The Reasons Why People Are Choosing to Pursue a Career in Information Technology

What was once an undesired career field, has suddenly blossomed into a career that produces a rewarding and promising future. I am referring to the Information technology field, a field that was unappreciated by many people until recent trends in technology shaped how people work within society. What exactly has caused this sudden spike of interest to pursue a career within the IT field? A number of factors explain why people are increasingly pursuing careers within Information Technology field. Some choose this career path because of recent trends in technology. Technology has grown and developed rapidly and will continue to do so for the unforeseeable future. Ten or fifteen years ago technology was just starting to boom, and people relied very little upon it to live a successful and fulfilling life. Today, however, everything used to get through life is either controlled or influenced by some sort of technology. Without gaining a general or advanced understanding of how technology works some if not all will find it difficult to thrive today. Therefore, the current trend in modern industries is the first reason why many people are choosing to pursue a career in the IT field concerns. According to Suppe (2018), a broad range of jobs require individuals to work with computers. As a result, high demand for employees with skills in technology continues to surpass supply. These jobs are not only available in major technology firms but in organizations across industries. In the retail industry, for example, organizations need employees with knowledge in technology to undertake data analysis and consumer research in order to further the desired business practices (Suppe, 2018). Whether one works at point-of-sale or in healthcare facilities, there is a software or tool being used to promote efficiency, improve productivity, decrease the cost of operations or to ensure high standards of quality of goods sold or services rendered. Therefore, today’s organizations demand individuals with tech proficiency to manage operations. Having specialized training in Information Technology puts a person ahead of the pack. The third factor that makes IT a popular choice among people is the nature of the job. IT jobs are versatile (McInerney et al., 2006). As a result, skills can be practiced in a variety of fields including education, healthcare, international development, business, government relations, medicine, public policy, environmental and music or arts. People are becoming tired of working with their hands performing strenuous manual labor to make a living. Working with one’s mind to make money seems more appealing to current generations than working manually day in and day out. With adequate knowledge in Information Technology, people can easily carry out jobs that are tedious. The last reason why so many are choosing to pursue a career within IT is the pay and benefits that come with working in IT. Although pay starts low in some areas, most IT jobs offer very competitive staring salaries and offer huge amounts of potential growth within its field. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, computer and information technology occupations attracted a median annual wage of $84,580. The figure is significantly higher than the median annual wage for all occupations in 2017 (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2018). According to Alexander et al., (2011), pay is an important factor in determining what career to pursue. Information technology careers have attractive benefits which entice people to join the field (Alexander et al., 2011).

Research plan

As I continue to revise and develop my essay, I will conduct thorough research to inform my work. Different resources will be utilized including Purdue Global library and the Internet where scholarly articles and research papers can be found. Information obtained will help in strengthening my arguments. To locate relevant Internet resources, Google will be used to identify important information from .org and Edu websites that contain research studies and other relevant information. The focus of my research will be to find studies that show trends in IT careers as well as factors attributed to the trends.

References

Alexander, P. M., Holmner, M., Lotriet, H. H., Matthee, M. C., Pieterse, H. V., Naidoo, S., ... & Jordaan, D. (2011). Factors affecting career choice: Comparison between students from computer and other disciplines. Journal of Science Education and Technology, 20(3), 300-315.

McInerney, C. R., DiDonato, N. O., Giagnacova, R., & O’Donnell, A. M. (2006). Students’choice of information technology majors and careers: a qualitative study. Information Technology, Learning & Performance Journal, 24(2).

Suppe R. (2018). These are the country’s best-paying jobs, with salaries over $100,000. USA TODAY. Retrieved from https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/news/2018/08/15/which-jobs-pay-100-000-more-them-technology/987194002/

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2018). Computer and Information Technology Occupations: Occupational Outlook Handbook.