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What kind of classes should I take to become an Technology Engineer? How many hours do technology engineers work a week? What can be a good goal to go into the technology industry?

I love tech and like building things. I have many interests that involve technology and engineering. But I don't know that much about what technology engineers do and how much they have to be in school. #engineer #engineering #technology #tech #computer-engineer

Thank you comment icon Hi Kiley! These are all really great questions. Could you separate them and post only one question at a time? I want to make sure you get great advice even if someone can only answer one of these questions. Thanks for posting this! :) Alexandra Carpenter, Admin

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Tiffany’s Answer

Hello Kiley! Given your interest in building things, technology, and engineering, I suggest you seek a solid educational foundation in mathematics, computer science, and project management. I am currently a Cybersecurity Engineer on the Application Security Incident Response Team at Visa, and the role entails critical thinking and creative problem-solving. Advanced mathematics courses such as college-level algebra, trigonometry, pre-calculus, calculus I & calculus II are necessary to inform practical programming skills and algorithmic design competency.

I would highly recommend learning about programming languages such as HTML, CSS, javascript, PHP, or python. Mastery of a coding language will prepare you to be hands-on in building computer programs that solve problems.

Tiffany recommends the following next steps:

Research Bachelor of Science degrees in Computer Science
Obtain course list for BS majors
Research alternative educational resources (bootcamps, online programs, community colleges courses)
Research related professional certifications
Thank you comment icon I appreciate your support, Tiffany Kiley
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Kapil’s Answer

I would highly recommend looking at udacity that has some awesome software design and development related material along with data structures, algorithms and OS design. Courses come directly from top engineers from Google and other FAANG companies, are very hands-on and best way to learn. Other resources like udemy and coursera are also pretty neat.
Thank you comment icon I appreciate you taking the time to answer this. Kiley
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Nihar’s Answer

Getting started in Information Technology while it’s best to start learning about technology early, you can pursue an IT career at any age.
To get started, discover the opportunities and resources available in your area and online.

1. List your interests: Make a list of the type of IT work you believe you’d be interested in. Is it cybersecurity? Or web design? Or project management? Your list will help you narrow your focus.

2. Update your professional social media profiles: For students in middle school through college, Tallo is a must! This network was designed to help you show off your accomplishments and skills and connect you with potential universities and employers.

For older students and adult professionals, be sure to create and update your LinkedIn profile. LinkedIn is often the first place employers look. Make it your best!

3. Learn some coding skills: Visit SC Codes and learn coding skills for free (including Javascript, Ruby and more).

4. Consider the education level needed for your preferred area of IT: Some positions look for certifications only, while others look for a 2- or 4-year degree.

5. Network. Network. Network: Like most everything in life, your career will depend on your relationships. Attend a local IT networking group in your area, like Tech After Five – virtually or in-person. You’ll network with others in the field – employers, students, and other job seekers – and learn about new companies, educational opportunities and job categories.

Talk to family and friends to discover mutual contacts at companies you’re interested in. Ask them for a quick meeting or Zoom call to help you learn more.

6. Enhance your skills: Contact an educational provider to grow your skill set. You’ll find a list of some of the best coding schools here. Check them out! They offer a wide range of skills that you can learn at your own pace.

7. Strengthen your resume: Learn how to craft your resume to appeal to IT hiring managers.

8. Connect with IT recruiters: Reach out to an IT recruiting firm and/or job board to discover additional job opportunities. Start with these recruiters.

9. Leverage your school’s career services: If you graduated from a college or university, contact the Career Services office for resources and hiring organizations specific to your school.
Thank you comment icon Thank you, Nihar! Kiley
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Lincoln’s Answer

The technology field has many areas you can explore, from electronics to infrastructure engineering to application development to wireless communications. Your question sounds like you like building things and applying technology in interesting new ways. I would first think about what interests or excites you most about technology. Your answer will help guide you in the direction you should look. I started by learning electronics and understanding electronic signaling, how computer systems process signals, and how to build actions. My studies led me to study robotics which will teach you various coding languages and computer systems. You might also be interested in communications that involve WIFI, Cellular, and other wireless or X-ray communications.
Think about what excites you about technology where your passion is. My carrier in technology has allowed me to travel all around the globe designing infrastructure for large companies. The more attractive the technology, the more critical it is to your company. The criticality of technology to a business, and depending on your role, you may be asked to work long hours to get projects done or provide support. The rewards for you include the experience and knowledge that you are providing a valuable service and helping to advance a technology or business service in new ways.

Lincoln recommends the following next steps:

Look for classes in building computers, or HTML coding, or Ham radio at your local community collage. Try a few things out to see what you like.
Thank you comment icon This was super helpful, thank you! Kiley
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Jolanta’s Answer

I spent many years working as a technology engineer, and it's a very rewarding and satisfying field. The demand for talented engineers is very high and the opportunities are abundant. The working hours at typically 8 hrs/day, but sometimes you would need to work extra, such as finishing a project by a deadline or doing a late night code install. This is typical in any field. A lot of companies are also allowing remote work, so there is a lot of flexibility in this field.
As for getting started, a 4 year degree will get you in the door for a good job. You should know your basics, such as networks, processing logic (if/then/else) and database design. Then determine if you are more interested in website development, building out databases, mobile development , cybersecurity, building out a whole network, or the such. Then work on building up your skillset with classes in that area.
Thank you comment icon Thank you so much! Kiley
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Christina’s Answer

Great questions! Technology is a wide and ever expanding field, and as such it offers many opportunities. If you enjoy building things, then perhaps a more technical engineering role may be a good fit for you. I would recommend pursuing two paths in parallel:
1. Educational courses at school that will help you build up the foundational skills to be an engineer in tech. A few examples of courses that may be helpful are those in mathematics, computer science, and computer programming. Some schools offer engineering classes as well.
2. Hands on education. Google, Facebook and others offer free courses to learn how to use their tools. You can also search on YouTube where you can find great free tutorials on some key engineering principles. Once you get a handle on some of the core skills, you can begin to play around with applications yourself. I would even recommend that you select a programming language to learn!
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Shams’s Answer

For your interest, i would suggest to take you basic computer science courses, such as algorithms, programming language, system design, artificial intelligence, data mining, database system, and some special subjects such as mechanical drawing, robotics if you are into that area.
Usually the hours are 8 hours per day but that can vary based on project deadline in a permanent job.
A good goal would be to start learning one programming language, such as python. Learn algorithms and try participate in programming contests, and solve problems from practice sites, such as leetcode.com
Thank you comment icon I appreciate this, thank you for the advice. Kiley
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John’s Answer

I would highly recommend learning about programming languages such as HTML, CSS, javascript, PHP
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