Computers & IT

Computers, Information Technology and Artificial Intelligence: Non-Stop Innovation

Can you name any industry that does not use any computers or information technology today? Even a traditional sector like agriculture uses computation models in crop yield analysis to gauge environmental data like weather conditions, moisture, and soil factors. The healthcare sector is adopting informatics to ensure medical professionals like doctors and nurses have quick, easy, and efficient access to medical records. Computers and big data can be found just about everywhere.

The origins of computer science can be traced back to the World War II era, when the father of computer science, Alan Turing saved approximately fourteen millions lives by decrypting coded messages transmitted by the German military. One of the life-changing legacies he left behind is the concept of artificial intelligence (AI).

Let us further explore the impact of this technology, but before that, we should first discover the manifold career opportunities in the Computers and Information Technology field.

What are the career options?

Computers and Information Technology is now the fastest growing career field, with more companies relying on technology for their daily business operations. From highly technical jobs like computer scientist, to more creative roles like UX designer, there are numerous job options available for your discovery.

Some of the most in-demand ones include:

Computer Scientist
Data Scientist
Database Administrator
Artificial Intelligence Engineer
Network Engineer
Software Engineer
Systems Analyst
Information Security Analyst
IT Manager
IT Technician
Web Developer
UX/UI Designer

What skills do you need? – Not only technical.

Just like how a computer is supported by both hardware and software, it takes both hard or technical skills, and soft skills for you to reach the top in this field. As IT job tasks can be highly specialised at times, some professional positions like computer scientist or software engineer require you to have a bachelor’s or even master’s degree. However, there are also technical roles like IT technician and support specialist that focus more on practical computer skills rather than college experience. A high school diploma or relevant certification is often enough for you to get these jobs.

Hard or technical skills highly valued by employers today include:

Technical writing
Coding
Network configuration
Operation system knowledge
Database management
Statistical analysis
Software development
AI and machine learning
IT service management
Project management

To get the most out of these technical skills, you will also need certain soft skills:

Communication
Organisation
Attention to detail
Patience
Empathy
Ability to give clear directions
Teamwork
Analytical abilities
Problem solving
Resourcefulness

What to expect?

When we talk about working as an IT professional, you would probably imagine yourself sitting in front of a computer, doing coding all day. While providing programming and tech support does make up a huge part of most computer science or IT careers, development opportunities in the field are far beyond that.

From analysing big data to devising corporate-level IT strategies, you will find yourself playing an important role in solving your employer’s business problems. That sums up why problem solving skills are at the very base of your eligibility to be hired in the Computers and Information Technology sector.

If you are taking on this tech journey, be prepared for the following job tasks:

Work with computers, software, and networking devices.
Work with coding languages like HTML, JavaScript, C++ and CSS.
Run tests on computer equipment and applications to diagnose computer issues.
Monitor processing functions and perform troubleshooting as necessary.
Maintain and develop the company’s computer network.
Conduct research involving experimentation and modelling.
Ensure that system design, application, and maintenance are up to industry standards.
Design and improve data security systems.
Create and maintain websites.
Create and maintain software or applications to improve organisational efficiency.

Why is it cool to work in Computers and IT?

Business goals aside, being in the IT field could give you the real achievement of making the impossible possible. Voice-controlled TVs, self-parking cars, robotic surgeries – who would have thought of these a few years back? Advanced data science can even help you predict the future. Computer scientists are now utilising machine learning algorithms to predict natural disasters like earthquakes and tsunamis.

That is not all! Here we have listed more reasons why you should consider starting a career in Computers and Information Technology:

Growing job availability – the availability of computers and IT jobs is showing no sign of slowing down, with the emergence of more tech companies.
Be part of the change – every technological advance that you take part in is making a positive change in other people’s lives.
Financially rewarding – employers are willing to spend generously in getting IT or computer science personnel as they help the companies keep up to emerging trends, as well as protect important data and digital assets.
Global opportunities – multinational companies in various industries worldwide are expanding their IT teams to help drive their business strategies.

Artificial Intelligence – never-ending development.

What if we tell you the development of artificial intelligence started in the 1950’s? The fundamental question, “Can machines think?” were first posed in 1950 by Alan Turing, the founding father of computer science and artificial intelligence. The Turing test was developed to determine if a computer is capable of thinking like a human being. Little did he know that this incredible legacy that he left behind is still being used by computer scientists around the world today, in driving their artificial intelligence research.

Artificial intelligence enhances companies’ business performance and our lives in many ways. E-commerce websites are able to provide real-time product recommendations based on customers’ past activity, by leveraging neural networks. This makes our shopping experience better and more intuitive than ever before. Autopilot modes for military and commercial aircrafts are made possible with the support of AI technologies that combine GPS technology, sensors, and robotics. This reduces the impact of human error, which in turn saves us from fatal accidents like flight crashes.

Other industries that have made a move in adopting AI include:

Manufacturing – digital twin for product development or design customisation, predictive maintenance, and quality assurance.
Mobile – autocorrect or predictive text, voice assistant, biometrics, and facial recognition.
Transportation – automated metro subway systems and driverless trains.
Security – cybersecurity, personal home alarms, and voice-controlled security cameras.
Education – personalised tutoring programs and automated administrative tasks such as test marking or grades recording.

In a nutshell

All these developments are not realised with the sole contribution of computer scientists, but rather collaborative efforts by strong IT teams, made up of both professional and technical personnel. If you find technologies such as artificial intelligence truly amazing and are keen to be part of the industry of the future, Computers and Information Technology is definitely a great career area to explore.

Sources:

https://medium.com/swlh/computer-vision-in-agriculture-d84b69c6858e

https://www.healthcare-management-degree.net/faq/what-exactly-is-health-informatics/

https://dasha.ai/en-us/blog/turing-shaped-ai

https://www.hollandisc.com/blog/categories/study-abroad/why-study-computer-science

https://careerkarma.com/blog/best-tech-jobs/

https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/finding-a-job/types-of-it-jobs

https://www.collegechoice.net/faq/what-are-the-requirements-for-a-career-in-computers-and-technology/

https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/finding-a-job/skills-needed-for-it-jobs

https://www.globalknowledge.com/us-en/resources/resource-library/articles/the-10-most-important-it-skills-for-2020/#6

https://study.com/articles/Information_Technology_Technician_Job_Description_and_Education_Requirements.html

https://www.comptia.org/career-change/exploring-it/skills-for-it