Chapter 15 Information
Technology Careers
Chapter 15
Information Technology
Careers
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Presentation Overview
• Career Opportunities in Information
Technology
• Preparation for an IT Career
• Work Environments
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Career Opportunities in
Information Technology
What career opportunities are there in IT?
The following jobs are among the top 15 fastestgrowing positions from 2004 through 2014:
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Computer software developers
Computer support specialists
Network and computer systems administrators
Network systems and data communications analysts
Database administrators
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Career Opportunities in
Information Technology
There are four main categories of IT jobs,
grouped by the main focus of the job:
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Sales and support
Software development
Application development
Hardware design
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Career 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.
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Career Opportunities in
Information Technology
Sales and Support Careers
– Technical sales involves educating potential
customers about the company’s 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.
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Career 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.
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Career 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.
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Career 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.
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Career 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.
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Career Opportunities in
Information Technology
Average Annual Salaries for Jobs in Software
Development, 2008
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Career 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.
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Career Opportunities in
Information Technology
Application Development Careers
– Database administration is particularly
important because the database is at the core of
a company’s information systems.
A database administrator is responsible for the dayto-day operations of the database.
– Network administration involves the
operations and maintenance of a company
network.
A network administrator performs these tasks.
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Career 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.
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Career Opportunities in
Information Technology
Average Annual Salaries for Jobs in Application
Development, 2008
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Career 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.
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Career Opportunities in
Information Technology
Average Annual Salaries for Jobs in Hardware
Design, 2008
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Preparation for an IT Career
What training is needed to succeed in an IT
career?
Three main types of bachelor’s degree programs
are most commonly followed to launch a career
in IT.
• Computer science
• Computer engineering
• Computer information systems
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Preparation 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.
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Preparation 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.
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Preparation 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.
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Preparation for an IT Career
Comparison of Entry-Level Salaries for Various
Degree Programs
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Preparation 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
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Preparation for an IT Career
Major Types of Certification
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Preparation for an IT Career
Major Types of Certification (continued)
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Preparation for an IT Career
Major Types of Certification (continued)
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Preparation for an IT Career
Certificate Programs
CompTIA certifications are sponsored by the
Computing Technology Industry Association.
• They are not specific to a particular vendor’s
hardware or software.
• They are best known for the A+ certification.
• They can be obtained by taking a test at a local
testing center.
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Preparation 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.
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Preparation 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.
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Preparation 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.
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Preparation 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.
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Preparation 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.
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Preparation 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)
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Work 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?
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Work 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 nature—it
swings up and down dramatically.
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Work 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.
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On the Horizon
Based on the information presented in this
chapter and your own experience, what do
you think is on the horizon?
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