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Youth Are Awesome, commonly referred to as YAA, is a blog written by youth for youth. YAA provides the youth of Calgary a place to amplify their voices and perspectives on what is happening around them. Youth Are Awesome is a program of Youth Central.

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HomeLearn Something NewAspiring Careers in the Field of Technology and Computers

Aspiring Careers in the Field of Technology and Computers


It is inevitable that we would be faced with new advancements to our technological resources and prosperous from uprising STEM opportunities in the near future. But with these advancements, new jobs will also be introduced. If you are intrigued to go into the depths of coding, technology, robotics and more, then there are many positions available to pursue your dream career. Below are listed some of the top careers under computer science to get you thinking about your ambitions and understand the guidelines to obtain those goals.


1. Software Engineer

Average Salary (According to Alberta): $100,625.00/per year

Job Description: 

Software engineers develop computer system software and applications software to fix technical problems. They also work on software used in operating systems, information warehouses, databases, and telecommunications. They also cooperate with other developers and engineers to develop new software designs. Software engineers need to have interpersonal skills, communication skills to work appropriately with clients, and an analytical mind to develop technological solutions to computer problems. The work of software engineering can be used further to support businesses, infrastructure designs, computer advancements, and more. 

Education Requirements: 

Most employers recruit software engineers with a minimum of 4-years of bachelor’s degree in software engineering. Although this is required, a degree in computer science, computer engineering, or electrical engineering is also acceptable. It is also mandatory to know how to code, and how to apply it in technical terms. 

A Master’s degree in the field of software engineering can be an asset, as some employers will accept people with more work experience, and practical knowledge. If you want to expand further into research and development a doctoral degree is additionally mandated. 

Taking on courses such as software engineering, computer science, or robotics and engineering in high school can also be an asset to succeed and develop a finer perception of the content. Universities also provide internships and cooperative education opportunities to aid your practical skills.

Additional Resources: 

https://alis.alberta.ca/occinfo/occupations-in-alberta/occupation-profiles/software-engineer/#educational-requirements – This provides you with the career occupations, wages, and many more features about the job from statistics taken from Alberta. 

https://www.careerexplorer.com/careers/software-engineer/ – Want to know what setting you will be working in and the type of work you will be conducting. 

What is software engineering?

Related Jobs

  • Mobile developer
  • Security engineer
  • Video game designer
  • Data scientist 
  • Back-end engineer
  • Quality assurance engineer
  • Software integration engineer
  • Graphics developer

 


2. Data Scientist

Average Salary (According to Alberta): $84,000.00/per year

Job Description:

Data scientists interpret data or make educated conclusions from statistical reports to solve daily problems. They analyze different patterns and trends in the data that support or deny their hypothesis to either improve the company’s ways or bring change to social systems based on their research. The data a data scientist collects can go towards identifying health issues in a product, creating solutions to social issues, reducing the climate crisis, growing business profits, and many more ways which will positively affect our quality of life.

  • Work with different organizations and companies to identify data-oriented problems and offer newer opportunities and solutions.
  • Applying machine-learned models and unique algorithms to obtain more information from larger sources
  • Create charts, graphs, and other statistical reports to present the data you have collected to the stakeholders 

Education Requirements:

You will need to acquire a bachelor’s degree (4-year) in data science, data analytics, computing science, statistics, computer engineering, or any other competitive related fields for an entry-level position*. Although it is profoundly recommended that more work experience and a master’s degree in the field will lead employers to place you in higher positions. 

  • If you wish to conduct independent research, you will need to obtain a doctoral degree (Ph.D.).
  • Universities provide internships and collective education, which is an asset

* A lower level of the job which does not require any education or practice. 

Skills:

  • How to interpret data thoroughly and accurately
  • Having persistence and dedication to study and work on the course material
  • Having excellence in statistics, mathematics, and calculus
  • Showing or having an interest in data collection and analysis 
  • Great communication skills through verbal and visual 
  • Take on new challenges and expand your thinking 
  • Taking part in marketing or management courses

 Additional Resources:

https://datasciencedegree.wisconsin.edu/data-science/what-do-data-scientists do/-

https://alis.alberta.ca/occinfo/occupations-in-alberta/occupation-profiles/data-scientist/ 

7 Ways a Data Scientist Can Add Value to a Business | SmallBizClub

Related Jobs 

  • Data analyst
  • Data Architect
  • Database Administrator
  • Marketing analyst
  • Data engineer
  • Machine learning engineer
  • Buisness Intelligence Analyst

 


3. Web Designer

Average Annual Salary (According to Alberta): $69, 140.00

Job Description: 

Web designers create and develop interactive and informative websites for the public and intranet sites (internal to an organization). The websites created work towards marketing businesses, promoting non-profit organizations, spreading crucial information to the public, and many more effective causes. They use their visually organized platforms and persuasive skills to influence others to have opinions over the information presented and eventually agree to it. 

Education Requirements:

  • Minimum Education: 2 years of post-secondary
  • Courses include Computer Science, Marketing and Management, graphic design, and writing.
  • Specific courses include digital marketing, multimedia production, coding and scripting, user experience design, web application, and programming. 
  • Extra initiatives can also be taken for personal development, by doing personal experimentation, creating your own websites, attending seminars, and increasing your experiences in the field. All of these points would lead to a more occupational profile, which most employers prefer, giving you a successful job.  
  • You must upgrade your knowledge of the field continuously as it is a vast and rapid profession where information is changing constantly. (Different software developments and website competitions)

Skills:

  • Comprehensive and visual-oriented creator
  • Organizational skills, and clean and effective performance
  • Great communications skills both through the website and with stakeholders
  • Proficient with different software websites like Adobe Photoshop, Sketch, and Illustrator.
  • Know how to code efficiently with different languages (forming website base, and adding on design elements.)
  • Time management and persuasive language
  • Problem-solving mindset and working collaboratively with your team

Additional Resources:

https://www.coursera.org/articles/web-designer 

https://alis.alberta.ca/occinfo/occupations-in-alberta/occupation-profiles/web-designer/#educational-requirements 

https://www.codemotion.com/magazine/frontend/design-ux/web-designer-skills/ 

Related Jobs 

  • Five Issues Web Designers Should Address - Corporate Vision MagazineUX researcher
  • Game developer
  • Applications developer
  • Multimedia programme
  • SEO specialist
  • UX designer
  • Web content manager 
  • Multimedia Specialist.

 


4. Video Game Developer 

Average Annual Salary (According to Alberta): $84,210.00/per year

Job Description:

Video game developers collaborate with graphic designers, visual artists, and other people who collect data for them to create resourceful games. They create interactive designs and programs using platforms such as HTML5, mobile, and gaming console applications. Most importantly they write, edit and test their software codes, to develop logical systems through visual representation.

Education Requirements:

  • Most employers are looking for video game developers with at least 2 years of post-secondary education
  • There are no specific course requirements, but it is important to have knowledge of computer science, and graphic design.
  • Knowledge of computer science is constantly changing whether it is video game trends or computer language, so you have to keep up
  • Work experience as a graphic designer or software engineer is an asset
  • Collective education programs and internships are also available at most universities for further development of the topic

Skills:

  • Work logically and abstractly 
  • Pay attention to details and develop error-free games, as many users will be playing at the same time
  • Having research skills and active determination to learn the rapid changing computer languages and audience interests
  • Open to working with a team and contributing ideas, but can work individually
  • Are creative, design-oriented, organized, and professional
  • Communication skills both verbally and visually 
  • To develop captivating storylines, and write interesting scripts for the game
  • Be able to animate and be comfortable working online  

Additional Resources:

https://alis.alberta.ca/occinfo/occupations-in-alberta/occupation-profiles/interactive-media-programmer/ 

https://apps.illinoisworknet.com/cis/clusters/OccupationDetails 

Online Video Game Design and Development from Medicine Hat College

Related Jobs 

  • Graphic designers
  • Computer engineers
  • Computer programmers
  • Art Directors
  • Animators and Multimedia Artists
  • Writers
  • Producers and Directors 
  • Video Game Testors

 

Sources: Featured Image

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