Why IAM Is Exploding in Cybersecurity and How TechFios Graduates Are Filling the Gap
Automation Has Its Limits
For years, automation and artificial intelligence have been eating away at traditional IT jobs in the United States. Customer support teams have been trimmed down as chatbots handle basic tickets. QA testers have watched their roles disappear as software frameworks took over repetitive test cases. Even junior developers are seeing AI assistants churn out the simple code they used to write.
That has left many American workers especially those just starting out wondering if there is still a future in technology. The entry-level stepping stones are fewer, and the competition for what remains is fierce.
But while automation is trimming the bottom rungs of the ladder, the top is getting stronger. Certain roles are not just surviving they are booming. Identity and Access Management (IAM) is one of them. And for many professionals, it represents a path to security, relevance, and six-figure salaries.
The State of IT Jobs in the U.S.
The U.S. tech sector has shed more than 400,000 jobs since 2023. Entry-level roles have been the hardest hit, both by automation and by outsourcing. QA jobs in particular have been moved overseas, where labor costs are cheaper, leaving American workers scrambling to pivot.
Yet the Bureau of Labor Statistics paints a more complicated picture. Software development jobs are still expected to grow 15 percent this decade. Cybersecurity roles are projected to expand nearly 30 percent. And within cybersecurity, IAM has emerged as one of the fastest-growing niches.
Why IAM? Because as organizations digitize and adopt cloud-first strategies, they face a critical question: who has access to what? Every system login, every permission request, every compliance audit comes down to identity. And no amount of automation can replace the need for human oversight.
Cyberseek, a workforce analytics platform, estimates that there are over 700,000 unfilled cybersecurity jobs in the U.S. today. A large share is tied directly to IAM functions. That demand is reshaping IT careers, creating an opening for workers who might otherwise have been left behind.
Why IAM Is Exploding
A decade ago, IAM was considered a niche skill. Today, it is the backbone of enterprise security.
- Regulatory Pressure: Banks, healthcare providers, and government contractors face stricter compliance standards than ever. Failing to control access can mean fines, lawsuits, and lost trust.
- Zero-Trust Security Models: Companies are adopting zero-trust frameworks that assume no user is safe until verified. IAM sits at the center of this shift.
- Cloud and Hybrid Work: As companies move to the cloud and employees log in from everywhere, managing access rights has become mission-critical.
- AI and Data Privacy: Even as AI tools expand, someone has to control who is allowed to use them, and how sensitive data is handled.
These pressures explain why IAM job postings have doubled in the past five years and why salaries are climbing into the six-figure range.
TechFios’ Role
Enter TechFios, an IT Training USA institute based in Irving, Texas. TechFios has made IAM a cornerstone of its curriculum, alongside cybersecurity, DevOps, and applied machine learning.
What sets TechFios apart is its audience. Many of its students arrive with zero IT background. Some are career changers. Others are mid-level professionals laid off from QA or software testing jobs that were automated or outsourced.
TechFios provides them with structured, hands-on programs that mirror the tools and scenarios they will encounter on the job. Instead of abstract lectures, students practice building IAM frameworks, enforcing access policies, and conducting compliance audits. This practical approach ensures they graduate not just with knowledge, but with demonstrable skills.
And perhaps most importantly, TechFios emphasizes job placement USA support. Graduates don’t leave the classroom to fend for themselves. They work with recruiters, refine resumes, and prepare for interviews with top employers. That is why TechFios boasts placement rates about 25 percent higher than other bootcamps.
High-Paying Roles to Target
IAM is just one piece of a broader puzzle. TechFios prepares students for a cluster of high-paying IT jobs that share a common trait: they can not be automated away.
- IAM Specialist: Salaries typically range from $100,000 to $145,000. These professionals control access, manage credentials, and enforce compliance.
- Cybersecurity Analyst or Engineer: With demand outpacing supply, average pay sits between $95,000 and $140,000. Senior roles often climb higher.
- DevOps Engineer: Entry-level DevOps jobs start around $85,000, with senior engineers earning up to $140,000. Their role in ensuring reliable cloud operations is indispensable.
- Machine Learning Engineer: Applied ML specialists earn between $110,000 and $150,000, guiding organizations through safe and practical AI deployment.
Compare that to the shrinking fields of QA and IT support, where salaries rarely exceed $75,000 and outsourcing continues to erode opportunities. For professionals retraining with TechFios, the chance to double your salary is not hypothetical — it is happening every day.
Success Pathways
One of TechFios’ most remarkable strengths is its ability to help people pivot with no prior IT experience. The zero IT background student is not an outlier they are the norm.
A laid-off QA tester can move into IAM. A retail worker can transition into DevOps. A business analyst can train in applied machine learning. The pathways vary, but the destination is consistent: higher pay, stronger job security, and roles that companies actively need filled.
TechFios builds these pathways through a mix of classroom learning, labs, and mentorship. By the time graduates enter interviews, they can point to real projects, not just coursework. Employers notice the difference.
Why Employers Trust TechFios Graduates
For employers, the challenge is not finding applicants. It is finding applicants who are ready to work on day one. That is where TechFios delivers.
Graduates arrive with practical skills in IAM, cybersecurity, and DevOps areas where mistakes are costly and downtime is unacceptable. They know how to navigate compliance requirements, secure access systems, and manage incidents in real time.
That is why Fortune 500 companies, banks, and healthcare providers continue to hire TechFios alumni. These employers know that training alone is not enough. Job readiness matters, and TechFios has built a reputation for delivering it.
The Future Outlook
As automation and AI spread, the pressure on companies to manage risk and maintain compliance will only grow. IAM will continue to expand as organizations adopt zero-trust security, deploy biometric identity systems, and secure cloud access across hybrid workforces.
Cybersecurity spending in the U.S. alone is projected to surpass $120 billion by 2030. IAM is expected to be one of the fastest-growing segments within that surge.
For students, this means opportunity. TechFios has already positioned itself at the intersection of IAM training and workforce demand. Its graduates are stepping into roles that pay well, resist outsourcing, and offer clear advancement.
The American IT job market is not closing — it is shifting. Routine jobs are shrinking, but IAM and other high-skill fields are exploding. For professionals willing to retrain, the chance to double your salary is real, even if you start with zero IT background.
TechFios, one of the most trusted IT Training USA institutes, is showing the way forward. With a curriculum built around IAM, cybersecurity, DevOps, and applied machine learning, and with strong job placement USA support, it is helping students build careers that companies can not automate.
For anyone worried about automation, the takeaway is simple. The future of IT belongs to those who train for the jobs machines can not replace. And TechFios is preparing that workforce today.
