Opportunities In Information Technology
As the digital world continues to develop and improve in all major fields, so do the possibilities of career choices for those in the technology industry. Careers focus on the physical, life, earth, applied, and engineering sciences. Some of the fields that support IT professionals include:
- Medicine
- Computers and Information Technology
- Finance and Banking
- Educational Services
- Military Defense
- Textiles
- Food Services
- Government
- Engineering
- Telecommunications
- Manufacturing
Technology professionals work in every sector of our economy. Do you know that when you fly a plane, drive a car, make a phone call or watch a football match, you are experiencing some of the products of technology?. Yes, you’ve been enjoying a whole lot of “tech products”.
Technology professionals are always looking for new ways of doing things and this is what gives birth to the term “Innovation”. Harvard Business School scholar, Professor Clayton Christensen, remarked in his interview with HSM Global, that “Innovation almost always is not successful the first time out. You try something and it doesn’t work and it takes confidence to say we haven’t failed yet”. Ultimately, resilience is a basic ingredient for a tech enthusiast or professional who pursues Innovation.
So yes, you can start a career in tech and join the “geek” bandwagon. Depending on your area of interest, you can focus your strengths on the necessary courses to prepare you for a specific career as there are a lot of fields to be filled in the IT industry, including the following:
- Software Developer: Similar to a computer programmer, software developers are the creative minds behind computer programs. The median pay is $93,350 a year, and employment in the field is expected to grow by 22 percent in the next 4 years.
- Computer Programmer: The stepping stone towards a more advanced career in IT. A computer programmer writes code to create software programs, and generally interact with software developers and engineers. The median pay is $74,280 a year, and employment in the field is expected to grow 8 percent in the next 4 years.
- Computer Systems Analyst: A computer systems analyst is the glue between business and IT, helping organizations better understand their computer systems needs. The median pay is $79,680 per year, and employment in the field is expected to grow 25 percent in the next 4 years.
- Information Security Analyst: As cyber attacks continue to increase, the roles and responsibilities of information security analysts continue to increase as well. The median pay is $86,170 per year, and employment in the field is expected to grow 37 percent in the next 4 years.
- Computer Information and Research Scientist: Many of these jobs require a Ph.D., as they deal with solving highly complex problems in the fields of business, medicine, science, and others. The median pay is $102,190 and employment in the field is expected to grow by 15 percent in the next 4 years.
- Computer support specialists: These provide much-needed technical assistance, support, and advice to individuals and organizations. Some may be referred to as technical support specialists, while others are known as help desk technicians and their median pay is $62,250 and it is expected to grow 3.7 percent in the next 4 years.
- Data Administrator: They are responsible for maintaining the integrity and performance of company databases and guarantee that data is stored securely and optimally. DBAs inform end users of changes in databases and train them to utilize systems and their median pay is $47,300 and is expected to grow by 1 percent in the next 4 years.
- IT Manager: They help organizations manage their Infrastructure doing everything from installing updates and negotiating with vendors and their median pay is $131,600 and is expected is grow by 1.9 percent in the next 4 years.
- Computer Network Architect: These technology professionals build, design and maintain data communication networks including Local Area Network and Wide Area Network and the median pay is $100,240 and is expected to grow by 0.6 percent in the next 4 years.
