Tech Topic: IT Careers

 

The tech topic I chose for this course is Information Technology (IT) careers. I chose the IT careers topic because I am preparing for the transition from military retirement into the civilian IT job marketplace. By starting to research available careers now, I hope to narrow down my search and possibly pick up some certifications along the way that will help my chances of landing a job I want.

The fundamentals of information technology learned in this course all play a significant factor in IT careers. Without a basic understanding of how computers operate, it would be near impossible to compete for even an entry-level IT job. In today's age, IT fundamentals apply to the standard fields such as computers, office equipment, data services, and telecommunications and older, established industries such as farming, mining, and oil-producing (Wells, 1997). Possessing computer hardware and software knowledge will help determine the operating requirements of computers for the various tasks related to IT jobs and assist with troubleshooting issues that may arise. Understanding how the internet, networking, and databases work will help research, data management, and communication. As the world becomes more reliant upon technology in everyday life, it becomes more critical for those in the IT field to understand building and to manage this quickly evolving industry.

The first computers were produced in the 1940s and originated from telephone switches (Vahid & Lysecky, 2017). Since then, engineers have found ways to reduce the size of switches by half about every two years, a concept known as Moore's Law (Vahid & Lysecky, 2017). Because of Moore’s Law, the amount of data stored on a computer chip today could have taken a room-sized computer in the mid-1900s. When the information age began in the 1990s, humans shifted from traditional industry to using computerized information. Careers in the IT field started to become very popular because of their high demand and continue to grow as we rely more on computers than anything else.

A central processing unit, motherboard, graphics processing unit, random access memory, and storage are major hardware components of a modern computer system. All IT career fields rely on these essential components, and without them, most projects would be impossible to complete. Some IT careers require an understanding of programming languages and program execution methods. Software engineers and video game designers need to understand code and manipulate it to reduce glitches or bugs in their programs. Application software such as word processors, graphics software, spreadsheet software, and web browsers allow users to perform tasks more efficiently. For example, Microsoft Excel contains hundreds of formulas to automate calculations, saving workers countless hours. Knowing how to access and manage databases allows IT employees to store, access, share, and move data effectively. Most businesses use a network architecture, which is how computers are organized in a system and allocated tasks between the computers. Two examples of network architecture commonly used in IT careers are peer-to-peer and client/server. Network security plays an essential role in all IT-related career fields. As the cost of data breaches and malware to businesses continues to rise, so does the need to build better security. In 2014 it was reported that consumers spent $25 billion to stop digital attacks and 1.2 billion hours recovering from them (McCoy, 2015). Not only is network security important to understand for those wanting to enter the IT career field, but everyone with a presence on the internet should have a basic understanding of how to protect themselves from hackers and other malicious threats.   

 

References

McCoy, F. (2015). Career Outlook: Spotlight on Information Technology. Hispanic Engineer and Information Technology, 30(1), 31–44. Retrieved from https://www-proquest-com.proxy-library.ashford.edu/docview/1720454565?accountid=32521

Vahid, F., & Lysecky, S. (2017). Computing technology for all. Retrieved from zybooks.zyante.com/

Wells, G. (1997). Begin your career in INFORMATION technology. Hispanic Engineer and Information Technology, 12(1), 20–24.