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Careers and the Job Market
in High Technology and Engineering
A talk to guidance counsellors
Timothy C. Lethbridge (English) and
Daniel Amyot (Français), October, 2005
Careers in High Tech and Engineering 2
Topics in this talk
• Examples of some of the types of high-tech careers available– Education requirements for the above
• Job market prospects– Evidence that there are plenty of jobs!
• Programs available at the University of Ottawa to prepare students for high-tech jobs– Differences among fields such as computer science and
software engineering
Careers in High Tech and Engineering 3
Sample high-tech jobs for which a university degree is needed
• Software Developer / Software Engineer– Perform all aspects of software development: requirements,
design, programming and quality assurance– Suitable degrees:
• Computer Science• Software Engineering• More on the differences later
– Programs teach • Mathematics knowledge to ensure students can do proper
analysis and abstraction• Programming knowledge (they learn some languages and can
easily learn others)• Design knowledge• Knowledge of special techniques and technologies
Careers in High Tech and Engineering 4
Sample high-tech jobs for which a university degree is needed
• Systems Analyst / Software Architect– Focuses on the high level needs of an application or a
business– Suitable degrees:
• Computer Science• Software Engineering
Careers in High Tech and Engineering 5
Sample high-tech jobs for which a university degree is needed
• Computer Engineer / Hardware Developer– Designs some of the following:
• Computers and devices with embedded computers– Could include robots, cell phones, vehicles, etc.– More and more electronic devices have embedded
computers• Software to run on embedded computers• Computer networks
– Suitable degrees:• Computer Engineering• Software Engineering (for some embedded applications)
Careers in High Tech and Engineering 6
Sample high-tech jobs for which a university degree is needed
• IT Manager / CIO– Has a deep understanding of
• the technology• business
– Suitable degrees• Computer science with IMS option• Software engineering with management and
entrepreneurship option• Computer engineering with management and
entrepreneurship option (For hardware-intensive environments)
– Also required• Experience in the previous 3 jobs
– MBA suggested for the most senior positions
Careers in High Tech and Engineering 7
Sample high-tech jobs for which a university degree is needed
• Biomedical Engineer– Designs systems that operate in health care, including those
embedded in the human body– Suitable degrees
• Biomedical Mechanical Engineering• Biomedical Electrical Engineering• Biomedical Software Engineering• Computer Science with minor or second major in biology,
biochemistry, biomedical science
Careers in High Tech and Engineering 8
Sample IT jobs for which a college diploma would be adequate
• Computer operator, computer technician– Keeps the computers, software and networks in a company
running– May do limited programming
• Database administrator– Installs databases, grants permissions, and makes sure they
are kept running smoothly
• Web designer or programmer of small systems
Careers in High Tech and Engineering 9
Think carefully about education level
• Consider the following about college-level education– Industry is less and less interested in pure programming
(college level)– Outsourcing is primarily a problem for those involved in
writing code• University degrees are in demand
Source: Direction informatique Express, October 2005
http://www.directioninformatique.com/DI/client/fr/DirectionInformatique/Nouvelles.asp?id=36911
Careers in High Tech and Engineering 10
Topics in this talk
• Examples of some of the types of high-tech careers available– Education requirements for the above
• Job market prospects– Evidence that there are plenty of jobs!
• Programs available at the University of Ottawa to prepare students for high-tech jobs– Differences among fields such as computer science and
software engineering
Careers in High Tech and Engineering 11
Fortune Magazine: “16 Fastest Growing Professional Jobs”
Source: Fortune Magazine, March 21, 2005, p. 131. Conclusions derived from data published by the US Bureau of Labor Statistics. Increase over the period 2002-2012
Increase High University degreeProfession % Tech IT Required Recom.Environmental Engineers 54.3% X XNetwork systems and data communications analysts 41.9% X X XPersonal financial advisors 36.3%Database administrators 33.1% X X XSoftware engineers 27.8% X X XEmergency management specialists 27.8%Biomedical engineers 27.8% X XPublic relations specialists 27.8%Computer and IT managers 25.6% X X XCompensation, benefits and job analysts 25.6%Systems analysts 24.9% X X XNetwork and systems administrators 24.9% X X XTraining and development specialists 22.3%Medical scientists 22.1% X XMarketing and sales managers 21.3%Computer specialists 20.8% X X X
Careers in High Tech and Engineering 12
Ten highest paying university degrees for 2004-05 (In the US, salaries in USD)
And the trend is ever upwardsSource: Summer 2005 Salary Survey, NACE, http://www.jobweb.com/SalaryInfo/05_toppdmajors.htm
Careers in High Tech and Engineering 13
Trends in the job market & university computing enrollment
0
500000
1000000
1500000
2000000
2500000
3000000
3500000
4000000
4500000
5000000
1997199819992000200120022003200420052006200720082009201020112012
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
160
Jobs
Enrollment
Careers in High Tech and Engineering 14
Job breakdown 1999-2004
Source: Comm. of the ACM, Sept. 2005
Careers in High Tech and Engineering 15
CS popularity 1971-2004
Source: Communications of the ACM, Sept. 2005
Careers in High Tech and Engineering 16
Why is enrollment not tracking projected jobs?
• The public does not know about the projections• The public has a deep fear resulting from news
stories of layoffs in 2000-2003• The public is entranced by the lure of life sciences• IT has lost its ‘cool’ in the high schools• Girls, particularly are affected by negative
stereotypes– High tech people don’t really sit behind their desks typing all
day!– They have a lot of social interaction with users, customers
and other colleagues– Solving user’s problems can be very satisfying
Careers in High Tech and Engineering 17
Other evidence that the high-tech job market is strengthening
• Industry Canada (2005):– Employment growth for information and
communication technology professionals between 1990 and 2004 was about four times higher than overall employment growth in Canada
Careers in High Tech and Engineering 18
Other Evidence …
• Mercer Human Resource Consulting (2004)– Trained workers in Canadian high-tech
companies are earning both more than they did three years ago and more than their peers in other industries
– Software design engineers, earned an average of $101,000 a year in 2004, up from $80,000 in 2001
– Hardware engineers earned on average $97,000, up from $81,000.
Careers in High Tech and Engineering 19
Other Evidence …
• Computerworld, quoting IBM, 2005– The potential market for young people with
mainframe expertise is expanding as big-iron specialists head for retirement in the U.S. and Western Europe
Careers in High Tech and Engineering 20
Salaries for Co-op students (2005)
• Statistics for SITE students: – 1st work term: about $500 per week– 2nd work term: about $600 per week– 3rd work term: about $650 per week– 4th work term: about $700 per week
Careers in High Tech and Engineering 21
Other evidence…
• Bill Gates urged the smartest minds on Canadian campuses to work in computer science and consider a job at Microsoft Corp., promising them that the information technology revolution has only just begun.
• “Software is the place where the action is. It's an area that will continue to generate jobs,” he told students at the University of Waterloo.
Source: The Globe and Mail, October 13, 2005 http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20051013.wgates1013/BNStory/National/
Careers in High Tech and Engineering 22
Other evidence… COOP @ uOttawaPercentage of COOP students placed (2000 to 2005)
75.0%
80.0%
85.0%
90.0%
95.0%
100.0%
105.0%
2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005
Year
% placement
CEGCSIELGSEGMoyenne
Careers in High Tech and Engineering 23
Other evidence … COOP @ uOttawaEngineering Student Not Placed (2000 to 2005)
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005
Year
Students not placed
Engineering
SITE
CHG, CVG, MCG
• Fall 2005– 100% SITE students placed!– There were 30 more positions than there were
students!
Careers in High Tech and Engineering 24
There have been some layoffs in 2005
• Hewlett-Packard: 14,500 jobs– 10% of their workforce– Half of these were in:
• Technology maintenance, human resources, finance, etc.
• IBM: 14,500 jobs– Out of 359,000 jobs– Mostly in Europe– According to spokespeople, most of the people concerned
had already left
Source: Direction Informatique Express, 27 juillet 2005
Careers in High Tech and Engineering 25
Hiring announcements …
• From the last uOttawa career fair: – Communications Security Establishment (CSE)
• 200-300 positions per year to fill (in Ottawa) for several years
– Accenture (IT consultants)• At least 500 positions to fill this year in Canada, 100 for
new graduates.• SAP Labs Canada announced plans in June to double its
workforce with 100 new software developers who will work at its R&D center in Montreal
• MD Robotics is looking to hire 20-40 new people soon• Even IBM has been hiring (in areas where it needs to grow)
Careers in High Tech and Engineering 26
What about ‘offshoring’?
• Large numbers of companies are outsourcing software development to offshore locations (India, Eastern Europe)
• But:– The total market is rising faster– Only some of the most mundane programming is being
offshored– Jobs that generally stay here include
• IT management and Analyst postions• Jobs requiring interaction with the customer (requirements, large-scale
software engineering, UI design, etc.)• Jobs in the more innovative industries• Jobs in the public sector• Jobs in smaller enterprises that would find offshoring too complex
Careers in High Tech and Engineering 27
What to advise students who are interested but skeptical
• Study computing, but broaden your knowledge– Combine it with a minor, or option in a related field– Particularly consider business options– Register for co-op programs, such as at the University of
Ottawa
• Browse the web for evidence about the job market!• Be aware of new trends in universities
– Multidisciplinary studies– Employers are more and more interested in those with
masters degrees
Careers in High Tech and Engineering 28
Topics in this talk
• Examples of some of the types of high-tech careers available– Education requirements for the above
• Job market prospects– Evidence that there are plenty of jobs!
• Programs available at the University of Ottawa to prepare students for high-tech jobs– Differences among fields such as computer science and
software engineering
Careers in High Tech and Engineering 29
Programs in the Faculty of Engineering Engineering
(B.A.Sc.)
Computer Science (B.Sc)
Civil Engineeri
ng
Chemical Engineeri
ngS I T
E
Mechanical Engineerin
g
Software Engineering
Electrical
EngineeringComputer
Engineering
School of Information Technology and Engineering
Coop Coop Coop
Coop Coop Coop Coop
Management Management
Management
Management
Management
Management
Management
B.Sc.
Careers in High Tech and Engineering 30
Differences among computing disciplines - 1
• We teach three main computing programs– Computer Science: For students who want to
develop applications and underlying technologies
– Software Engineering: For students who want to focus on large software system requirements, design and architecture, plus project management
– Computer Engineering: For students more interested in hardware issues and low-level software
• Job prospects for all are good, but in the long run the software fields are more promising
• In the following tables ‘+’ refers to cases when the student takes suitable electives
SEG
ELG
CSI
CEG
Careers in High Tech and Engineering 31
Differences among computing disciplines - 2
Computer Science
Software Engineering
Computer Engineering
Programming HIGH MED-HIGH MEDIUM
Computer hardware
MEDIUM MEDIUM HIGH
Software design MED-HIGH +
HIGH MEDIUM
Electronics LOW LOW + MEDIUM
Databases HIGH HIGH LOW
Careers in High Tech and Engineering 32
Differences among computing disciplines - 3
Computer Science
Software Engineering
Computer Engineering
Networks & communications
MEDIUM + MEDIUM + HIGH
Web technology MEDIUM + MEDIUM LOW
User interfaces LOW + MEDIUM LOW
Project Mgmt. LOW + HIGH LOW +
Algorithms HIGH MEDIUM LOW
Other common electives
AI, Graphics many others
Careers in High Tech and Engineering 33
Differences among computing disciplines - 4
Computer Science
Software Engineering
Computer Engineering
Accreditation CIPS CEAB (CIPS?) CEAB
Professional designation
ISP P.Eng P.Eng
Flexibility to choose electives
HIGH MEDIUM LOW
Management option
Information Mgmt Sys
Mgmt & Entrepreneur.
Mgmt & Entrepreneur
Other options Major/Minor Biomedical
Careers in High Tech and Engineering 34
Computing technology: A year combined with other disciplines
• Computing technology is a scaled down version of computer science– Certain core courses in 30cr (1 year)
• We offer:– A minor in computing technology for Arts, Social Sciences
etc.– Combined computing technology programs that in 5 years
give you an engineering degree and a computing technology degree.
Careers in High Tech and Engineering 35
For more information
• Tim Lethbridge– [email protected]– (613) 562-5916
• Daniel Amyot– [email protected]– (613) 562-5800 x6685
Careers in High Tech and Engineering 36
Be creative
Discover
I m p l e m e n t
I m a g i n e
DREAM
V I s
u a
l I z
e
Construct
FULFIL YOUR
AMBITION
A c c o m p l i s h
DesignDesign
P L A Y