The Building blocks of Career Planning
Computer Engineer:
What is a Computer Engineer?
A computer engineer has an important job in the world of technology. The basic definition of a computer engineer is one who researches, plans and develops computer operating systems. Computer engineers come in a variety of types as one who is a computer engineer can work with general computer use or deal with computer usage which goes along with a specific job position, such as military, industrial or medical, to name just a few.
Source:
http://www.exforsys....r-engineer.html
-
- Responsibilities and tasks?
Responsibilities: There are a few general responsibilities which a computer engineer must undertake in their job position. The computer engineer must research information regarding computer operating systems, review current operating systems, make changes to systems and even may develop operating systems of this type. The computer engineer will use his/her knowledge in the fields of computer science, math and engineering to ensure that they carry out their daily job tasks to the best of their ability.
Source:
http://www.exforsys....r-engineer.html
Tasks/duties:
A computer engineer has many specific duties relative to his/her job. One such duty is that the computer engineer must perform research regarding the computer operating systems. This relates not only to the current operating systems which the computer engineer works with but new concepts as well. The computer engineer will perform a wide array of research in relation to operating systems as a whole.
Another specific duty of a computer engineer is to maintain current operating systems within their job field. This entails checking the systems periodically to ensure that they are working correctly, monitoring their work consistency and fixing any problems that may arise in conjunction with the operating systems.
The computer engineer is also responsible for maintaining contact with a large number of individuals. Pertinent people include customers, project managers and other company employees. The contact is important as it keeps everyone in the loop with regard to the various operating systems and provides the computer engineer with feedback, whether it be of the good or bad variety. Some computer engineers may also be supervisors in their field of work. Those who supervise others may be responsible for monitoring the work habits of subordinates, solving problems which may arise, preparing schedules and ensuring that the employees get paid as they are entitled.
Computer engineers may also have quite a bit of administrative duties to tend to during the course of their work. Reports, graphs, charts and evaluations may need to be prepared throughout the daily job routines. These will track the progress of computer operating systems as well as detail any issues which have come about as a result of a particular operation system or systems.
Those who fill the role of computer engineer may find themselves given the responsibility of developing programs for the particular operating systems with which they work. These programs may be basic operating programs or more detailed computer programs.
Source:
http://www.exforsys....r-engineer.html
Personalities and work styles:
Required Skills and Personal Traits
• Creative and curious about how things work
• Good at or enjoy riddles, puzzles, and problem solving
• Drawn to computers and applications and good at involved strategy games
• Familiar with programming, either independently or through a school program
• Aptitude for analytical thinking through high school math or science classes
• Feel more challenged than discouraged when confronted with problems or hurdles when trying to build or create new things
http://www.hindustan...ring-skills.htm
And:
In order to be successful as a computer engineer, one of the most desirable character traits is self motivation. Many projects a computer engineer works on do not have simple answers. You will need to have enough self-motivation to seek out those answers rather than quitting the project. You will need to be able to work well with clients and other professionals. You will also need to be able to compete tasks independently and on time. It will be important to have good self control to find success in this career.
-
- Diligence, determination, intrinsic motivation are three that come to mind immediately. Of course, even though this career may not throw you into the social realm (face time, I mean, not social networking through computer-generated and long distance socialization which gives some anonymity), you still need some people skills as well.
Source:
http://www.enotes.co...istics-ne-94299
Employment opportunities:
Employment
Computer software engineers and computer programmers held about 1.3 million jobs in 2008. Approximately 514,800 were computer applications software engineers, about 394,800 were computer systems software engineers, and about 426,700 were computer programmers. Although computer software engineers and computer programmers can be found in a wide range of industries about 32 percent were employed in computer systems design and related services. Many also worked for software publishers, manufacturers of computers and related electronic equipment, financial institutions, and insurance providers. About 48,200 computer software engineers and computer programmers were self-employed in 2008.
Source:
http://www.bls.gov/o...os303.htm#emply
Job OutlookAbout this section
Overall, employment of computer software engineers and computer programmers is projected to increase much faster than the averagefor all occupations. Job prospects should be best for those with a bachelor's degree and relevant experience.
Employment change. Overall, employment of computer software engineers and computer programmers is projected to increase by 21 percent from 2008 to 2018, much faster than the average for all occupations. This will be the result of rapid growth among computer software engineers, as employment of computer programmers is expected to decline.
Employment of computer software engineers is expected to increase by 32 percent from 2008-2018, which is much faster than the average for all occupations. In addition, this occupation will see a large number of new jobs, with more than 295,000 created between 2008 and 2018. Demand for computer software engineers will increase as computer networking continues to grow. For example, expanding Internet technologies have spurred demand for computer software engineers who can develop Internet, intranet, and World Wide Web applications. Likewise, electronic data-processing systems in business, telecommunications, healthcare, government, and other settings continue to become more sophisticated and complex. Implementing, safeguarding, and updating computer systems and resolving problems will fuel the demand for growing numbers of systems software engineers.
New growth areas will also continue to arise from rapidly evolving technologies. The increasing uses of the Internet, the proliferation of Web sites, and mobile technology such as the wireless Internet have created a demand for a wide variety of new products. As more software is offered over the Internet, and as businesses demand customized software to meet their specific needs, applications and systems software engineers will be needed in greater numbers. In addition, the growing use of handheld computers will create demand for new mobile applications and software systems. As these devices become a larger part of the business environment, it will be necessary to integrate current computer systems with this new, more mobile technology.
In addition, information security concerns have given rise to new software needs. Concerns over “cyber security” should result in the continued investment in software that protects computer networks and electronic infrastructure. The expansion of this technology over the next 10 years will lead to an increased need for software engineers to design and develop secure applications and systems, and to integrate them into older systems.
As with other information technology jobs, offshore outsourcing may temper employment growth of computer software engineers. Firms may look to cut costs by shifting operations to foreign countries with lower prevailing wages and highly educated workers. Jobs in software engineering are less prone to being offshored than are jobs in computer programming, however, because software engineering requires innovation and intense research and development.
Employment of computer programmers is expected to decline slowly, decreasing by 3 percent from 2008 to 2018. Advances in programming languages and tools, the growing ability of users to write and implement their own programs, and the offshore outsourcing of programming jobs will contribute to this decline.
Because they can transmit their programs digitally, computer programmers can perform their job function from anywhere in the world, allowing companies to employ workers in countries that have lower prevailing wages. Computer programmers are at a much higher risk of having their jobs offshored than are workers involved in more complex and sophisticated information technology functions, such as software engineering. Much of the work of computer programmers requires little localized or specialized knowledge and can be made routine once knowledge of a particular programming language is mastered.
Nevertheless, employers will continue to need some local programmers, especially those who have strong technical skills and who understand an employer's business and its programming requirements. This means that programmers will have to keep abreast of changing programming languages and techniques. Furthermore, a recent trend of domestic sourcing may help to keep a number of programming jobs onshore. Instead of hiring workers in foreign locations, some organizations have begun to contract with programmers in low-cost areas of the United States. This allows them to reduce payroll expenses, while eliminating some of the logistical issues that arise with offshore outsourcing.
Job prospects. As a result of rapid employment growth over the 2008 to 2018 decade, job prospects for computer software engineers should be excellent. Those with practical experience and at least a bachelor's degree in a computer-related field should have the best opportunities. Employers will continue to seek computer professionals with strong programming, systems analysis, interpersonal, and business skills. In addition to jobs created through employment growth, many job openings will result from the need to replace workers who move into managerial positions, transfer to other occupations, or leave the labor force. Consulting opportunities for computer software engineers also should continue to grow as businesses seek help to manage, upgrade, and customize their increasingly complicated computer systems.
Although employment of computer programmers is projected to decline, numerous job openings will result from the need to replace workers who leave the labor force or transfer to other occupations. Prospects for these openings should be best for applicants with a bachelor's degree and experience with a variety of programming languages and tools. As technology evolves, however, and newer, more sophisticated tools emerge, programmers will need to update their skills in order to remain competitive. Obtaining vendor-specific or language-specific certification also can provide a competitive edge.
Source:
http://www.bls.gov/o...os303.htm#emply