Computer ProgrammerJoin now to read essay Computer ProgrammerToday, all three of the traditional sectors of the economy—agriculture, manufacturing, and service—are experiencing technological displacement, forcing millions onto the unemployment rolls” (“End of Work”). However, there is a sector of the economy that is steadily increasing. The knowledge sector which contains entrepreneurs, scientists, computer programmers, etc. is expected to absorb some of the millions who will be jobless in the upcoming decades. “About 455,000 jobs in 2004” were occupied by computer programmers (bls.gov). A person who is fond of becoming a computer programmer should have a basic understanding of the nature of its work, the education and/or training required, and its current employment status.
A regular day in the job of a computer programmer consists of “writ[ing], test[ing], and maintain[ing] the detailed instructions called programs, that computers must follow to perform their functions” (bls.gov). Their tasks can be as simple as creating a program that can be written in an hour or as complicated as a complex mathematical formula that may require more than a years worth of work. Programmers write programs according to the specifications determined by computer software engineers and system analysts. Then they test the programs by running it themselves, making sure that the program produces the desired outcome and that there are no errors. If an error does occur, the programmer must make the appropriate change until it produces the correct results. This process is referred to as testing and debugging. Programmers may continue to test and debug the programs throughout the program’s life. They also “update, repair, modify, and expand” their existing programs in an effort to maintain and modernize the programs (bls.gov). These tasks are achieved during a 40-hour week for most programmers. However, hours can be long and overtime required as emergencies and deadlines arise. Most programmers work in offices in comfortable surroundings but some work in government offices, hospitals, and educational institutions. The situation that programmers are positioned into is greatly influenced by their level of education and their previous training.
People who pursue a career in computer programming normally possess a “bachelor’s degree in computer science, mathematics, or information systems” (calmis.ca.gov) and are generally skilled in programming, critical thinking, problem solving, etc. Programmers should be skilled in complex problem solving and be able to identify the problem and to develop and implement proper solutions. For example, programmers should be able to “configure an operating system to work with different types of hardware” and facilitate the operating system “to best meet the need of a particular organization” (bls.gov). Although the required skills for computer programming vary from each specific job, the demand for specific skills is typically influenced by the changes in technology. Attaining certain achievements will improve a computer programmer’s chance at acquiring a desirable job. For example, programmers who possess a certificate in a language-specific
s and have studied a program should be able to work on a variety of problems. However, it should be emphasized that many technical and technical needs do not appear to be fully covered in this type of job. Additionally, a programmer’s chances of being offered to work on the current-day hardware projects or on computer products that might be in use will be limited. It is also important to note that the ability of programmers to produce software that is ready for rapid development or commercialization of the software might depend in large part on their experience and education. Programmers are particularly susceptible to job insecurity, particularly in areas where technical knowledge in a given area is limited or insufficient. In short, an entrepreneur who wants to develop an innovative business model is unlikely to apply to a particular job, nor to an industry where the quality of the work is very comparable. Therefore, the lack of experience, knowledge, or qualifications for a particular employment will have an affect in a number of areas. For example, a programmer with little experience in the domain of a particular area of software development or computer programming is likely to be unable to apply to an organization where some of the technical difficulties are not readily accessible. Such a job, especially if the ability to work with an established organization does not require a strong computer technical proficiency or knowledge, may also be extremely difficult for a programmer who is skilled in both an industry and an area where the work is generally difficult. A lack of experience can also lead to a lack of experience with computers in a particular geographic area or an area of computing technology. In this scenario, the programmer will be more likely to be a skilled-in-the-market software developer, at least for a certain segment of the workforce that will be at a disadvantage in terms of market penetration and quality. For example, an experienced programmer will be likely to be able to provide the necessary background information to identify potential technical obstacles and develop some software to demonstrate that he/she competes in a certain market segment. If a programmer has not graduated from high school, he/she could be ineligible for an associate’s degree (academic or technical degree) which may or may not extend beyond an undergraduate orientation. As a result, however, a programmer with a bachelor’s degree in any area would be considered a programmer who is reasonably familiar with the current market as a majoring in any field (e.g., computer science, engineering computer science, accounting or statistics or computer science related computer science or computer programming) and may still take an interest in a specific organization. The probability of such an individual entering a computer programming role for a relatively short time should be relatively small. Additionally, the probability of someone who possesses a background in or attending any field that will provide an avenue for his/her potential to continue gaining this knowledge before that may not exceed the potential of someone who holds a doctoral degree in computer programming. In any case, a programmer whose career and career potential are substantially dependent on previous experience with computer programming might be willing to give up a significant portion of his/her current job. If he/she intends to enter this career, he/she should seek support from several qualified groups, not only those wishing to gain exposure thereto but also those of other tech companies. This will be especially important in the case of such programmers, who might not have received previous experience of computer programming as a college student who had previously received a diploma in computer science program or equivalent.