Computer science is a broad field that relates to many items, such as analyzing data and developing software. In today’s world, computer science is applicable in many industries such as Manufacturing, Banking, Retail, and automobiles. Almost all employees in every organization rely on computer technology every day. We have become more dependable on digital resources like applications to do tasks like checking bank balances or checking today’s date.
Since the technology used by human beings is expanding every day, organizations are in greater need of professionals who can keep servers, software, and systems working. With these skills in demand, a career in computer science is very promising. If you are looking to work in the field of computer science or computer engineering, you should start soon and research the different tools you need to learn and the skills you need to have.
In this blog post, we will list the various reasons to start a career in computer science and information technology and get a job.
Why work in the field of Computer science?
The field of computer science involves the jobs in which one needs to learn, install, maintain, develop, and maintain various computers and software associated it with. They write software using various programming languages like Java, Scala, Python, C#, C e.t.c. In different organizations such as banking, Finance, Automobile, Internet-based companies, Retail, Finance, Health care, business, education, and scientific research.
They are highly trained in algorithms and data structures through which they provide instructions to the computer. They use algorithms to process, store, manipulate and move data and information between computers and users.
All IT-based companies need individuals with Computer Science backgrounds, as they rely on technology on a daily basis. According to the Department of Labor, employment in computer science and technology occupations is projected to grow 13 percent faster from 2020 to 2030 when compared with other occupations. Employers in computer science occupations would be looking at skills such as cloud computing, big data storage, and cloud computing. The annual wage for computer science and information technology occupations in the US is $97K, which is higher than the median annual wage for all occupations of $47k.
Typical Employers
In today’s market, all organizations use computers and their software. Most business relies on computers and related software to function effectively within the team. Thus, all companies have an IT department to handle this request. Bigger companies have many IT departments, whereas Small to Medium Size Enterprise (SME) companies have only one. Let’s try to categorize these companies by sector and list them down.
- Retail
- Manufacturing
- Software Companies
- Social Media Company
- Automobile
- Telecommunications
- Healthcare
- Aerospace, Defense, and Military-Industrial Complex
- Government Organizations
- Agriculture
- Oil and Gas Industry
Steps for Getting into the field of computer science
There are many steps that need to be followed to be in the computer science field. It is not necessary to follow all of these, but is recommended to get good results.
Step 1: Get a Computer Science Degree
Get a computer science degree from a reputable degree with a strong focus on practical learning and real-life projects. If you have finished a bachelor’s degree in any other non-computer science degree, you can still get a master’s degree in Computer Science, which will help in showing your determination to future employers. Make sure the university or the training institute is accredited by professional bodies, that offer classes that include software engineering, mathematics, database systems, computer system organization, and digital system design, before starting the course. Many companies want to make sure students have studied a program with professional accreditation.
Step 2: Get an Internship as part of your degree.
When studying for your degree, try to gain an internship which helps to gain needed computer science career skills by getting relevant work experience. You can look for an internship in the same geographical area where you live, or look remotely. This work experience allows students to develop the skills and experience necessary to understand the sector while adding the experience to their resume. In many cases, getting an internship helps to get a full-time job as well at the same company where you got the experience.
Step 3: Have a strong foundation before you specialize in computer science
Make sure you learn the basics and have a strong foundation in core computer science topics before you specialize in computers. Once you finish your foundation, it is beneficial for one’s career to have an advanced degree like a Master of Science in software engineering or Management Information Systems. One can have a master’s in statistics and mathematics if interested in the field of data science.
Step 4: Gain the Soft Skills needed for Computer Science careers
When one starts a career in computer science, one needs to have more than a set of technical skills. One needs to learn about teamwork, how to communicate effectively, and have good interpersonal skills to succeed in this field.
Step 5: Take part in Competitions and Extra Curriculum activities
In addition to academic courses, one needs to take part in other activities to gain advantages over other competitors. There are many competitions that are organized within a university, which can help develop skills to think in a high-pressure environment and challenge themselves.
Step 6. Obtain Certifications
In modern-day workspaces, employers are always demanding that their employees should have certification in the technology they are working for. Many employers also have a refund policy for reimbursing the fee for the certifications.
What are Different Computer Science Positions?
When one decides to start a career in computer science, they can work in different positions related to it. All of these positions have different jobs responsibility with different salary levels, though some similarities might exist between the job responsibilities. Let’s look at some of these sections and their estimated salary.
Computer Programmer
A computer programmer takes requirements from customers or business stakeholders and creates applications based upon that information. Once requirements are finalized, they use various programming languages, likewise Java, Python, Scala, and JavaScript, to develop the software for the customers. Once the software is developed, it is delivered to the client as a product. On average, they earn around $75K annually in the United States (US).
Software Developer
Software Developers’ job is to develop websites, programs, and applications that run on computers or similar devices. They need to have a good background in computer programs as they need to be detail-oriented with strong interpersonal skills to collaborate with others. In addition to developing software, they need to have soft and managerial skills. On average, they earn about $95k annually.
Web Developer
Web developers are computer programmers that are mainly concentrated on web-based applications. They mainly work on coding, designing, and building the layout of a website. They are also proficient in HTML, CSS, JavaScript, graphic design, and other programming languages. On average, they earn around $100K annually.
Information Security Analyst
Information Security Analysts are responsible for making sure the organization’s operating systems are safe. In order to do this, they regularly check for security breaches within the various infrastructure and escalate to higher management for any issues. Once the findings are finalized, they make recommendations to the IT department for any upgrades on the hardware or software side. As the complexity of the IT system gets complicated, a more sophisticated threat exists in the organization. The organization needs better-trained cybersecurity professionals to prevent these threats. On average, they earn around $90K annually.
Data Scientist
They are highly knowledgeable individuals with advanced computer science degrees, mathematics, or statistics. They generally have a Master’s or a Ph.D. Degree, with the main focus on artificial intelligence. Machine learning and various analytics-based research. Furthermore, they use machine learning, statistical analysis, regression models, and newly developed scientific models for decision-making and managing data products. On average, they earn $124K annually.
UX Designer
UX designer or User Experience designer, the role is to create and design the application specifically for the needs of the user or customer, in terms of its use, quality and efficiency. Their job is to make sure that the user loves their favorite apps and interfaces. In order to be a good UX designer, it is preferred to have a degree in computer science, though it’s not necessary. On average, they earn around $75K annually.
Conclusion
In this blog post, we read about how to start a career in computer science. We saw the various steps needed to get jobs in the computer science field, and different computer science majors. We also read about various jobs related to computer science and the average salary they can earn in the USA.
Are you ready to start your career in Computer Science?
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