Career prospective in Information technology industry
Most businesses today are relying on Information Technology (IT) to operate more efficiently. Software is needed to run systems and networks. Basically, software industry is divided into two general categories: Applications and Service. Applications includes the development of software programs for computer users such as word processing, games and graphics, data storage, Web browsing, Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP), Customer Relationship Management (CRM), Supply Chain Management (SCM) and mobile applications. Service includes IT system supports, customize software, installation and network supports, and related IT services such as outsourcing and cloud computing.
The Internet has changed the software industry significantly. Most applications and service are now developed for use on the Internet. Mobile platforms have changed the software industry further with more mobile apps development. The widespread use of the Internet and mobile platforms also has led to the need for more computer security. Security threats range from damaging computer viruses to online fraud. As a result, organizations and individual computer users are demanding more security software, such as firewalls and antivirus applications that secure their computer networks or individual computer environments.
The software industry is the fastest growing industry in the past twenty years. It is still the youngest industry relative to other industries. Most people who work in software industry are young. There are fewer workers older than 40 years so there is a “youthful culture” where workers are willing to take risks to innovate and create new products. Most software workers are college educated with bachelor's degree (78%) in Computer Science, Software Engineering and Information System Management.
Software Application workers often start their careers as testers or programmers. They develop, write, test, and maintain software under the supervision of software project managers. As they gain experience, they move to software developers whose main jobs are to architect, design and develop software. Most software workers today use Object-oriented programming languages, such as C++ and Java. As they gain more experience, many move up to technical specialized positions such as technical leaders, system architects, requirements engineers, business analysts or assume management responsibilities, such as project managers, portfolio managers, directors and chief information officers etc. A majority of workers in software application area have degrees in Computer Science and Software Engineering.
Software Service workers provide technical assistance, support, and advice to customers and users. This group of workers combines their technical skills with business knowledge to solve problems for customers. Most starts their careers as help-desk technician to interpret problems and provide technical support for software and systems. They answer telephone calls; analyze problems using automated diagnostic programs, and resolve difficulties encountered by users. As they gain more experience, they often move to information system specialist positions which include a wide range of professionals who specialize in operation, analysis, application, or design for a particular piece of the system. Many are involved in the design, testing, and evaluation of network systems such as local area networks (LAN), wide area networks (WAN), the Internet, and other data communications systems. Specialty occupations reflect an emphasis on client-server applications and end-user support. A majority of workers in software support area have degree in Information System Management.
Since technology changes often and it is difficult to stay in technical area for long. Substantial number technical workers also move to marketing and sales positions after several years of working in technical area. The typical time is about 10 years of experience to be employed in this area. Marketing and sales workers are responsible for promoting and selling the products and services produced by the industry. After gaining more experience, some of them also move up to consulting and training position.
According to several industry reports, employment in Information Technology industry is projected to grow about 18% to 26% each year in the period 2012 – 2022, as companies continue to invest heavily in software and other information technology. Job prospects are considered to be excellent globally, since there is a critical shortage of IT skills, especially for computer application specialists. Wage and salary are expected to increase by 30 percent between 2012 and 2022, almost 5 times as fast as compare with other industries. Demand for software services also grow as a result of an increasing reliance on information technology. Individuals and organizations will continue to invest in applications and systems software to increase efficiency, and remain competitive.
The growing reliance on the Internet and mobile platforms are major drivers of job growth. The way the Internet is used is constantly changing, and so is the software required to run new and emerging computer applications. The change in mobile technologies has also created demand for a wide variety of new products and services. The rapid development of smart phones is making the World Wide Web accessible from anywhere. As businesses and individuals become more dependent on this technology, there will be an increasing need for new software applications that maximize the potential of smart phone and tablets products.
In a growing trend, a wide variety of software services are being offered over the internet such as Cloud computing. Rather than being stored and accessed on the individual computers, many software applications and tools such as spreadsheet, enterprise resource planning, and other types of applications can now be stored in the cloud and accessed remotely. This will reduces the need for costly storage equipment and impact on the hardware industry as fewer companies will buy more hardware.
Another significant factor contributing to growth in software industry is computer security. Companies and governments will have to invest significantly in software to protect their information and secure their systems from cyber attack. And, as the amount of data transmitted across the Internet increases, the importance of maintaining computer system and network security will grow, leading to greater demand for security software.
Given the increasingly widespread use of information technology and the overall rate of growth expected for the industry, most IT jobs will grow much faster than other jobs. Employment of IT workers, such as developers, software engineers and Information systems analysts, will be particularly strong in every country. Job opportunities in IT industry are excellent for most people, given the rate, at which the industry is expected to grow, and the increasing integration and application of software into all sectors of the economy.
Students who study IT should enjoy the best job opportunities in the next ten years or more as there is a continuing demand for workers with high-level skills to keep up with changes in technology.
Sources
- Blogs of Prof. John Vu, Carnegie Mellon University
