With
the wide array of possible career paths within the field of Information
Technology, it can often be difficult to determine the correct one for
you, given your unique interests and career goals. In my last article,
part one of this two-part series, I covered the Systems category of
Information Technology including who would be best fit to pursue a
career in that field and what type of education would best prepare that
individual for a successful career. In part two of the series, I will
cover the Application Development category of IT.
Application Development Category
People often assume that individuals working in Application
Development Information Technology careers are simply programmers or
coders, but there is far more to the field than that. IT offers
companies the opportunity to increase efficiency across the board,
saving time, manpower and money, while increasing customer satisfaction
rates at the same time. Typically, automating business and mission
processes is the best way to accomplish these types of effectiveness
and efficiency improvements, with some examples of specializations in
this area including:
Determining which business processes can be improved with automation
Conducting process reengineering to gain maximum benefits from IT capabilities
Application and database development (programming/coding)
Testing applications and training end users
Maintaining and upgrading applications
While some application development is done by military members, much
of this is outsourced to civilian contractors. But again, as with the
Systems career path of Information Technology, depending on the size
and needs of the organization you work for, you could find yourself
working on all of these tasks at the same time.
College courses and degree programs provide the “foundation”
necessary for developing the abilities needed to pursue (and succeed!)
in a specialized Information Technology career. Certifications are also
an option as a sort of “quick fix,” normally used to quickly get you
up-to-speed in a particular specialization. For more information about
American Sentinel University’s degree programs, certification courses,
and the curriculums on offer, please visit:
http://www.americansentinel.edu/online-degree/online-degree.php.
This article just skims the surface of all the exciting
opportunities available to those interested in pursuing a career in
Information Technology. But it should be a useful place to start for
those of you looking for information regarding how to choose a degree
program. And remember, if you’re on active duty in the military, you
know you’re going to need a degree for promotion at some point- so you
might as well start right away! And even if you do intend on leaving
the service, your future employers are going to evaluate your
capabilities based on your education level by examining both your
degree(s) and your certifications.
Keep in mind - other individuals competing for the same IT positions
as yourself are aware of this necessity, so you should do everything
you can to set yourself apart from “just another Information Technology
technician” by getting that degree or an additional certification. It
can’t hurt!
Talk to one of our admissions counselors about the opportunity of
enrolling in one of our many affordable online programs, giving you the
flexibility, and the expertise, that you need to succeed in your IT
career. And ask us about your TA, Montgomery GI Bill (Chap 30), and
even the new Post 9/11 GI Bill (Chap 33) benefits- while they’re still
available. Our
reduced military tuition rates and
military scholarships help extend those benefits even further, minimizing your out-of-pocket expenses, so why wait?
If you have any questions on the IT field or if you are a service
member transitioning into civilian life, feel free to leave a comment
or question using the submission form below. We’d love to hear from
you!