Chapter 16 - Computer Careers and Certification

Careers in the Computer Industry

What is the expected demand for computer professionals?

    A great
demand for computer and information technology (IT) professionals in today s
technology-rich world

    Incredible opportunities increase daily as reported by the U.S. Department of Labor s Bureau of Labor Statistics

What are the four primary areas where job opportunities are found?

Where can you find information on specific computer-related careers?

    Through typical job-searching methods

    Career-
oriented
sites on the
World
Wide Web

What is the computer hardware industry?

     Consists of manufacturers and distributors of computers and computer-related equipment

     Some are huge organizations with thousands of employees
worldwide

     Others are
start-up
companies that
appear each
year

     Often offer
stock options
to induce
college
graduates to
join their firms

What are some of the more popular job titles in the computer equipment industry?

    In larger companies there are several levels to each job title, including management careers

What are the Web site addresses for some major computer companies?

What is the computer software industry?

    Composed of companies that develop, manufacture, and support a wide range of software products

    Some companies specialize in a particular type of software product

    Others produce and sell multiple software products

What are some career opportunities in the software industry?

    Involve designing and programming all kinds of software products

What is an IT professional?

    Sets up and manages the computer equipment and software in an IT department

    Includes programmers and systems analysts

    Job titles are not standardized

What are the categories of jobs in an IT department?

What are some of the jobs in a typical IT department?

 

Technology Trailblazer

Marc Andreesen

    While a computer science student, he worked at the University of Illinois National Center for Supercomputing Applications (NCSA)

    Worked with a friend to create NCSA Mosaic, which gave users a user-friendly graphical tool to browse the Web

    Later founded Netscape Communications with other NCSA colleagues and developed the Netscape browser

 

Company on the Cutting Edge

divine interVentures

    Andrew Flip Filipowski is the head of divine interVentures, an Internet holding company

    Goal is to create an Internet Zaibatsu community, a family of businesses working collaboratively to create mutual opportunity and gain

 

Careers in the Computer Industry

What are career opportunities in education and training?

    Schools, colleges, universities, and private companies all need qualified instructors

What are careers in computer sales?

    Sales representatives must have a general understanding of computers and a specific knowledge of the product they
are selling

    Some work directly
for hardware and
software
manufacturers

    Others work for
resellers,
including retailers

What are some careers in service and repair?

    Challenging for individuals who like to troubleshoot and solve problems

    Have a strong background in electronics

What is a consultant?

     An individual who draws upon his or her experiences to give advice to others

     Must have strong technical skills in their area of expertise

     Must have the people skills necessary to communicate their suggestions effectively to their clients

 

Preparing for a Career in the Computer Industry

What are the first steps in preparing for a career in the computer industry?

    You first must decide on the area in which you are interested

    Obtain education in that field

What Web sites can help you identify prerequisites and opportunities?

What are the three broad disciplines in higher education that produce the majority of entry-level employees in the computer industry?

What is an articulation agreement?

    Ensures that if you transfer to a college or university from a community college you will receive credit for most of the courses you took at the community college level

 

Technology Trailblazer

Jerry Yang

    Came to the U.S.A. from Taiwan when he was 10 years old

    At Stanford in 1993, he worked with David Filo to
create Jerry s
Guide to the
World Wide
Web, a precursor
to Yahoo!

    Left Stanford's Ph.D. program to work on their growing company

 

Preparing for a Career in the Computer Industry

What is a trade school?

    An alternative to a college or university

    Offers programs primarily in the areas of programming and maintenance

    Students can complete trade school programs in a shorter time than college or university programs

How can you plan for career development?

     Because of continuous change in the computer field, experts must constantly

     keep up to date on industry trends and technologies

     develop new skills

     increase recognition among peers within their companies

     Several ways to keep up to date

What are some organizations for computer professionals?

    Computer professionals with common interests and a desire to extend their proficiency have formed computer-related professional organizations

What are benefits of a professional organization?

What are the URLs for some professional organizations?

What is a user group?

    A collection of people with common computer equipment or software interests

    Meets regularly to share information

What is professional growth and continuing education?

    A way to stay aware of new products and services in the computer industry

What is COMDEX?

    One of the larger technology trade shows in the world

    More than 2,100 vendors and 200,000 attendees

What are computer publications?

    A way to stay informed about happenings in the computer industry

    Hundreds of publications are available from which to choose

    Some cover a wide range of issues

    Others are oriented toward a particular topic

What are some Web news sites?

    Most of the more popular publications have Web sites

 

What is Computer Certification?

What is computer certification?

    A way for employers to ensure a level of competency, skills, or quality in a particular area

    Demonstrates the mastery of a skill set and knowledge base in a specific IT area

    Usually obtain certification by passing an examination

What are some of the benefits of certification?

What is a sponsor?

    An organization that develops and administers each certification

    hardware and software vendors

    independent training companies

    professional organizations

 

Types of Computer Certification

How are certifications classified?

    Usually classified based on the
computer industry
to which they are most closely related

    software applications

    operating systems

    programming

    hardware

    networking

    Internet

    database systems

 

A Guide to Computer Certification

What are software applications certifications?

    Certify the proficiency of productivity software users

Who may be interested in software certification?

    Helpful to anyone who works in the computer industry

What are operating systems certifications?

    Certifications represent several different knowledge levels

    Focus on particular skills the user, the operator, the system administrator, and the system engineer

Who may be interested in operating systems certification?

    Beneficial for occupations such as an operating system administrator or engineer

    May also benefit from networking, hardware, and Internet certifications

What are programming certifications?

    Usually supported with training programs that prepare applicants for the certification test

    Programmers can add to their skill base

    Tied closely to certifications in networking and Web design,
which can
broaden
employment
opportunities

Who may be interested in programming certification?

    Programmers may also benefit from certifications in networking an Web design

What are hardware certifications?

    Vary in scope from a narrow focus with an emphasis on the repair of a specific device to an integrated hardware solution that addresses a company's current and future computing needs

    Implies that
you have
achieved a
standard of
competence
in assessing
a company's
hardware
needs

Who may be interested in hardware certification?

    Hardware specialists may also benefit from networking and operating system software certifications

What are certifications in networking?

    Implies that you have achieved a standard of competence, enabling you to address the complex issues that arise when planning, installing, managing, and troubleshooting a network

Who may be interested in networking certification?

What are Internet certifications?

    Require technical expertise in networking hardware and network configuration before enrollment in the training program

    For people interested in designing, implementing, and maintaining Web sites

Who may be interested in Internet certification?

    Those working in an Internet-related occupation can benefit from certifications in hardware, networking, operating systems,
and programming

 

Company on the Cutting Edge

RealNetworks

    Producer of RealPlayer , the fourth most popular application among U.S. home users

    One of the 20 most popular Internet destinations

    Software delivers
audio, video, and
other multimedia
services to personal
computers

    Formats used in 85
percent of Web
pages using
streaming media

 

A Guide to Computer Certification

What are database systems certifications?

    For professional staff supporting a large database system

Who may be interested in database certification?

 

Certification Benefits

What is a primary benefit of certification?

    IT certification can enhance employees careers and provide them with a better standing as industry professionals

    Certification can increase salary

What are benefits of certification?

What are benefits of vendor-sponsored certifications?

     Often provide special access to technical and product information

     secure online electronic resources

     special technical support

     automatic notification of updates

     access to beta products and early releases

Who are
other beneficiaries of certification?

 

Choosing a Computer Certification

What are factors to consider in choosing a certification?

    Reflect on your career goals and interests

    Consider your long term career path

    Assess your background and experience

    Research
certifications

 

Preparing for Computer Certification

What options are available to prepare for certification?

    Most certification programs do not require academic coursework

    Test results determine certification entirely

    Most people prefer to follow a study program to prepare for the test

What is self-study?

What are online training classes?

What is instructor-led training?

What are Web resources?

 

Computer Certification Examinations

How can you find a testing center?

     Authorized testing centers provide most certification exams

     Certification sponsors often have a link to the testing company's site

     At the training company s site, you can locate test centers near you

What are examinations like?

    Examinations are taken using computers

    Processes
the
results
as you
take a
test

    Most are
in a multiple-choice format

What is computerized adaptive testing (CAT)?

    These tests analyze a person s responses while taking the test

    The number and order of the test questions are modified to correspond to each individual s progress and demonstrated ability

 

Career Development after Computer Certification

How can professionals keep pace with the computer industry?

    They must maintain and continually monitor technological developments

    Sponsors
often provide
restricted-
access Web
resources
specifically
for certificate holders

 

Summary of Computer Careers and Certification

    Careers in the computer industry

    Preparing for a career in the computer industry

    What is computer certification?

    Types of computer certification

    A guide to computer certification

    Certification benefits

    Choosing a computer certification

    Preparing for computer certification

    Computer certification examinations

    Career development after computer certification

Chapter 16 Complete