CIT: Computer & IT Careers
There are a many types of computer and IT job titles and classifications. The following are links to detailed information (nature of the work, working conditions, employment, training, qualifications, advancement, job outlook, earnings, related occupations and sources of additional information) on several major categories of IT careers listed by U.S. government's 2002-2003 Occupational Outlook Handbook.
Computer Support Specialists and Network/Systems Administrators
Computer support specialists and systems administrators are projected to be among the fastest growing occupations. Job prospects should be best for college graduates who are up to date with the latest skills and technologies; certifications and practical experience are essential for persons without degrees.
CCAC Career Path Options:
- AS Computer Information Science (for students intending to immediately pursue a bachelor's degree)
- AS Information Technology Support
- Certificate Information Technology Support
Employment growth will be considerably slower than that of other computer specialists, due to the spread of pre-packaged software solutions. Prospects should be best for college graduates with knowledge of a variety of programming languages and tools; those with less formal education or its equivalent in work experience should face strong competition for programming jobs.
CCAC Career Path Options:
- AS Computer Information Science (for students intending to immediately pursue a bachelor's degree)
- AS Software Development
- Certificate Software Development
Systems Analysts, Computer Scientists and Database Administrators
As computer applications expand, systems analysts, computer scientists and database administrators are projected to be among the fastest growing occupations. Relevant work experience and a bachelor's degree are prerequisites for many jobs; for more complex jobs, a graduate degree is preferred.
CCAC Career Path Options:
- AS Computer Information Science (for students intending to immediately pursue a bachelor's degree)
- AS Software Development
Computer software engineers are projected to be the fastest growing occupations. Very favorable opportunities are expected for college graduates with at least a bachelor's degree in computer engineering or computer science and practical experience working with computers. Computer software engineers must continually strive to acquire new skills as computer technology changes rapidly.
CCAC Career Path Options:
- AS Computer Information Science (for students intending to immediately pursue a bachelor's degree)
- AS Software Development
Computer and IT Industry
The following are selected industries employing computer support specialists and systems administrators, computer programmers, systems analysts, database administrators and software engineers: