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2020 has wreaked havoc on global infrastructure, public health, and lots of peoples’ financial security, prompting many to consider new, more future-proof lines of work. As COVID-19 swept the world and most major organizations were forced to cease operations or modify their workforces to operate entirely remotely, two already-in-motion eventualities were accelerated.
First, millions of peoples’ jobs actually were deemed possible to be replaced by artificial intelligence, as many have predicted for years.
“This pandemic has created a very strong incentive to automate the work of human beings,” says Daniel Susskind, a fellow in economics at Balliol College, University of Oxford, and the author of A World Without Work: Technology, Automation and How We Should Respond, to TIME Magazine. “Machines don’t fall ill, they don’t need to isolate to protect peers, they don’t need to take time off work.”
Second, large corporations toying with the pros and cons of primarily remote workforces were forced into testing the concept almost overnight.
This reinforced their reliance on cloud solutions and intelligent automation, which are needed to bolster their workers’ ability to access the information and systems needed to do their jobs. While IT solutions are necessary to connect workers to their processes, so are IT professionals. That means many skilled IT workers are needed to scale access to systems, ensure security of remote access, and design new solutions for newly-remote workforces. This, inherently, makes the IT sector nearly immune to the changes referenced by Susskind. After all, for the foreseeable future at least, artificial intelligence cannot effectively or efficiently teach its own kind.
So, as many occupational sectors experienced a downturn during the first half of 2020—and others may never fully recover—information technology was not among the affected. Instead, many positions in the IT field are in high demand and expected to grow more quickly than average over the next decade.
In addition to this stability, the average information technology worker can be expected to earn more than double the median annual salary of all workers, according to data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). So while moving into most IT careers does require an investment in higher education, the payoff could be worthwhile.
If you’re looking to get into an IT career, you should also be aware that while these professions don’t typically require any official on-the-job training or recertification, a love for learning is almost a prerequisite due to how quickly foundational technologies evolve. “You should be constantly evaluating whether you have the necessary skills to remain relevant and get ahead, and whether your career progression is aligning with your own goals and aspirations,” says Jim Johnson, senior vice president of Robert Half Technology.
Those who begin careers in information technology, however, more often than not love the challenge of lifelong skill-building. In Glassdoor’s annual report of the 50 Best Jobs in America, 20 jobs on this year’s list are from the tech sector and all of the top seven on the list are in IT.
Exploring Careers in the Field of Information Technology
Discover just some of your career options in the information technology field and what they would mean for your education, your salary potential, your job prospects, and your day-to-day experience:
Computer Network Architects
Will I need a degree? Yes, a bachelor’s degree.
How much money could I make? Computer network architects earned $112,690, on average, in 2019.
Will it be hard to find a job as a computer network architect? It shouldn’t be. The occupation is growing faster than average (5 percent projected growth) with a projected employment change of 8,000 jobs by 2029.
Will I need to do on-the-job training? No.
Most computer network architects work full-time designing and building communication networks including local area networks (LANs), wide area networks (WANs), and intranets. They mostly work in offices, but may work in server rooms as well, so they can access the hardware that makes up an organization’s network.
They usually work in-house for one specific company because they need to have “extensive knowledge of an organization’s business plan to design a network that can help the organization achieve its goals,” says the BLS.
As a computer network architect, I might spend my days doing things like:
Computer Programmers
Will I need a degree? Yes, a bachelor’s degree.
How much money could I make? Computer programmers earned $86,550, on average, in 2019.
Will it be hard to find a job as a computer programmer? Possibly. These jobs are declining (-9 percent projected growth) with a projected employment change of -20,100 jobs by 2029.
Will I need to do on-the-job training? No.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics says that “computer programmers write and test code that allows computer applications and software programs to function properly. They turn the program designs created by software developers and engineers into instructions that a computer can follow.” However, the BLS says, “computer programming can be done from anywhere in the world, so companies sometimes hire programmers in countries where wages are lower.”
Most computer programmers work full-time in offices, writing and testing code that allows computer applications and software programs to function properly. Programmers usually work alone, but they can work with other specialists on large projects and collaborate with other stakeholders in the corporation.
As a computer programmer, I might spend my days doing things like:
Computer Support Specialists
Will I need a degree? Probably. Many computer support specialist roles require a bachelor’s degree, but others only require an associate or other postsecondary degree.
How much money could I make? Computer support specialists earned $54,760, on average, in 2019.
Will it be hard to find a job as a computer support specialist? It shouldn’t be. The occupation is growing much faster than average (8 percent projected growth) with a projected employment change of 67,300 jobs by 2029.
Will I need to do on-the-job training? No.
Computer support specialists (otherwise known as tech support) analyze, troubleshoot, and evaluate computer network problems, and—if all goes well—fix the problems. They work closely with end users over the phone, by email, over chat messages, and in person.
They are often employed by companies that provide support to end users of their technology, like large software companies, and need to have deep knowledge of the systems they support.
As a computer support specialist, I might spend my days doing things like:
Computer Systems Analysts
Will I need a degree? Yes, a bachelor’s degree.
How much money could I make? Computer systems analysts earned $90,920, on average, in 2019.
Will it be hard to find a job as a computer systems analyst? It shouldn’t be. The occupation is growing faster than average (7 percent projected growth) with a projected employment change of 46,600 jobs by 2029.
Will I need to do on-the-job training? No.
Computer systems analysts, sometimes known as systems architects, help a company’s technological systems, processes, and solutions operate more efficiently and effectively by bringing together (and understanding the limitations of) business and information technology. This is often a very strategic role that combines technical knowledge with strong business acumen.
Most computer systems analysts work full-time in offices or from home. According to the BLS, “the further adoption of cloud computing by both large and small businesses and an increasing use of IT services in healthcare settings is expected to increase demand for these workers.”
As a computer systems analyst, I might spend my days doing things like:
Database Administrators
Will I need a degree? Yes, a bachelor’s degree.
How much money could I make? Database administrators earned $93,750, on average, in 2019.
Will it be hard to find a job as a database administrator? It shouldn’t be. The occupation is growing much faster than average (10 percent projected growth) with a projected employment change of 12,800 jobs by 2029.
Will I need to do on-the-job training? No.
According to the BLS, database administrators “use specialized software to store and organize data, such as financial information and customer shipping records. They make sure that data are available to users and secure from unauthorized access.”
Database administrators generally work full-time for organizations that need to keep track of incredible amounts of information, like insurance companies (tracking claims and payouts), retailers (keeping track of buyers’ credit card and shipping information), or healthcare organizations (managing patient records).
As a database administrator, I might spend my days doing things like:
Information Security Analysts
Will I need a degree? Yes, a bachelor’s degree.
How much money could I make? Information security analysts made $99,730, on average, in 2019.
Will it be hard to find a job as an information security analyst? It shouldn’t be. The occupation is growing much faster than average (31 percent projected growth) with a projected employment change of 40,900 jobs by 2029.
Will I need to do on-the-job training? No.
The BLS says the demand for information security analysts is skyrocketing because of the rise in cybersecurity breaches and the corresponding need to prevent them. It says demand “is expected to be very high, as these analysts will be needed to create innovative solutions to prevent hackers from stealing critical information or causing problems for computer networks.”
Information security analysts usually work full-time at computer companies, business or financial companies, or financial firms. They may occasionally be expected to work outside normal business hours, in cases of security threat or attack.
As an information security analyst, I might spend my days doing things like:
Network and Computer Systems Administrators
Will I need a degree? Yes, a bachelor’s degree.
How much money could I make? Network and computer systems administrators earned $83,510, on average, in 2019.
Will it be hard to find a job as a network and computer systems administrator? It shouldn’t be. The occupation is growing as fast as average (4 percent projected growth) with a projected employment growth of 16,000 jobs by 2029.
Will I need to do on-the-job training? No.
Network and computer systems administrators organize, install, and support an organization’s computer systems. They usually work full-time within normal business hours but occasionally need to work overtime to address issues and make sure companies’ networks are functioning properly 24/7.
Network and computer systems administrators are responsible for the everyday maintenance of the computer networks that are critical to all types of organizations around the world. “Although many network and computer systems administrators are employed by firms in the computer systems design and related services industry, they work in a variety of settings,” says the BLS. “Some might administer systems and networks for financial firms, and others work in hospitals or local government offices.”
As a network and computer systems administrator, I might spend my days doing things like:
Software Developers
Will I need a degree? Yes, a bachelor’s degree.
How much money could I make? Software developers earned $107,510, on average, in 2019.
Will it be hard to find a job as a software developer? It shouldn’t be. The occupation is growing much faster than average (22 percent projected growth) with a projected employment change of 316,000 jobs by 2029.
Will I need to do on-the-job training? No.
Software development is an extremely varied career field. Developers might create computer games, develop apps that let people do specific tasks on their computers or mobile devices, or develop the underlying systems that run peoples’ computers, devices, and networks.
Most software developers work full-time, but it isn’t uncommon for them to work more than 40 hours a week. According to the BLS, “in general, software development is a collaborative process, and developers work on teams with others who also contribute to designing, developing, and programming successful software. However, some developers work at home.”
As a software developer, I might spend my days doing things like:
Web Developers
Will I need a degree? Yes, an associate degree.
How much money could I make? Web developers made $73,760, on average, in 2019.
Will it be hard to find a job as a web developer? It shouldn’t be. The occupation is growing much faster than average (8 percent projected growth) with a projected employment change of 14,000 jobs by 2029.
Will I need to do on-the-job training? No.
“Web developers design and create websites,” says the BLS.
Thanks to the increasing demand for mobile device connectivity and ecommerce, opportunities for web designers will continue to grow over the next decade.
“They are responsible for the look of the site. They are also responsible for the site’s technical aspects, such as its performance and capacity, which are measures of a website’s speed and how much traffic the site can handle.”
As a web designer, I might spend my days doing things like:
Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Web Developers
Computer and Information Research Scientists
Will I need a degree? Yes, a master’s degree.
How much money could I make? Computer and information research scientists made an average of $122,840, on average, in 2019.
Will it be hard to find a job as a computer and information research scientist? It shouldn’t be. The occupation is growing much faster than average (15 percent projected growth), with a projected employment change of 5,000 jobs by 2029.
Will I need to do on-the-job training? No.
“Computer and information research scientists invent and design new approaches to computing technology and find innovative uses for existing technology,” the BLS says. “They study and solve complex problems in computing for business, medicine, science, and other fields.”
Although opportunities in computer and information research science require more education than most other positions in the information technology field, the BLS says that “computer scientists are likely to enjoy excellent job prospects, because many companies report difficulties finding these highly skilled workers.” Workers who are looking to upgrade their opportunities may fare well pursuing a career in this line of work.
As a computer and information research scientist, I might spend my days doing things like:
Read this edition of Career College Central Magazine!
Stay tuned for the next edition of Career College Central to take a closer look at the state of careers in business and the arts in 2020.
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