Computer Jobs

[MeteorPunch]

I need to move out of the house, go to college, all that jazz, and I'm having the worst time thinking of a major. Before you say, "just take basic classes, then choose your major." that just doesn't work for me. I must have a goal or everything is pointless.

Anyway, from a recent thread in this forum and other things I've heard, programming/IT is all going to India. I think I want to major in something that has to do with computers, but have no idea what to do.

Here are some stats from the Bureau of Labor. Percentage of increase and number of jobs increased by 2012.

Computer Specialists
35.8%
1,043,000

Computer Software Engineers, Applications
45.5%
179,000

Computer Software Engineers, Systems Software
45.5%
128,000

Computer Systems Analysts
39.4%
184,000

Database Administrators
44.2%
49,000

Network and Computer Systems Administrators
37.4%
94,000

Network and Data Communication Analysts
57.0%
106,000

It's great that more jobs are available, but there is that all-important hidden statistic of demand. If there's 100,000 new jobs and 150,000 people that want those jobs, then 50,000 people are screwed. Any help here is greatly appreciated, and I won't hold any of my "final decisions" against you.

 

[CruddyLeper]

Hmm... if I was 20 years younger I'd have gone Dbase administration rather than programming. Dbase managers get paid very nicely, it's ongoing, and it's relevant to many non-IT companies that don't want to outsource such work out of their local jurisdiction.

It's also unpopular because it's perceived as boring. Which makes it less competitive.

I'm not saying "give up programming" but actually earning serious bucks from programming is a lot harder, with a lot more competition for the top jobs. It's also harder to stay ontop of latest developments and keep skills up to date.

 

[vbraun]

Could you look up how much each of them make today and post them?

 

[MeteorPunch]

Here is one version of wage estimatesComputer and Mathematical Occupations

Personally, money isn't a big factor. I would like to just be comfortable with what I'm doing and paid 30,000-40,000 (depending on cost of living, small city vs. big city). All those wages sound very high if you ask me.

Database Administration. What's that about?

 

[vbraun]

Acording to that a Datebase Admin would make about $1200 a week where a Computer Software engineer would make about $1500 a week. I multipled the hourly wage * 40 to represent a 40 hour work week.

Datebase Admin is the one that would fix problems with the company server. So in reality he only works when it crashes. He is also the one responsible for the crahses so it's like a love-hate relatioship with the rest of the company.

At least thats my impression of it.

 

[Volum]

I worked togheter with at database administrator as a part of school and most of the work is when something first crashes. I spent most of my days there playing Operation Flashpoing and Red Alert

But when something is wrong, for every min that goes they hate u more, and ur suddenly a hero when u fix it tough

 

[Padma]

The wages looked *slightly* high, to me. But not very much above what I see as the *average* for the fields across the country. I think they are a good "guesstimate".

vbraun, what you described sounds more to me like the Network/Computer System Engineers. Where I work, we have a whole shop of them, and that's what they do. We also have a whole shop of DB Admins, and they spend their time taking care of our major databases. Of course, they also cause most of the breakage we experience, so ....

One thing to remember, MeteorPunch, is that a *lot* of programming/engineer jobs are "vertical". That is, most of us don't get to write games, or other apps that are sold to the general public. We work for Company X, and work on programs that apply only to Company X's business, and have no application outside the company. Most of these jobs do *not* get outsourced to India, but instead stay within the company.

I would say find what you really like to do, and go for it. If you are good, you will find a job.

 

[vbraun]

It sounds like Network/Computer System Engineers will be my first job. Whille I sit there and do nothing I will be trying to contibute to the Open-Source community.

Helping with Open-Source stuff is probably the best way in which you could apply programing skills.

 

[MeteorPunch]

Thanks for the comments. I just need to look into things more.

I like the idea of my job not being outsourced.

 

[CruddyLeper]

Acording to that a Datebase Admin would make about $1200 a week where a Computer Software engineer would make about $1500 a week. I multipled the hourly wage * 40 to represent a 40 hour work week.

Datebase Admin is the one that would fix problems with the company server. So in reality he only works when it crashes. He is also the one responsible for the crahses so it's like a love-hate relatioship with the rest of the company.

At least thats my impression of it.

OK. Now check out the difference between a DB Manager and a systems analyst in management.

You still want to be a software engineer?

Think 20 years down the road, rather than what you start at.