However, the specific training and education requirements depend very much on a company's specific needs. Previous computer experience is also of vital importance, as is a diversity of related skills. Employers are currently requiring a larger base of diverse skills around the focus of technical expertise. Elements such as interpersonal skills and creativity may be combined with the technical requirements of the job, for example (Brock, Pers. Comm.). The greatest concentration of workers are in the systems design and related industry. Internet service providers, web search portals, as well as data processing and related service firms are the main industries requiring the services of computer professionals. The government, computer manufacturers, financial institutions and universities also employ computer specialists, and the list is growing. As the 21st century advances it is likely that an increasing amount of firms will become computerized and thus need computer services either on a contract or full-time basis (Brock, Pers. Comm.).

Opportunities for advancement then exist in terms of heading teams of computer experts and becoming involved in the hiring and consultation process. Those in the private industry could then advance to managerial positions, whereas others employed by academic institutions could become heads of departments or published authorities. Promotion opportunities for systems analysts may include senior or lead analyst or project managers (Parent & Rawson).

A growing sector of these professionals prefer to work on a contract basis for a number of companies, which entails the opportunity to open a consultation business or shop of one's own. The requirement for this would of course be to maintain continuous research with regard to the newest available technologies and ensuring that these are available to one's clients (Brock, Pers. Comm.).

Financial compensation depends largely upon the level of education and skills, as well as seniority at the place of employment. In 2003 for example starting offers for persons with a master's degree in computer science was $62,806 on average per year, while those with a bachelor's degree...

A person seeking to enter the profession may begin to do so by means of internships, co-op programs and computer science training courses. Background information regarding industries within the focus location of a prospective computer career is also beneficial. This may be obtained by entering a non-computer occupation such as financial services in order to gain background information that can later be transferred to specific computer professions (Williams, Pers. Comm).
Logical thinking and good communication skills are inherent in computer professions. Furthermore meticulous attention to detail as well as concentration and multi-tasking are important. In settings where computer professionals work in teams and offices, it is necessary to be able to use communication to explain computer applications to persons without a profound background in the area (Bureau of Labor Statistics). In terms of the future, the opportunities for persons in the computer profession are growing as a result of the rapid advancement of technology. It is expected that this trend will continue throughout the decade until 2012, and possibly beyond. The growth in the industry is ascribed to the rapidly growing and changing needs within organizations that implement increasingly sophisticated technology as it becomes available, in order to remain at the forefront of competition. This profession is thus currently one of the most lucrative and rewarding, as it offers something for nearly every professional requirement and every type of person (Brock, Pers. Comm.).

Sources

Brock, Lucas. Computer specialist, personal interview. July 22, 2005.

Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2004-05 Edition, Computer Systems Analysts, Database, on the Internet at http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos042.htm (visited July 21, 2005).

Parent, Mike and Rawson, Rob. "IT Careers from around the Web." Computer World, July 19, 2005. http://www.computerworld.com/careertopics/careers/story/0,10801,83782,00.html

Williams, Ernst. Computer scientist, personal interview. July 21, 2005.