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what is the best method to find good career that is involved with anything that is related to technology and creating something new.
About to go to college for a good major that involves with technology #computer-software #computer #engineering #major
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4 answers
Dan Wolf
Retired Electrical/Software Engineer and part-time College Professor (BSEET and MS Engineering Management)
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Dan’s Answer
It sounds like you are considering a career in engineering and engineering has different options/variants such as Electronics, Software, Chemical, Mechanical, Industrial, or Biological. Does one of these broad categories interest you? Don't worry if you are not sure as I will explain shortly.
Engineering degrees are either Engineering Science or Engineering Technology. Engineering Science is the "stronger" of the two with more math and theory while Engineering Technology is more hands-on with less math and theory. I believe both degrees will provide a strong and secure career and that many employers do not even understand the difference - they will hire you if they feel you are capable of doing the job that they are trying to fill. And there are MANY, quite different jobs in any one of the above engineering fields.
1) If you are very uncertain and desire more knowledge, an inexpensive option is to enroll in some engineering classes at your local Community College and try out the electrical, mechanical, chemical or biology classes (costs are lower while you "experiment"). Note that Community Colleges offer Associate (2-year) degrees while an actual engineering degree requires four years - and the four-year degree will almost always provide you more salary, and career potential. It is quite possible to first earn an associate degree at a Community College and then transfer to the four-year university but you MUST work with the career counselors at both colleges to make sure you are always taking classes which will be accepted at the four-year university.
2) Enroll in a four-year university that offers your chosen type of engineering. Always discuss your career thoughts with the University Career Counselor who will help you select classes. Always talk to your engineering professors and fellow students.
3) In your first two years of college, you will most likely be taking courses that relate to engineering in general so it is not immediately critical that you have not yet chosen one of the engineering fields. During these two years, you will have time to talk to other students and professors while also taking classes that expose the different engineering fields.
4) You will (usually) officially select your specific field just before starting your 3rd year. As you take the different classes, you will be better able to select your next semester classes according to your specific desires. I.e. If you are an electrical student, you may focus on motor control, microprocessor systems, radio frequency, integrated circuit design, etc.
5) Work Sturdies or Internships are excellent opportunities to gain experience and knowledge!
6) Once you start working in your actual career, you will again be able to "evolve" by moving from one job function to another (depending on your desire, qualifications, job opportunities, and "fate").
In summary, it doesn't have to be a definitive decision made the first day out of high school, rather it can be a process where you learn and adjust over time. In either case, engineering is a very fast changing field and despite what you learn in college, your experiences will likely be quite different every five or so years. It's a lot of fun!
Engineering degrees are either Engineering Science or Engineering Technology. Engineering Science is the "stronger" of the two with more math and theory while Engineering Technology is more hands-on with less math and theory. I believe both degrees will provide a strong and secure career and that many employers do not even understand the difference - they will hire you if they feel you are capable of doing the job that they are trying to fill. And there are MANY, quite different jobs in any one of the above engineering fields.
1) If you are very uncertain and desire more knowledge, an inexpensive option is to enroll in some engineering classes at your local Community College and try out the electrical, mechanical, chemical or biology classes (costs are lower while you "experiment"). Note that Community Colleges offer Associate (2-year) degrees while an actual engineering degree requires four years - and the four-year degree will almost always provide you more salary, and career potential. It is quite possible to first earn an associate degree at a Community College and then transfer to the four-year university but you MUST work with the career counselors at both colleges to make sure you are always taking classes which will be accepted at the four-year university.
2) Enroll in a four-year university that offers your chosen type of engineering. Always discuss your career thoughts with the University Career Counselor who will help you select classes. Always talk to your engineering professors and fellow students.
3) In your first two years of college, you will most likely be taking courses that relate to engineering in general so it is not immediately critical that you have not yet chosen one of the engineering fields. During these two years, you will have time to talk to other students and professors while also taking classes that expose the different engineering fields.
4) You will (usually) officially select your specific field just before starting your 3rd year. As you take the different classes, you will be better able to select your next semester classes according to your specific desires. I.e. If you are an electrical student, you may focus on motor control, microprocessor systems, radio frequency, integrated circuit design, etc.
5) Work Sturdies or Internships are excellent opportunities to gain experience and knowledge!
6) Once you start working in your actual career, you will again be able to "evolve" by moving from one job function to another (depending on your desire, qualifications, job opportunities, and "fate").
In summary, it doesn't have to be a definitive decision made the first day out of high school, rather it can be a process where you learn and adjust over time. In either case, engineering is a very fast changing field and despite what you learn in college, your experiences will likely be quite different every five or so years. It's a lot of fun!
Updated
Nir’s Answer
If you're looking for creative technical work with good pay and a supple market then software engineering is the move. I love being a software engineer because everyday you make creative decisions, but you're also technical so there is a huge market for your work. As someone with a background in music and political science I can honestly say that software engineering is the perfect mix of the two.
Updated
Kim’s Answer
Hi Kevin, When I went to college I started off in the college of engineering at my university. I was taking a lot of electrical engineering classes but decided to splinter off into computer science and finished with a computer engineering degree. This approach is in-line with the responses you've received so far. Personally, I would have enjoyed college more if I had started in liberals arts and sciences and then chose to focus on computer science (I took the same comp sci classes and followed the same career path as students who had done this) but that's the way the cookie crumbles.
Technology is so broad and ever evolving. Prof Wolf is spot on when he says your experiences (as well as types of jobs) will change a lot over the years.
I can't really speak to the core engineering practices, but for computer science, I recommend finding a university or community college that will give you exposure to:
- Full stack development (front end, back end)
- Scripted languages like python and javascript
- Compiled languages like java or C++
- Agile development practices
- Performance basics
- Databases - relational and object
- Data science
From there, choose a program that interests you. Don't be afraid to make changes as you go.
Technology is so broad and ever evolving. Prof Wolf is spot on when he says your experiences (as well as types of jobs) will change a lot over the years.
I can't really speak to the core engineering practices, but for computer science, I recommend finding a university or community college that will give you exposure to:
- Full stack development (front end, back end)
- Scripted languages like python and javascript
- Compiled languages like java or C++
- Agile development practices
- Performance basics
- Databases - relational and object
- Data science
From there, choose a program that interests you. Don't be afraid to make changes as you go.
Updated
Ramesh’s Answer
Technology is a broad category. Engineering, Computer Science, etc. are all considered technology related. I have links to Engineering Jobs, and Computer Jobs as categorized by US News below. US News' job categories is a good first step to decide on areas you would like to get a job. Once you decide on an area you should attend a research university with a Department / School that provide lot of options in your interest areas. Once you are attending a research university you can focus down on an area starting in your Sophomore/Junior year of college.
Broader Areas considered Technology:
Computer Jobs - Software Developer (Computer Science degree qualifies you for this job), Data Science, ... - https://money.usnews.com/careers/best-jobs/rankings/best-technology-jobs
Engineering Jobs - Mechanical Engineer, Biomedical Engineer, Petroleum Engineer, ... - https://money.usnews.com/careers/best-jobs/rankings/best-engineering-jobs
For Computer related jobs, attending a University with a Electrical Engineering and Computer Science Department is a good option. With in such a department different specializations are Offered. You can make an informed choice amongst - Computer Science, Computer Engineering, etc. as a student in the department. In addition there are sub specializations such as Data Science, Network Systems, etc. An example is University of California, Irvine's EE & CS Department - " http://catalogue.uci.edu/thehenrysamuelischoolofengineering/departmentofelectricalengineeringandcomputerscience/majorsandgraduateprogramstext "
For Engineering jobs being admitted to a School of Engineering in a research university such as UC Irvine will give many options among the Engineering specializations.
Broader Areas considered Technology:
Computer Jobs - Software Developer (Computer Science degree qualifies you for this job), Data Science, ... - https://money.usnews.com/careers/best-jobs/rankings/best-technology-jobs
Engineering Jobs - Mechanical Engineer, Biomedical Engineer, Petroleum Engineer, ... - https://money.usnews.com/careers/best-jobs/rankings/best-engineering-jobs
For Computer related jobs, attending a University with a Electrical Engineering and Computer Science Department is a good option. With in such a department different specializations are Offered. You can make an informed choice amongst - Computer Science, Computer Engineering, etc. as a student in the department. In addition there are sub specializations such as Data Science, Network Systems, etc. An example is University of California, Irvine's EE & CS Department - " http://catalogue.uci.edu/thehenrysamuelischoolofengineering/departmentofelectricalengineeringandcomputerscience/majorsandgraduateprogramstext "
For Engineering jobs being admitted to a School of Engineering in a research university such as UC Irvine will give many options among the Engineering specializations.