Following the upward trend of jobs in computer-oriented fields, South offers a wide variety of classes to further prepare students for these future careers. The Oracle takes a closer look at a few.

Engineer:

There are many different fields of engineering, ranging from biomedical engineering to computer engineering. As technology continues to advance, computer engineering is expected to become one of the largest fields in demand by 2020. According to Michael Sinde, Engineering Design and Fabrication teacher, salaries in engineering can range from $50,000-$90,000 a year. Also, depending on the field, different schooling requirements and certifications are necessary.

“More typical engineering jobs require at least a Bachelor’s degree […] and then ultimately some type of certification,” Sinde said.

South offers many classes to prepare students for this type of job such as Engineering Physics and Engineering Design and Fabrication. Junior Erin Karnig, who is interested in having a career in biomedical engineering, currently takes Engineering Design and Fabrication. According to Karnig, this class is good preparation for her career plans in the future.

“I like [the class] because there’s a lot of freedom,” Karnig said. “We do a lot of different things, like sometimes we work on and develop models of products.”

According to Sinde, South is trying to morph many of the classes at South, such as Engineering, CAD and Architecture into a new class called Project Lead The Way (PLTW) for the upcoming school year. PLTW is a program offering educational curriculum in innovative Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics to middle schools and high schools throughout the U.S., according to pltw.org.

Web and Software Developer:

According to Christine Memler, web development teacher, web development is a big deal in today’s job market. This job is mainly comprised of designing and creating websites. Web developers are responsible for the website’s technical aspects: how fast it runs and performs and the content of it. Software developers focus on computer programming.

Some workers in this field develop applications that perform specific tasks and some develop the underlying systems that actually run the devices. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, software developers analyze users’ needs, then design, test and develop software to meet those needs. The average annual pay for a web developer is $75,660.

Classes at South that deal with web designing and software developing are Digital Graphics Design, Web Design and Digital Multimedia. Memler has taught Digital Graphics Design for over fifteen years.

“It started out with some basic Super Paint but [later progressed to] working with Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator – those are professional software packages,” Memler said. “So it really gives kids a taste of what it’s like to be able to work with and modify graphics to fit them into whatever project [they’re] working on.”

According to Dawn Hall, instructional supervisor of the Applied Technology Department, there are many factors that should be considered when choosing an occupation.

“I think [there is] a focus of not only getting an understanding of what do you love to do, what do you enjoy, what are you good at and then taking a look out there and seeing how can those things fit into an area where there’s going to be a need,” Hall said.

Architect:

Similar to engineering, architecture also has a variety of fields. The possibilities of architecture have continued to evolve as technology permits.

In recent years, architects have made the switch from hand-drafting to computer-drafting. In 2010, the average architect’s salary ranged from $60,000-$75,000 per year, based on the field, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

In addition to Engineering Design and Fabrication, South offers Computer Animated Drafting (CAD), which focuses on drafting and preparing students for future paths in architecture and engineering, according to sophomore Fiona Smialek.

Smialek also believes CAD has better prepared her for the future because of her exposure to advanced machinery such as the 3-D printer and laser printer.

Computer Systems Analyst and Information Research Scientists:

According to Dawn Hall, head of the Business Department, there is a shortage in this field of majors. Computer systems analyst requires a lot of efficient and effective problem solving, whereas computer and information research scientists design and invent new technology. Also, they find new uses for technology that already exists.

System analysts help a business stay organized at a dynamic rate. Schooling requirements for a computer systems analyst include receiving a 4-year Bachelor’s degree. Contrary to this, a PhD in computer science is usually required for computer and information research scientists. The average salary for a computer systems analyst is about $79,000 a year, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Although there may not be a specific class offered at South for these jobs, there are many classes that focus on learning and adapting to new technology, which can later be applied elsewhere.

“The idea is to teach you those skills that you may need,” Michael Sinde, Engineering Design and Fabrication teacher, said. “For example, the software we use is called Auto Desk Inventor 2013, where an industry may use a different software, but if we can teach you that software, hopefully you can transfer that knowledge to something newer.”