Computer technology has become an integral part of our lives today, as we use it in almost everything. From the automobiles that we drive, to the movies we watch, computer technology now forms a big part of it, more than ever before.
In this day and age, the more you know and understand about computers, the better, which is why having computer skills is especially helpful. Whether you’re interested in going into software development, or you’d like to create new ideas for a company you work out, studying and understanding computers, will go a long way in putting you above the pack. When you learn computers, you instantly gain a better understanding of problem solving, and you also gain a career that will span your entire lifetime.
Below are several reasons why you should want to major in computing. Depending on where you are in your life, computing just may be your saviour.
1. Huge Future Opportunities
In the years to come, we can only expect that it will be the computer guys, those that majored in computer science that will chart the path for the internet. Like with all things technological, old things become obsolete, and new things are created in its stead. Internet of Things is the next big thing, but to specialise in this field, you will need the required skills and expertise in computers. So many devices today, from vehicles, to home appliances are now connected to the internet. The next major issue is figuring out how to keep all these devices secure, and it’s the computer science guys that will be tasked with that responsibility.
2. Ever-Expanding Technology
Computers haven’t always been with us, there was a time, when people never used computers at all. The largest growth technology has witnessed has occurred, only in the last decade, with the advent of Twitter, Facebook, smart devices, and additional advancements in robotics and medicine. At its current trajectory, we can only imagine where we will be in the next decade, how technology will shape our lives, and how it will influence it. Therefore, when it comes to the potential of any particular field, we can say for certain that computing will be just as valuable in the future, as it is today.
3. Allows For Creativity
Although computing has so many roles associated with it, it is an industry that from its grassroots is draped in creativity, allowing and encouraging you to be creative. Whether it’s designing the user interface of an application, improving and designing new functions, innovation and creativity become integral components of that.
For example, you will find that the most successful individuals in the world of computing, owe much, if not most of their success to their ability to combine their computing knowhow with creativity. Facebook being a prime example, as it was created by an individual with strong technical abilities, but was able to mix that with a creative mind-set that allowed for the largest social media platform to date.
4. Civil Protection
As the internet continues to expand, we can expect for privacy to become increasingly more important. So much information about our day to day activities, can be found sprinkled all over the internet, and while this may make things easier for us, it also makes us more vulnerable to malicious attacks and hackers. While giving up our privacy comes with its many benefits, convenience being one of them, there may come a time, when we wish we could go back to when we were anonymous online. Who will be able to access confidential data about us, such as financial records or medical data? These are conversations we will need to have in the near future.
5. Protection from Recession
Companies are always on the lookout for new talent in the area of computing. All statistics point to the same reality, that there are more jobs, than there are qualified people to fill these roles. Current statistical data, puts the number at anywhere from 10% to 40% for the projected growth in jobs, over the next couple of years. With this reality, one thing we know for certain, is that company’s need talent, and they will need it, for the foreseeable future. Thus, if you decide to major in computer science, you become the talent of the future.
6. Collaborative and Individual Work Efforts
Although many people imagine computer work, as that lone hacker, typing away on his/her computer system, computing today is more about working with others, working in a team. Everyone in this team with their own specific skill set, but there is also a lot of time and opportunity for you to show what you can do, as an individual.
7. Positivity Influencing the World
Computing has always been at the forefront of innovation for science, such as the huge advancements we’ve witnessed in the study of protecting and monitoring our environment, or the human genome, etc. If you’re concerned about the world, and would like to impact it in a positive manner, then a major in computing, should help you to achieve that.
—AUTHOR INFO—
Uchenna Ani-Okoye is a former IT Manager who now runs his own computer support website https://www.compuchenna.co.uk.
