Tech

The tech field is an ever-evolving landscape that encompasses a wide range of careers focused on innovation, problem-solving, and digital advancement. From software development and cybersecurity to data analysis and artificial intelligence, the opportunities are diverse and expansive. With a strong emphasis on creativity, collaboration, and continuous learning, a career in tech offers the chance to work on cutting-edge projects.

Timeline

Postgraduate employment

Typical path

Freshman Year

Engage in relevant extracurricular activities, such as tech or coding clubs. Use this time to begin learning relevant coding languages through college or online courses. Commonly useful languages include Python, Java, C++, HTML/CSS, JavaScript, R, and SQL. Participating in hackathons or robotics teams will likewise allow you to build foundational knowledge and skills.

Sophomore Year

Junior Summer/Fall

Going into sophomore year and early in the fall, apply for interesting pre-internships or exploratory programs. Continue to learn relevant coding languages and begin building a portfolio of projects that demonstrate technical aptitude. Attend information sessions and networking events on campus.

Fully commit to recruiting efforts in the summer and early fall. Almost all tech companies and startups target juniors. Focusing on software engineering on larger companies (e.g. Google, Microsoft) offer valuable exit opportunities later down the line if unsure of exactly what to pursue. Otherwise, pursue valuable internships in niche subsectors of interest that can be converted to full-time opportunities.

Senior Year

Finalize career path and apply for full-time positions within this path if not already granted a return offer. Continue networking and attending information sessions to broaden opportunities.

The technology industry is perhaps the most rapidly evolving and highly innovative industry, highly prevalent in the daily lives of individuals around the world. It is responsible for the ways in which humans communicate, conduct business, enjoy leisure, and remain healthy.

The tech industry broadly encompasses companies that design, develop, and implement technological products and services. These can include those specializing in software and hardware engineering, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, telecommunications, and cloud computing.

More recently, breakthroughs in artificial intelligence have transformed the tech industry and lives of billions globally. AI technologies are being incorporated into existing applications to enhance the user experience, and millions of jobs are projected to be both created and destroyed by its dissemination.

Industry Description

Career Possibilities

Software Engineering/Development

Software engineers design, develop, and implement software in applications, systems, and platforms using principles of programming languages. They create everything from mobile applications to larger enterprise systems. A software engineer will often problem solve, constantly debugging and testing code.

Cyber Security

Cybersecurity is the practice of protecting systems, networks, and programs from digital attacks. These cyberattacks are usually aimed at accessing, changing, or destroying sensitive information; extorting money from users via ransomware; or interrupting normal business processes. Cybersecurity analysts are responsible for the integrity and security of the organization’s network and must keep all data secure. A cyber security analyst performs security audits, risk assessments, and ensures a company’s compliance with security standards.

Data Scientist

Data analytics is the collection, transformation, and organization of data in order to draw conclusions, make predictions, and drive informed decision-making. Using statistical analysis and machine learning, data scientists can extract insights and build predictive models.