5 answers
Lynette’s Answer
Hi Damir,
You can't really go wrong - pretty much any path you choose in Engineering or technology is going to open up lots of options for you, in terms of job opportunities. As our society becomes increasingly "digital", there is a growing demand for software developers, computer programmers, data analysts, and cyber-security professionals, smart-building and smart-city engineers. As we deal with the effects of our warming climate, we will need more weather scientists, enhanced weather prediction methods, and more advanced disaster recovery and rescue technologies. As our natural resources dry up, or become less economically desirable, we'll need engineers to design and develop new and renewable energy sources. Our medical field, space program, and even our national defense will continue to rely on innovations and breakthroughs in technology and science that someone like "YOU" will imagine, discover, and bring to life!
With so many choices, how do you choose? I highly encourage you to choose a career path that matters to you, personally. You will spend a great deal of your life working, so why not choose a field that you care about? Pick something that matters to you, to your peers, to your parents, or to the world, and you'll not only have job options, but you'll get the satisfaction of knowing you are working towards making the world a better place.
What problems do you hear about on social media, or read in the news that bother you? Crime? Poverty? Climate change? Disease? What about the world do you wish were different? Is there something you'd change, if you could? If there was one thing you could do to make life better for your future children, or family, what would it be? Study that, and maybe you'll get to spend your career life helping the world solve that problem. Future generations are depending on people like you!
Good luck!
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Lance’s Answer
Damir,
The technology field is diverse and there are many opportunities to succeed, so rather than look solely at 'the best route', I would recommend honing your individual skills and then seeing where those skills align within the technology sector. When I have made career decisions, I have gauged the market, but more importantly, I've assessed my particular strength areas, then looked to see how I could leverage those skills.
Within the technology field, anything that is related to computers and data will continue to grow - that field includes the people that design, build, test, sell, maintain and repair those devices. It also includes the mechanisms to secure, deliver, manage, manipulate, analyze and store the data that the devices create and use. So, if you look across the cross-section of people and jobs that just this one particular sector of the technology field encompasses, you can appreciate the variety of opportunities for people with varying skill sets.
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Lisa’s Answer
Wow.... that's a loaded question. You basically could throw a dart in any direction and just go from there. There's technology in everything we do these days. So take your pick. Do you want to program phones, design computers, become a cyber security hacker, work in artificial intelligence? Right now, do some research. Find out what appeals to you. If it's the medical field, do some online research ... if it's government hacking ... check that out.
I would say the most popular and growing fields are cyber security and artificial intelligence. You could have a field day digging into those areas. Look up articles about the latest and greatest technologies that have just come out. But be ready ... technology like this changes very fast. You have to willing to keep up with it. If you're one of those first adopters ... willing to test out the latest and greatest thing.... it just might be the thing for you. Think about it.
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Douglas’s Answer
Hi,
This is an impossible question to answer directly. Assuming that you are just starting high school, my advice would be to take all of the math and science courses you can with the objective of going to a 4 year college of engineering. By the time you are ready to go to college, you will probably have some idea of what type of engineering you want to go into. Google "types of engineering" to learn more about all of the various fields. While in college, you can change your major if you discover a branch of technology that you are really (more) interested in. Check this web site out for a forecast of future job opportunities:
https://www.bls.gov/opub/btn/volume-7/high-tech-industries-an-analysis-of-employment-wages-and-output.htm
If you do not want to go into a 4 year college program, there colleges (schools) that offer 2 year technology degrees in various technology areas. My advice for the classes to take in high school is the same, but instead of 4 year colleges, you would evaluate the types of degrees offered in the two year technical schools. I took this path after graduating from HS. I got a 2 year Associates Degree and then transferred to a 4 year college and got my BSME.
Hope this helps,