Careers Report
When it comes to getting a job, you would think of getting one that pays a lot of money, but you should choose a job that can go along with these three things, your skills, your qualifications, and your qualities. The career I want to do in the future is computer engineering.
A computer engineer is a professional who operates and designs computer hardware systems. They often specialize in software or hardware. You also merge electrical engineering and computer science to make new technology, They design, build, and maintain hardware in modern computers. To simplify it, they build computers and make software and hardware.
This is a great job because the average salary for computer engineers is $52,359 per year and this is based on geographic location, setting of employment, level of education you have, and years of experience you have. If you were to do hardware engineering you would get paid $100,271 per year but if you do software engineering then you would get paid $114,055 per year.
Though not everything goes smoothly and some challenges you will face are the rapid advancement of technology and would need to learn or rewrite hundreds of pieces of code not only the growing customer demands and time constraints.
As a computer engineer you need to be qualified, so what qualifications do you need to be a computer engineer? Well, the obvious one is you need to know how to code first since you will be working with computers a lot.Second, you got to have an interdisciplinary degree in electrical and computer engineering. Also, you have to work well in a team and have strong communication.
In today's world money is something that is valuable and has been around since 600 BCE and was started by Lydia’s King Alyattes. Even before then, if you wanted something you would trade for it like if I gave you a piece of ham for some wheat. What I’m trying to say is, you can’t live without money. Yes, some people are homeless and probably eat out of the local McDonald's dumpster, but that can cause health problems that eventually lead to death. So a high-paying job can be a great way since you will be able to provide for the essentials, a nice house, food, and clothes. So, how much money does the average person need to live? Well, the average person needs about $3,405 to live and that adds up to $40,860 per year. A computer engineer earns about 100k per year, compare to how much a mushroom picker, business broker, and models earn, it is pretty hard to say that a computer engineer earns not a lot of money.
Some other benefits other than getting paid a lot, are Good work-life balance, and you can even work at home or somewhere remote. You also have a flexible career and side job options, computer engineer work in diverse industries and may have opportunities to take on side projects to earn money, gain experience and explore their hobbies and passions through their engineering skills.
Now if I want all of these benefits and get the job, what qualities do I need to become a computer engineer? As Abraham Lincoln, the 16th president of the USA said “The best way to predict your future is to create it.” So what qualities will help me create my future? Well, the first and probably the most important one is adaptability. A computer engineer needs to be able to adapt because of the constant change and improvement of technology. A computer engineer has the flexibility to learn and understand new technology as its introduceda.
If I want to be a computer engineer then the second quality I need is communication. Barack Obama the first black president of the United States said “What is important is that we make sure to work together, that we understand our strength comes from unity and not division.” Computer engineers often work in teams to develop software and debug programs. Sometimes a computer engineer might need to train new employees or other engineers, making communication very important.
Following on from communication another important quality I would need is creativity. Computer engineers brainstorm together to either solve a problem or develop new software. This quality is very helpful since it will allow them to improve upon current computers and suggest alternative methods and formats for various information technology applications.
The final important quality to consider for this job is being a good problem solver. This is very important since not everything goes smoothly and you are bound to find some bugs or errors in your computer. A computer engineer can be able to identify the problem and then be able to think of some solutions that might work. This quality also relates to communication and creativity.
Now I don’t only just need qualities, I also will need to have competencies which are knowledge, skills, and abilities. So what are the competencies I need to become a computer engineer? Well, first I need to know how to code because I’m working with computers. Computer engineers need technical skills such as programming, coding, and network architecture.
Second I need a four-year engineering degree but you can also get a two-year associate’s degree and companies will let that pass. It should be a software engineer degree or relevant to the IT world. A major in journalism or botany won’t get me anywhere in the world of programming.
Now taking all of this information in, I need to see how I can set myself up for success. So I made a career plan so that way I can see my goals and then work hard so I can achieve goals. Martin Van Buren the 8th USA president said “It is easier to do a job right than to explain why you didn’t.” I want to get this job, and if I do play my cards right, I’ll be able to set myself apart and get the job.
So what deliberate acts do I need to do in year 10 to get this job? Well for the next 9 months, I will make sure I can get ahead by doing my work to the best of my potential, and I can also do other school activities like E-Sports. Not only that but I will aim for curriculum level 5 or above in my inquiry. Not only that but I will take digital classes so I am able to understand how code works, and maybe try to look up tutorials on how to code.
So qualifying for coding doesn’t really happen by magic, I gotta work hard and do the hard yards and not sit all day and do nothing. So how could I get qualified for coding? Well first I will take digital classes so I learn about code and how it works, I will then be able to understand the basic knowledge of code. Then not only that, but I can also look up tutorials on how to code so I can make some progress instead of just waiting for the next class.
Now qualifying isn’t the only thing that is gonna make employers just hire you on the spot. You gotta have qualities that will support the chances of you getting the job. So what qualities should I have to be hired? Well first of course is being a hard worker and I can do that by aiming for the highest grade. When I am given a task, I will complete it to the best of my ability. The second quality is communication, just like I have stated earlier in my report computer engineers will work in teams sometimes and might teach new employees or other engineers which is why communication is important. I can do this by joining a sport, in this case, I did E-sports and when I do like that, I communicate with my teammates.
Taking this all into consideration it seems like I have a decent chance of getting the job right? Nope, I’m not aiming to “just pass.” No, I’m aiming to get that job by excelling. So what is left? I need competencies, and I will show that in the 9 months, and the first thing I will do first is by self-management. Computer engineers spend most of their time in front of a computer and that can get a bit boring. With self-management, I will be able to manage my time well, and I will show that in year 10 by not being distracted and being focused on my task. The second and final competence I need is collaboration, and I will do that by getting a job and doing E-sports so I can collaborate with people.
Now that I have planned my time in year 10 but I also have 3 more years and those are my senior years, and I want to make them count. Just like in year 10, I’m doing stuff to count towards the qualifications, qualities, and competencies. The most important thing I need to do is keep getting good grades and still do the coding classes since that will add to my knowledge and get me a better chance of getting that job.
I also will need to qualify for something other than coding since that will show how much of a hard worker I am. Theodore Roosevelt the 26th president of the USA said “It is hard to fail, but it is worse never to have tried to succeed.” So in year 11 I will get my driver's license and according to the NZ transport agency, drivers under the age of 25 wait one year until they get their full license. So when I am a year 12 I can get my full license. That is out of school though, so in school, I will aim for 50 credits in NCEA and get excellence.
I also gotta have qualities in order for me to succeed, the qualities are the same but I now need to show them in senior school. For commitment, I’m doing the full driver's license and I will also have days where I study and commit to my word. For hard work, I will get 100% completion centurion and get a high if not the highest score in NCEA.
Now just like before I’m still gonna need competencies and they are still the same as before, collaboration and self-management. So in my senior year, I will do things that cater to these two things and maybe even more. First I will work at my job so I can self-manage myself and collaborate with the other employees and also I will join a community of people that are also interested in computer work so I can learn from them and they can also learn from me. Also finally I will try my best to turn in things on time or even earlier so I can prove I am a hard worker.
So in conclusion all of this information and work will help me get ahead of anybody who would want to get this job. Being a computer engineer isn’t just about sitting in front of a computer for long periods of time, you also have to be a good communicator, smart, a problem solver, and creative. You have the skill of coding which doesn’t come easily without some hard work. I will follow my career plan and make the right choices to create that future of being a computer engineer and set myself apart from the rest. World champion Michal Jorden said “If you do the work you get rewarded. There are no shortcuts in life.”
Report: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Zm5yhwpnElX8h27M7Gn-EvNZDifBV-zpFxfo3THhh0I/edit