Why Your Career Needs Drupal, the Multipurpose CMS

Today, online presence isn’t just an added bonus for companies reaching out to their customers—it’s a necessity. According to CEO Rehan Fernando at EIGHT25MEDIA,  70-80% of people research a company online before purchasing their product, usually through the company’s website. With so much riding on web content, it’s no surprise that the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that employment for web developers and digital designers will grow 23% between 2021 and 2031, with an anticipated 21,800 job openings projected each year. Content management system (CMS), a primary tool for website development, is likewise gaining attention. Those with CMS credentials on their resumes have an added advantage for dozens of different fields and careers. One such CSM, Drupal, an open-source site builder, is no exception.

Why Drupal?

Drupal is quickly gaining traction as a popular and versatile CMS. Since Drupal’s CMS accounts for at least 18% of the top 10,000 websites worldwide, it’s safe to say that Drupal is one of the top players when it comes to creating and hosting web content. Flexibility is what really makes Drupal stand out from other CMSs like WordPress. Drupal is used for websites of all sorts, including personal blogs, professional businesses, and government sites. With Drupal, you can manage large companies, host knowledge-sharing platforms, and foster business collaboration. If you’re looking for a career change or just trying to boost your hire-able skills, Drupal training is a great place to start. 

Because it’s so versatile, a working knowledge of Drupal’s CMS opens up many different career opportunities. 

Drupal Careers

Drupal is multipurpose, so its possibilities are limitless. Though Drupal can be used in careers of all sorts, here are a few that rely on it most extensively. If you’re interested in new career opportunities, these are a good place to start. 

Web Developers 

Drupal web developers are considered specialists. They’re responsible for using the CMS to create and manage Drupal websites. Primarily, Drupal web development can be broken into two parts: Back-end development and Front-end development. 

Back-End

Back-end Drupal developers work with programming languages such as PHP, HTML, CSS, and Javascript to create the structure that makes websites function properly. For those looking to enter Back-end development, a standard understanding of Drupal coding and site-building–as included in ONLC’s Drupal 8 introductory course–is a must-have. 

Front-End

While Back-end developers focus on the underlying mechanics of a site, Front-end developers are responsible for the visual interface accessed by the public. As a Front-end developer, you need an eye for aesthetics and the coding chops of a Drupal expert. 

Tech Support

Drupal could be the defining tool that makes you the perfect technical support provider. With so many companies using Drupal as their primary CMS, the ability to confidently navigate a Drupal site and troubleshoot for issues is an increasingly profitable skill. Whether you currently work in technical support or are interested in it as a possible career, Drupal is a surefire way to amplify your marketability.

Project Manager

In the Drupal world, project managers are responsible for overseeing web development. Drupal skills are doubly handy for this position. First, managers have to be familiar with the Drupal system in order to effectively lead a team working within the CMS.  Secondly, since web development is a complex project with changeable schedules, budgets, and teams, project managers may use Drupal systems to organize their work. Drupal modules like Workflow are integral to seamless project management. If you’re looking to fill a project management position, proficiency with Drupal programs is sure to make you stand out from the crowd and give you a competitive edge.  

Freelancing

As with many specialized fields, web development and management have a strong freelancing presence. As a freelance Drupal developer, you could make an average of $61-80/hour. Drupal isn’t limited to development, though—technical freelancers from all fields can benefit from a well-rounded Drupal education.  If you’re interested in being a technical jack-of-all-trades, Drupal training should be at the top of your to-do list. 

Online Drupal Education 

In spite of how foundational it is to many areas of web development, Drupal education is not always accessible. Drupal’s famous learning curve makes trial-and-error self-training unrealistic. The CMS’s extra flexibility means extra complexity. On the other hand, for many, stringent, structured Drupal training isn’t an option. Many looking to kick-start their Drupal career have inflexible schedules that can’t be rearranged for training. Full-time workers trying to hone their Drupal and coding skills are simply unable to pause their current careers to develop their abilities. Likewise, beginners learning Drupal for the first time may be unable to dedicate the time and money required by many traditional programs. 

The traditional, structured approach to Drupal training may work for some today, but popular alternatives are quickly gaining traction. Remote, self-directed Drupal training is opening doors for new and experienced tech workers alike. The Drupal courses offered by ONLC are designed to prepare you for professional work at your pace.  

ONLC Drupal Training 

Our Drupal On-Demand introduction to Drupal 8 is a self-paced, self-directed training solution that gives you a high-quality Drupal education on your schedule. With repeatable and skippable sections, this program is a perfect fit for both aspiring and experienced Drupal users. From Drupal themes, core modules, taxonomies, and permissions to nodes/content types, module development, and plugins, ONLC’s training provides you with the building blocks you need for professional success. With Drupal tutorials, lectures, demonstrations, and activities that are primed to give you hands-on experience, our Drupal courses offer everything you need to boost your dream career. 

Interested in learning Drupal 8 in our self-paced program? Enroll here. More of a traditional student? Check out our live, instructor-led Drupal classes.