (alis) — NOC 22221, NOC 22220 · employer survey, 2023.
| Starting | Overall | Top | |
|---|---|---|---|
| User support technicians (22221) | $31.39 | $38.75 | $42.36 |
| Computer network technicians (22220) | $34.28 | $40.59 | $47.84 |
“Starting” is the average pay employers report for entry-level positions with that job title — not what any program’s graduates earn. This is a separate survey from Job Bank, so the numbers differ. For cybersecurity specialists and network technicians the “Starting” figures reflect employers’ hires into those job titles, who are often degree-holders or experienced workers, so they should not be read as expected pay for a new certificate or diploma graduate.
Source: Alberta Wage and Salary Survey 2023 (alis) — NOC 22221, NOC 22220 · employer survey, 2023.
- Computer systems design services 39%
- Information and cultural industries 6%
- Wholesale trade 5%
- All other sectors 50%
Computer systems design services is the largest single industry for this occupation.
Source: Job Bank, workers by industry (NOC 22221) · Alberta.
- Computer systems design services 32%
- Information and cultural industries 9%
- All other sectors 59%
Source: Job Bank, workers by industry (NOC 22220) · Alberta.
View the data as a table
| user support technicians | computer network technicians | all occupations | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Above bachelor’s level (master’s, doctorate) | 8% | 7% | 9% |
| Bachelor’s degree | 28% | 25% | 21% |
| College certificate or diploma | 33% | 39% | 19% |
| High school | 20% | 17% | 28% |
| Apprenticeship or trades certificate | 8% | 9% | 13% |
| No high school diploma | <5% | <5% | 10% |
About a third of people in these roles hold a college certificate or diploma (33% and 39%), and a bachelor’s degree is the highest education for 28% and 25%.
Source: Job Bank, educational attainment (NOC 22221 and 22220) · Alberta.
Data checked October 19, 2026: Job Bank wages updated Nov 19, 2025, outlooks Dec 10, 2025, recent employment trends Jul 28, 2026; Alberta Wage and Salary Survey 2023. Occupation data, not a program outcome. Ucademy has no graduates yet.
Where graduates work in Alberta
Every organization with computers needs IT support. In Alberta that includes energy and utilities companies, banks and insurers, hospitals and clinics, school boards and post-secondary institutions, municipalities, managed service providers (MSPs) that support many small businesses, and retail chains.
| Role | Occupation group (NOC 2021) | Learn more |
|---|---|---|
| IT support specialist / help desk analyst | NOC22221User support technicians | IT Help Desk Jobs in Alberta: Entry-Level Roles and How to Get Started |
| Network or systems administrator (junior) | NOC22220Computer network and web technicians | Network Administrator Careers in Canada: Skills, Certifications, and Pathways |
| Cloud support associate | NOC22220Computer network and web technicians | IT Support Careers in Alberta: How to Get Your First Help Desk Job |
| Junior cybersecurity analyst (with further training) | NOC21220Cybersecurity specialists | IT Support vs Cybersecurity: Which Tech Career Is Right for You? |
NOC is the National Occupational Classification used by Job Bank and alis. You can look up wages and outlooks for each group in our Alberta salary calculator or on alis. Job titles and hiring vary by employer; Ucademy does not guarantee employment.
Working conditions
What the work is usually like day to day. It varies by employer, so ask about it in interviews.
- Hours. Help desk and support teams often cover extended hours, so evening, weekend or on-call shifts are common, especially early in your career.
- Physical work. On-site support can mean lifting and moving computers and printers, working under desks and walking between floors or buildings.
- The work itself. Solving problems for frustrated users under time pressure, and documenting every fix in a ticketing system.
- Background checks. Employers that give you access to systems and data often ask for a police information check.
Where this career can lead
Help desk is a common first step in IT. With experience and certifications, many people move into desktop support, systems or network administration and cloud roles — or specialise in cybersecurity. The Security Analyst Certificate and Cybersecurity Specialist Diploma at Ucademy are natural next steps if security interests you.
Studying
A typical study week
Ucademy is self-paced, so you decide when you study. Studying part-time at the recommended pace, a week usually looks like this:
- Watch recorded lectures on a topic such as Windows administration, Linux or networking
- Complete hands-on browser labs — for example, plan a subnet and script routine admin checks in Python
- Document what you did, the way IT teams write tickets and knowledge-base articles
- Use practice questions to prepare for certification-style exams at your own pace
You can slow down during busy weeks and speed up when you have more time. Learner success staff check in if you fall behind.
Skills, tools and industry certifications
What you will practise and use throughout the program:
- Windows and Windows Server administration
- Linux command line and administration
- Networking: TCP/IP, routing, switching, troubleshooting
- Virtualization and cloud fundamentals
- Ticketing, documentation and customer service
Certifications
Course content lines up with widely recognized entry-level certifications such as CompTIA A+, CompTIA Network+ and Microsoft Azure Fundamentals. These exams are run by the certification bodies and registered separately.
How you will study
Recorded lectures are paired with browser-based labs, so you practise hands-on — for example planning subnets in Python — without installing anything. Instructors are available for questions, and the program is self-paced.
Cost & next steps
What else to budget for besides tuition
- A computer, webcam and headset that meet the technology requirements, and reliable high-speed internet.
- Textbooks, e-books and software. Your enrolment contract will list exactly what is included in tuition and what is not.
- Industry certification exams such as CompTIA A+ or Network+ are optional and paid to the exam provider, unless your enrolment contract says otherwise.
Tuition and any fees will be published before enrolment opens, and no tuition is collected before then. The funding finder shows which ways to pay may fit you.
Paying for your program
Most students combine more than one source of funding. Options to explore:
Your next steps
- Read the syllabus.Download the full program outline from the panel at the top of this page.Download syllabus
- Check the fit.Take the 1-minute program quiz or compare programs side by side.
- Talk to an advisor.Book a free info session — no cost, no commitment.Book an Info Session
- Stay informed.Request information and we will tell you as soon as intakes open.Request Information
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