Have you considered a career in tech?
The tech industry is growing at an almost immeasurable rate, and the future is bright for anyone wanting to hop into the tech scene. With the growth of the Internet, artificial intelligence and even virtual reality, the demand for smart, talented developers and creative engineers continues to increase.
Many students at the university level begin their studies with no clear path as to where they want to take their academic career. Often starting out with general studies, students usually find some kind of academic path that suits them for the time being. However, many students miss out on possibly the fastest-growing industry in the world, simply because they aren’t introduced to the many possibilities of working in the tech industry.
According to Forbes.com, from 2004 to 2014, the job market in the tech industry expanded 31 percent faster than the next leading industry. It is projected that careers associated with STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) will continue to dominate the job market for at least the next five years, and almost undoubtedly well beyond that.
So how are Utah State students preparing for what most consider the world’s fastest growing job market? Here at USU, there are several different majors that may lead to a career in tech. The obvious ones are computer science and computer engineering. In computer science, students learn how to create programs by learning the fundamentals of writing code. Computer engineering is similar, but it is more geared to how the computer actually works and how to build it.
There are many other majors that work with technology. For example, Management Information Systems (MIS) in the Huntsman School of Business focuses on working with computers and databases to improve businesses. MIS also involves the fundamentals of web development, which prepares students to build websites for clients. Other majors that prepare students for the tech industry include technical writing, math/statistics and graphic design, as well as other engineering fields such as civil or mechanical.
In addition to offering fields of study focused on preparing students for working in tech, Utah State students and faculty started Hack USU, which is a campus club focused on helping students learn more about technology. No, hacking does not mean illegally breaking into a system to steal someone’s identity. On Hack USU’s website it says, “Hacking is a new process of learning. Hacking means creating, innovating and building something awesome with software or hardware.”
All students are welcome to join Hack USU. Even if you don’t know what Java or Python are, you can still attend Hack USU and learn new things. In fact, many of the events are geared towards beginners that are passionate about technology and want to begin learning how to code. If you’d like to know more, visit hackusu.org for more information.
If working in the tech industry sounds like something that may interest you, check out all that USU has to offer in preparing you. You may just find your new passion, which may even lead to a promising career down the road.
Colten is a senior at USU studying technical writing and computer science. He enjoys exploring technology, geeking out while writing code and exploring new startups.
— coltenvantussenbrook@gmail.com
@coltvant