|
|
 SCROLL
DOWN TO SEE A LIST OF IT JOB ROLES
Companies and
consultants can also use certification we provide to market their
services by showing prospective customers that they have an
industry recognised technical designation.
|
| |
| IT
Job Roles |
| |
|
|
|
Below
are the main areas of interest many of our beginners opt
for:
|
|
| |
| Database
Administrator |
| |
As a database administrator,
it is your job to determine the best way to organize and
store data within a computerised database, typically by
interviewing those who will use it. You will design and
build reports and forms to present the information your
customers need, make changes and test everything before
it's delivered to the users. To keep your data secure and
protected from catastrophic events, you will manage users'
rights to access the information, and create and perform
backup and recovery processes. With your creativity,
organizational and communication skills you can develop
databases that are simple and effective.
What They Do:
Database specialists design, install, update, modify,
maintain, tune and repair computer databases. Unless they
work for a very small company, they are usually part of a
project group or team. Members of the project team may
specialize in different aspects of working with data.
Database administrators build, test and install new
databases. They also modify existing databases by
developing new programming code. Database design analysts
design new databases and co-ordinate their development.
Duties May Include:
- Providing technical
support for existing databases
- Customising commercial
databases for specific needs
- Planning and designing
databases for specific needs
- Solving problems to
meet the needs of clients
- Programming databases
for a wide variety of applications
- Overseeing the
installation of new databases
- Training staff in
client companies about the use of new or existing
databases.
Likely Employers:
Any business or company that uses databases as part of its
operations. These include:
Retail stores, catalogue companies, insurance companies,
communications services, financial institutions,
hospitals, government departments, schools, computer
companies, universities, and businesses in service
industries.
Training Required:
See our Skills4Life™
Database Administrator Track
|
|
|
|
| |
| Computer
or Systems Analyst |
| |
As a computer or systems
analyst, you are responsible for overseeing the
development process for new software and hardware. Systems
analysts may design either new hardware systems or
software products. The following summary applies mostly to
program design, but similar steps would also be applicable
to hardware or operating system design.
Duties May Include:
Evaluating problems:
The first step is to pinpoint the nature of the problem by
discussing it with managers and other users. Through this
interview process, the analyst establishes the goals of
the new program so that it can be designed to do what
users want it to do.
Designing solutions:
The analyst plans the design and structure of the new
program in the form of step-by-step instructions. Each
step of the process must be specified, including the data
to be used, input and output files needed, mathematical
and logical operations to be performed, etc.
After developing the design for the program, systems
analysts prepare flow charts and other diagrams that show
the flow of data (flow charts are used to track data
through an organization as well as through a computer
program). The analyst may also prepare a cost-benefit
analysis to help management decide whether the proposed
programming project is financially feasible and provides
sufficient value to make it worth undertaking.
Once the project is approved, analysts specify the
particular files and records used by the program,
determine the sequence of processing, and design how the
output will look so that it meets the user's needs. Other
issues that a systems analyst may address include: how the
system will function on a network, the security of data,
compatibility with existing systems and design of the user
interface. After the program is written, the analyst
oversees the testing and evaluation process and makes sure
that all (or most) of the bugs are corrected.
In a smaller organization, a single Programmer-analyst may
handle both program design and coding. Computer Assisted
Software Engineering (CASE) tools are now used extensively
to automate much of the programming process, making it
easier for a knowledgeable Programmer to fill both
functions in software development.
Areas of Speciality:
Because the possible uses of computers are so varied and
complex, analysts usually specialize in either business,
scientific, engineering, or microcomputer applications.
They are found in the computer industry and in the data
processing departments of large organizations such as
banks, insurance companies and universities.
|
|
|
|
| |
| Web/Multimedia
Specialist |
| |
Information alone won't cut
it. You have to make someone want to read it. Whether
creating for the Web, a training video, or the latest
computer game, compelling presentation is central to
getting your company's message across. As a multimedia
specialist, you are given an idea to bring to life. You
determine the best tools and format to use for your
presentation. Before you jump in, you estimate how long
the job will take and determine whether you call in
additional help from inside or outside your company. The
size of the project and budget often determine this for
you.
When designing, you set the tone and pace, select colors,
and create a visually appealing layout. The tools you use
change at an incredible pace, so you stay informed about
upcoming products and tools that can make your task easier
or enhance the presentation of the material. In a world
driven by change, you strive to offer something new and
exciting to capture the attention of your company's target
audience. Key skills include the ability to design
user-friendly applications, an in depth knowledge of
Internet technology and interface design.
What They Do:
A web/multimedia developer works with today's newest
advances in desktop computer technology. A developer draws
on the skills of the computer Programmer and the visual
artist to integrate graphics, text, and digital audio and
video with interactivity. This multimedia content can be
delivered on CD-ROM, over the World Wide Web or even on
floppy disk.
The field of web/multimedia is changing on an almost daily
basis. New advances in hardware and software make the
tools available to the developer more powerful with each
revision. Yet multimedia is still in its infancy. The
people who are making multimedia work are taking newly
created tools and inventing the ways in which the tools
are used.
Anyone who is working as a multimedia developer today
probably started as something else: a graphic designer,
software engineer, writer, publisher, educator or in one
of the many other fields which contribute to what we think
of collectively as multimedia.
Because multimedia is a recent concept, traditional
employers are in the process of formulating their needs.
As a result, many multimedia developers are self-employed
and they frequently work on a freelance basis. The nature
of this employment situation provides an opportunity to
work on a variety of projects, such as designing a web
site, authoring a commercial CD-ROM title, creating an
interactive promotional demo, building a user interface
prototype, integrating networking technology into an
interactive kiosk or animating an educational
presentation.
Likely Employers:
In addition to freelancing, web/multimedia designers may
also work for Web development companies, interactive
software publishers, and media production companies
designing marketing presentations and interactive trade
shows for corporations.
Training Required:
See our Skills4Life™
Web Developer Track
|
|
|
|
| |
| Network
Specialist |
| |
As a network specialist, you
ensure that people can access the information they need
when they need it, plus you also prevent unwanted users
from entering the system. Using cable, fibre optics, or
even wireless communications, you connect users to your
company's computer system. You have a thorough
understanding of current networking technology for local
area networks (LANs), metropolitan area networks (MANs),
wide area networks (WANs), and the Internet. You identify
and document problems, their causes, and their
ramifications.
You continually assess the current system to make sure it
meets the needs of your company, and you chart network
traffic and downtime to help plan for the future. You
document the network configuration and prepare backup
plans and procedures. You install upgrades with a minimum
of disruption to the network. Technology is changing
rapidly, and you need to stay informed of recent
developments, new products, and emerging communication
strategies and methods. As the world gets wired, you're
sure to be in hot demand.
What They Do:
Network specialists are responsible for the security and
administration of the networks that are now prevalent in
many companies. They also design and implement systems
that keep networks functioning in the event of a power
failure or other emergency. Larger companies often employ
several network specialists, each of whom performs a
different function. In smaller companies, one or two
people do everything relating to network administration
and maintenance.
Duties May Include:
- planning for and then
installing the hardware and software that comprise the
network.
- adding and deleting
files to the network server.
- maintaining the
printers and other peripherals connected to the
network.
- setting up user
accounts and access.
- training staff to use
the hardware and software that are part of the
network.
- troubleshooting
problems and questions encountered by staff members.
Duties of network security
specialists include:
- regulating access to
various computer files.
- monitoring file use to
make sure that only appropriate people are accessing
particular files.
- changing passwords.
- maintaining and
changing employee information and ensuring its
confidentiality.
- backing up files to
guarantee their safety in the event of problems to the
network.
Likely Employers
Any company or organization that uses computer networks in
its business. These include insurance companies, banks,
financial institutions, government departments,
universities, and other corporations that rely on
networking. Also, with many smaller companies beginning to
use networks, more opportunities for network specialists
will become available.
Training Required:
See our Skills4Life™
Network Engineer Track
|
|
|
|
| |
| Computer
Programmer |
| |
|
As a computer Programmer,
you design and create the software tools that make
computers tick and computer users sail through their
tasks. You analyse, design, develop, test and maintain
computer and Internet-based applications. You evaluate the
project requirements, participate in design meetings,
determine the best solution to a problem or feature and
develop detail design specifications. You use development
tools and programming languages in creating software. You
identify and obtain the best tools and resources to do the
job.
You are also responsible
for documenting your work for those who follow in your
footsteps. And, of course, you have to ensure your work
functions properly by developing a test plan and
co-ordinating user acceptance testing. Some projects
demand a year or more of intense, focused work. You stay
on top of current trends, tools, and skills. With your
creativity and problem solving abilities, the challenge is
the reward-the career opportunities are endless.
What They Do:
Put simply, computer Programmers write computer code. That
is, they write the detailed instructions (programs) that
tell the computer what to do to perform a certain
function.
Duties May Include:
- Coding - After the
design process is complete, it is the job of the
Programmer to convert that design into step-by-step
instructions according to the particular programming
language in use. Coding is a precise process; even
small errors in coding (widely known as
"bugs") can create big problems when the
program is compiled and run.
- Compiling - In the
case of most computer languages, before the program
can be run it must be compiled. A compiler is the
computer program that converts high-level code (such
as C or COBOL) into code the computer can use
(binary). If the code contains severe (or fatal)
errors, the program will fail to compile, and the
compiler will spit out an error report telling the
Programmer where the errors are in the program.
- Debugging - The
Programmer must find and correct all the errors in the
code so that the program can be compiled and run.
- Testing - Once the
program is sufficiently error-free to compile, the
Programmer can then run the program with test data.
Through this process, the Programmer will find other
errors to correct (further debugging ensues).
- Maintenance - Even
after a program is clean enough to release to the
users, bugs and other problems may crop up.
Programmers fix these problems throughout the life of
the program, often resulting in updated releases of
the program to users.
Today, many Programmers use
.NET tools to automate much of the coding process. And
Programmers often do much more than code. The role of
Programmer has come to include the kind of problem-solving
formerly done by systems analyst.
Training Required:
See our Skills4Life™
Programmer Track
|
|
|
|
| |
| Technical
Support |
| |
As a technical support or
help desk representative, you are often the first contact
a customer has with your company. Education of users is an
important part of your job as well as helping someone who
has had a problem with the product or is unfamiliar with
it. With your knowledge and experience, you become the
product guru. When a customer calls, you listen carefully
to the problem; ask the appropriate questions to gather
needed information; then walk them through the steps to
solve it.
Dealing directly with customer issues, you are one of the
best sources of information on the product, and are
consulted for information about what customers want and
what gives them the most trouble. If solving problems and
helping people is your forte, there could be a technical
support career in your future.
What They Do:
Technical support specialists are troubleshooters,
providing help to their organization's computers users.
Because non-technical employees are usually not computing
experts, they often run into computer problems they are
unable to solve. To solve such problems, they turn to
their company's technical support staff.
Duties May Include:
- answer phone calls
from users, in order to resolve specific problems
- use automated
diagnostic programs to solve problems
- write training manuals
and/or train users in proper use of hardware and
software
- identify recurrent
problems and help users resolve them
- oversee the daily
performance of their company's computer systems
- evaluate software
programs
- suggest improvements
and upgrades to hardware and software
- modify commercial
programs and customise them for internal needs
- prepare computers for
delivery to employees, loading them with the
appropriate software and operating system
Likely Employers:
Many technical support staff work in medium and
large-sized corporations that have an in-house technical
support department. They may work for universities,
hospitals, financial institutions, retail stores, or any
other organization that provides technical support to its
employees. Others work for computer companies, including
hardware, software and IT services firms, as well as
on-line service providers.
Training Required:
See our Skills4Life™
Program
|
|
|
|
| |
| IMPORTANT: |
| |
|
|
| |
|
| Skills4Life™
Program |
Power Learning System™ | Free
Trial | Testimonials | Support |
Contact Us | Privacy
Policy |
| CompTIA
Training Partner: 383283 | MOD
Training Partner: 1449 |
© Affordable
Training. All
rights reserved.
|
|
