There are a lot of tech fields out there, and I mean a lot. A quick Google search can confirm that. You must be wondering, "Which do I learn?", "Do I have to learn to program?", "Aren't Java and Javascript the same thing?", "Python, R, C, SQL - What are these?".
Now, now, don't fret. While I cannot answer all your questions in this article, I will cover four of my favourite fields that are in demand, to enlighten you about them, and help you get started. And guess what, two require zero programming skills!
The Four Tech Fields
Technical writing: Think about your favourite meal. To prepare this meal, a series of steps must be followed. In this scenario, you don't know these steps but you really want to have this meal. You then decide to go on Google searching for this recipe, or whip out a cooking book you have stored somewhere. Whatever the case is, you now have access to a write-up or video guiding you on how to bring this meal to fruition, and satisfy your craving. Through these resources, a major aim of technical writing has been fulfilled. Bon appetit!
Technical writing is any writing that breaks down technical information into a simple and detailed format for the reader to understand. It also includes writing that simplifies complex tasks or explains how to achieve a goal. Well-known examples are user manuals, software installation guides, software user documentation, and many more.
To learn more about this field, check out this website.
Product management: iPhone or Android? Whichever one it is for you, there's a reason for your choice. It could be the overall functionality of the device, the specifications, or the hardware. A product manager is a professional that is focused on bringing a new product to the market, or improving an already existing one, while ensuring the overall success of the product. This includes ensuring customer satisfaction with the product and ensuring that the product helps the company reach its goals. That said, whichever one of the two devices gives you satisfaction with your usage of it, while it also ticks the boxes of the company, is a valuable product.
Data science: Data is generated every second. As you're reading this, data regarding how long you spend reading, to the topic of this article is being generated and stored. Data is information. This includes your name, age, height, address, eye colour, and so on. Any material that provides information about something is data.
Data science is a field that deals with deriving insights from data to help foster good decision making. This data can also be used to make predictions. As the world grows more digital, the amount of data that exists grows with it. In 2021, 79 zettabytes of data was generated worldwide! This has led to a demand for data scientist, professionals with the necessary skills to analyze data and provide necessary information from it. Like a detective...if you will.
This is my chosen course track in the ADA Software Engineering Internship Program. To learn more about this field, visit here.
Cybersecurity: As the amount of data generated increases, so does the risk of it being used for the wrong reasons. There's also an increase in cybercrimes and cybercriminals. This means that there is a great need for protecting our data on the web. That's where cybersecurity comes in.
Cybersecurity is the protection of computer systems, internet devices, and the information they contain from malicious attacks. In this day and age, the demand for cybersecurity professionals is high. They are like the superheroes of the web, equipped with the necessary skills to protect devices and data from the bad guys.
To read more on this, and on how to protect yourself and your data from these bad guys, read this article of mine.
Technical writing and product management are non-technical roles. These are roles that don't require you to have coding or core IT skills, although they can be a great plus. Data science and cybersecurity are technical roles and they heavily require these skills. Bear these in mind while choosing the career path you'd like to take.
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