Title: Chapter 15 Information Technology Careers
1Chapter 15 Information Technology Careers
Chapter 15
Information Technology Careers
2Presentation Overview
- Career Opportunities in Information Technology
- Preparation for an IT Career
- Work Environments
3Career Opportunities in Information Technology
- What career opportunities are there in IT?
- The following jobs are among the top 15
fastest-growing positions from 2004 through 2014 - Computer software developers
- Computer support specialists
- Network and computer systems administrators
- Network systems and data communications analysts
- Database administrators
4Career Opportunities in Information Technology
- There are four main categories of IT jobs,
grouped by the main focus of the job - Sales and support
- Software development
- Application development
- Hardware design
5Career Opportunities in Information Technology
- Sales and Support Careers
- Technical servicing is the installation and
maintenance of hardware and software. - A technician hooks up network wires, installs
basic system software, and administers repairs. - Technical support involves responding to phone
and e-mail requests for assistance from
customers. - Technical support specialists sometimes have to
go to customer sites to troubleshoot systems.
6Career Opportunities in Information Technology
- Sales and Support Careers
- Technical sales involves educating potential
customers about the companys products so that
they want to buy them. - Technical salespeople are often the highest paid
of all those working in the technical area of IT. - Technical training involves teaching individuals
how to use systems. - Technical trainers are always in demand.
7Career Opportunities in Information Technology
- Sales and Support Careers
- Technical writing turns the technical skills and
knowledge in the engineers heads into written
documentation. - A degree in English or technical writing is the
foundation for becoming a technical writer.
8Career Opportunities in Information Technology
- Software Development Careers
- Software development is the creation of new
software products for commercial sale. - Systems programming is highly specialized and
involves writing instructions in C, JavaScript,
or other languages to accomplish a succession of
tasks. - A systems programmer specializes in the
development of system software.
9Career Opportunities in Information Technology
- Software Development Careers
- The skills needed for application programming are
similar to those required for systems
programming. - An application programmer works with application
software rather than systems software. - The use of computers to create images, sounds,
and movies is called multimedia development. - Multimedia developers include graphic artists,
digital sound editors, and animation specialists.
10Career Opportunities in Information Technology
- Software Development Careers
- Quality assurance (QA) is the testing of new
products before they are released to the public. - QA testers often double as technical trainers,
technical writers, or customer support
specialists.
11Career Opportunities in Information Technology
- Average Annual Salaries for Jobs in Software
Development, 2008
12Career Opportunities in Information Technology
- Application Development Careers
- Application development uses commercial software
to develop a system for a specific organization. - Systems analysis involves gathering the
requirements and developing a design for systems. - An individual who performs these tasks is called
a systems analyst.
13Career Opportunities in Information Technology
- Application Development Careers
- Database administration is particularly important
because the database is at the core of a
companys information systems. - A database administrator is responsible for the
day-to-day operations of the database. - Network administration involves the operations
and maintenance of a company network. - A network administrator performs these tasks.
14Career Opportunities in Information Technology
- Application Development Careers
- Web administration includes keeping a Web site
working and up-to-date. - A Web administrator, or Web master, has the job
of developing and maintaining a Web site with
multiple pages.
15Career Opportunities in Information Technology
- Average Annual Salaries for Jobs in Application
Development, 2008
16Career Opportunities in Information Technology
- Hardware Design Careers
- Hardware design is the specification of computer
hardware such as CPUs, video cards, and memory
chips. - Many hardware designers are electrical engineers,
and many are computer engineers. - Computer engineering is a hybrid training that
includes both electrical engineering and computer
science.
17Career Opportunities in Information Technology
- Average Annual Salaries for Jobs in Hardware
Design, 2008
18Preparation for an IT Career
- What training is needed to succeed in an IT
career? - Three main types of bachelors degree programs
are most commonly followed to launch a career in
IT. - Computer science
- Computer engineering
- Computer information systems
19Preparation for an IT Career
- College Degree Programs
- Computer Science Degree
- Involves the study of the computer and its many
applications. - It often takes five years to complete.
- It typically requires advanced mathematics, basic
chemistry, and basic physics as prerequisites. - Graduates typically become programmers for
software companies or applications developers for
IT consulting firms.
20Preparation for an IT Career
- College Degree Programs
- Computer Engineering Degree
- A hybrid of computer science and electrical
engineering and focuses on hardware design. - It almost always takes at least five years to
complete. - Graduates often work for factory automation,
computer hardware design, or system-level
software design companies.
21Preparation for an IT Career
- College Degree Programs
- Computer Information Systems (CIS) Degree
- Focuses on applications rather than the
underlying science and principles of computers. - Most programs require a mix of business and
computer science courses. - Graduates often become application developers or
Web or database administrators.
22Preparation for an IT Career
- Comparison of Entry-Level Salaries for Various
Degree Programs
23Preparation for an IT Career
- Certificate Programs
- Consists of a series of intensive education
courses offered primarily by large IT companies
such as Microsoft and Cisco. - Most programs consist of two parts
- A course of study that lasts a few weeks
- A test that grants the participant a certificate
of achievement
24Preparation for an IT Career
- Major Types of Certification
25Preparation for an IT Career
- Major Types of Certification (continued)
26Preparation for an IT Career
- Major Types of Certification (continued)
27Preparation for an IT Career
- Certificate Programs
- CompTIA certifications are sponsored by the
Computing Technology Industry Association. - They are not specific to a particular vendors
hardware or software. - They are best known for the A certification.
- They can be obtained by taking a test at a local
testing center.
28Preparation for an IT Career
- Certificate Programs
- Convergence Technologies Professional (CTP)
certifications are offered by the
Telecommunications Industry Association. - They are offered in response to the growing
importance of jobs involving the convergence of
voice, data, and video over the Internet. - Certificate holders have good grasp of telephony,
infrastructure, signaling, and Voice over IP. - They are entry-level and vendor-neutral.
29Preparation for an IT Career
- Certificate Programs
- Microsoft Certificates
- The Microsoft Office Specialist (MOS)
certification is a starting point for people who
wish to learn the Office suite in greater detail. - The Microsoft Certified Professional (MCP)
certification states that an individual is
qualified to develop applications using Microsoft
software.
30Preparation for an IT Career
- Certificate Programs
- Microsoft Certificates
- The Microsoft Certified Solution Developer (MCSD)
certification certifies that an individual is
qualified to use Microsoft Visual Studio and
related products to write software. - The Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer (MCSE)
certification is targeted at network
administrators who manage large LANs or WANs.
31Preparation for an IT Career
- Certificate Programs
- Microsoft Certificates
- The Microsoft Certified Systems Administrator
(MCSA) certification is common for technicians
who manage Windows-based systems. - The Microsoft Certified Database Administrator
(MCDBA) certification is held by database
administrators who specialize in using Microsoft
Access.
32Preparation for an IT Career
- Certificate Programs
- Cisco Certificates
- The Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA)
certificate certifies the holder to install and
manage small networks. - The Cisco Certified Design Associate (CCDA)
certificate certifies the holder to design small
home or office networks. - The Cisco Certified Internetworking Professional
(CCIP) certifies that the holder has detailed
knowledge of the Cisco networking system.
33Preparation for an IT Career
- Certificate Programs
- Cisco Certificates
- Additional Cisco Qualified Specialist
certifications are available in specific
networking technologies such as cable and
communications. - Oracle offers certificates focusing on Oracle
application development and database
administration, including - Oracle Certified Application Developer (OCAD)
- Oracle Certified Database Administrator (OCDBA)
34Work Environments
- In choosing a career, what are some factors to
consider regarding work environment? - Think about what kind of corporate culture is the
best fit for you. - Do you want to work in a large IT department, or
do you prefer a small business? - What type of business model are you most
interested in product developer, IT department,
or consultant?
35Work Environments
- In choosing a career, what are some factors to
consider regarding work environment? - Most IT positions above the technician level are
salaried. - Salaries are fairly high, but extra work hours
are often required. - The majority of the IT work force is young and
male, especially at the entry level. - The IT job market is cyclical in natureit swings
up and down dramatically.
36Work Environments
- Ergonomics
- The science of designing equipment so that it is
comfortable to operate and does not cause the
user physical injury. - A repetitive motion injury occurs when a joint or
nerve is overused. - Most injuries in the IT field fall into this
category. - Carpal tunnel syndrome is an example of this type
of injury.
37On the Horizon
- Based on the information presented in this
chapter and your own experience, what do you
think is on the horizon?