#1 – PowerShell is a vital part of all popular operating systems

PowerShell is a task-based command-line shell and scripting language built on .NET.

PowerShell helps system administrators automate tasks that manage operating systems and processes.

It works with Linux, macOS, and Windows.

With PowerShell commands, you can control and manage computers and computer networks entirely from the command line.

PowerShell also provides centralized and fast access to data stores, which is a big advantage when working with many computers spread out in a company office.

PowerShell is also open-source and its base source code is now available on GitHub and open to anyone around the world to contribute to.

#2 – PowerShell allows companies to easily manage networks of computers

PowerShell is a tool that allows companies to manage processes and activities on computers.

It is the command-line tool natively built into Windows Operating Systems. PowerShell is mainly used by System Administrators to:

• Automate repetitive tasks, and
• Manage IT environments at scale

Imagine you work as an System Admin in an office with 50, 500, or 5000 computers.

How would you go about updating operating systems, installing software, or making crucial network-wide changes to computers?

To navigate that problem, IT pros use PowerShell to run commands and create scripts for large scale tasks they have to perform more than once.

Anything you can do with a few mouse clicks in the GUI can be done in PowerShell.

PowerShell works with cmdlets which are simple, single-function commands built into the shell.

You can use each cmdlet separately, but their power is realized when you use cmdlets in combination to perform complex tasks.

Windows PowerShell comes with more than one hundred basic core cmdlets, but you can write your own cmdlets and share them with colleagues and with the rest of the world.

Knowing how to create cmdlets and perform PowerShell scripting is highly valuable as you can help companies build custom solutions for IT processes and problems.

#3 – With PowerShell you can access information that is often hard to find

Like many Command-Line-Interfaces (CLI’s), PowerShell enables you to access data and information that is sometimes hard to find when using the Graphical User Interface (GUI).

For instance, System Admins can use PowerShell to easily get into secure data stores such as the Windows Registry, and digital signed certificates.

PowerShell allows IT pros to have deep visibility and control over all of the resources on a network.

#4 – Most Microsoft products already use PowerShell or will do so in the future

Microsoft intends to make PowerShell a crucial part of all its products.

This is backed up by Microsoft’s decision to include PowerShell version 2 in Windows Server 2008 R2.

And to also have it enabled by default in Windows 7.

Many of the add-ons for Microsoft products are going to be based on PowerShell, if they aren’t already.

Virtually all of the server products Microsoft is producing right now can be managed through PowerShell.

Becoming proficient in PowerShell gives you the skill set required to manage most of Microsoft’s current and future products.

#5 – Many GUIs are PowerShell front ends

Pronounced “gooey”, a GUI is simply a user interface that includes graphical elements, like icons and buttons.

Many of the GUI interfaces that Microsoft uses for existing products are actually front end interfaces to PowerShell.

The most popular example being the Microsoft Exchange Management Console.

The Exchange Management Console is a GUI based management tool for Microsoft’s email server product.  The front end is graphical but it is built entirely on top of PowerShell.

Any function you perform through the Exchange Management Console generates PowerShell code that completes the requested task.

#6 – Microsoft certification exams contain PowerShell questions

Although Microsoft does not offer a PowerShell specific certification, most Microsoft certification exams include PowerShell questions.

The majority of these exams do not necessarily require you to be proficient with complete command syntax, but rather require you to know which commands or cmdlets are applicable in different situations.

Learning PowerShell means that you will become more competent to take Microsoft certification exams.

Here are some certification exams that require knowledge of PowerShell:

·        MCSA Windows Server 2016

·        MCSE Productivity

·        Microsoft Certified Azure Administrator

·        MCSE Mobility

·        Microsoft 365 Certified Modern Desktop Administrator

#7 – There are many job opportunities for PowerShell experts

Someone skilled at Powershell would be able to work in most Windows, Azure, and Office 365 IT environments.

There are plenty of jobs related to Powershell, with over 7,500 listed on Indeed.

Some job titles found on Indeed include:

• Powershell Developer
• Linux and Windows Administrator
• Network Engineer, and
• Desktop Engineer

ZipRecruiter also has over 11,000 PowerShell jobs with a salary range of about $93,000 – $170,000 US dollars.

Most of the jobs on ZipRecruiter are similar to what is available on Indeed, but some different job titles available on ZipRecruiter include:

• Senior PowerShell DSC Developer, and
• Software Engineer

Learning PowerShell is one of the best decisions that you can make in your IT career.