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How do you pursue a career in technology, specifically computer science?
I'm a high-school student who wants to work in the computer science bussiness but could really use some help. #computerscience #computer-programming
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4 answers
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Patty’s Answer
Joshua the best path is to pursue education beyond high school. There was a ton of good advice already posted to your question. It took me a couple of years out of high school before i figured out my path. Embrace learning your whole life. Yes, easy to say but hard to do. Baby steps to your goal. There are so many factors including time and cost. I hope there are programs in your location to help.
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David’s Answer
Depending on where you are on your journey:
Beginner--try coding in Scratch (https://scratch.mit.edu/), it's a graphical drag/drop website that helps young kids get familiarized with basic coding concepts like loops, conditional statements, and testing their code. It's fun!
Learning more--coursera.com has virtual learning courses, some from major universities. Many classes can be attended by "audit" for free (though you can't submit assignments, and don't get a grade).
Exploring career options--Google has launched a series of certificate programs to help fill the shortage of tech workers by reaching out to folks who may not have a college degree, or want to change career paths. It has certificates for careers other than strictly software development--analytics, project management, UX design... https://grow.google/certificates/
Recently coding, data science, and other "bootcamps" have become popular to quickly become proficient and job-ready without a multi-year degree (the bootcamps are often several months).
And remember, the "tech industry" you keep hearing about--where the jobs are--is not just computer science and coding: "data science" is huge now, and you can also research "database administration" "information technology" "business intelligence"... and on and on!
Beginner--try coding in Scratch (https://scratch.mit.edu/), it's a graphical drag/drop website that helps young kids get familiarized with basic coding concepts like loops, conditional statements, and testing their code. It's fun!
Learning more--coursera.com has virtual learning courses, some from major universities. Many classes can be attended by "audit" for free (though you can't submit assignments, and don't get a grade).
Exploring career options--Google has launched a series of certificate programs to help fill the shortage of tech workers by reaching out to folks who may not have a college degree, or want to change career paths. It has certificates for careers other than strictly software development--analytics, project management, UX design... https://grow.google/certificates/
Recently coding, data science, and other "bootcamps" have become popular to quickly become proficient and job-ready without a multi-year degree (the bootcamps are often several months).
And remember, the "tech industry" you keep hearing about--where the jobs are--is not just computer science and coding: "data science" is huge now, and you can also research "database administration" "information technology" "business intelligence"... and on and on!
Updated
David’s Answer
Hey Joshua! I would definitely recommend going to college. It's a fantastic place to solidify your understanding of computer science. Don't forget to seize internship opportunities too! They are a golden ticket to gaining real-world experience and kick-starting your resume. After your graduation, you'll proudly hold a degree, a key that unlocks many doors in numerous organizations keen on hiring fresh talent. So, go for it!
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Nitin’s Answer
So the technology industry, also known as Information Technology (IT) or Tech industry is vast and full of opportunities. There is a niche and a role for anyone no matter how technically proficient you are. Do you love coding and want to translate that into a career, then becoming a software engineer or developer might be the best path for you. If you are not passionate about programming but still want to pursue an IT career there are plenty of options. You can be a project manager, or a business analyst. Development teams often follow what's known as an agile methodology, and if you choose to work in a group like that, then you could become a scrum master or a product owner, such as myself. Those are typically more lucrative a project manager or business analyst, though it all depends on years of experience. There are also people who work more on the product side such as Product Management and UX engineers/designers.
There is a whole world of opportunities waiting for you to explore.
There is a whole world of opportunities waiting for you to explore.