Tips for Getting Into High-Demand Computer Careers




I just read a very informational article The St. Cloud Times about the increasing demand for science, technology, engineering and mathematics-related careers, which create some of the highest paying jobs right now. Here are some insightful views from the interview with Tirthankar Ghosh, a professor of computer science and information technology at St. Cloud State University. My key take-aways were:

1) He advises that If high school students are thinking of pursuing a profession in computing in general, taking some AP (advanced placement) classes help. AP computer science is a must, he says. If students come to a two-year or four-year college with some programming courses they already took, that really prepares them for the profession. AP statistics and AP calculus and those types of courses also help.

2) When they surveyed area employers, the three or four skills that came to the top were critical analytical thinking, problem solving, communications and technical competency. Employers also mentioned soft skills, like learning how to learn. Technology is changing every day, so we have to learn how to learn and keep evolving with the technology. Also something else he heard employers mention, even though it's not technically a skill, is passion. 

3) He advises students to take advantage of scholarship opportunities and CS/technical camps. His other advice was just find a passion, whatever you want to do, and pursue that. There are tons of opportunities in this field. There are more jobs than there are students. Finding a job is not a problem. He says if you are really passionate in the field and interested in pursuing this as a profession, you will find that a lot of doors will open up for you, and you get to choose whichever door you want to walk through.

I hope we are doing everything we can–in whatever capacity we serve–as an educator, administrator, parent or community at large, to help prepare our kids and ourselves to navigate and prosper in this ever-changing world of technology. It's not going anywhere, and we can't avoid it. Start where you are, do what you can when you can. Ask for help (me!!!). BTW, that's my passion. :-)

We're never to old or too young to learn how to learn.

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