Software Engineer
One of the most rewarding—and yet most challenging—careers in the world of computing is that of the computer software engineer. And it’s precisely because it is so challenging (and yet so necessary) that this is a tremendous career growth field. And one which pays an outstanding salary.
The computer software engineer develops and maintains computer programs, those instructions that you install which control everything your computer does. Most software engineers work on a large variety of projects. They work, for instance, in industry, manufacturing, government offices, engineering and educational institutions.
Sometimes the software engineer will work on improving a computer system already in use. If he’s asked to develop a program, he will first analyze the given task and apply computer science techniques, mathematical analysis, and engineering, to produce the best solution. The software engineer then prepares systems flow charts which show how information will flow through the computer and the peripheral equipment in order to accomplish the designated task. Finally, the engineer creates an outline of the program.
In a software company, the engineer will actually instruct computer programmers to write the code which will make up the program; he then intercedes only if the programmers encounter problems. After the program is developed, the software engineers sometimes tests it for problems it and examines it for errors in data or logic.
In most cases, an employer will require that a software engineer has a college degree in computer science or in software engineering. A graduate degree is sometimes required, especially in more demanding jobs. And of course, knowledge of the current major program languages is a must. There are several certification courses that will train the software engineers in programming languages, including C++, XML and Java.
A high school student or other person interested in entering this career path should study math, physics and computer science. He or she should try to take computer programming courses or to learn programming languages in their spare time.
In 2004, the U.S.Bureau of Labor Statistics estimated there were 800,000 people working as software engineers. That number is likely pushing close to one million now—and still growing. In fact, the field is expected to continue growing faster than other career paths through the year 2014. A skilled software engineer can expect to make $80,000 to $100,000 or even a bit more. It’s a lucrative career field and quite fulfilling for someone who enjoys being on the computer anyway,.
