The pace of technological development is so rapid that information technology employment opportunities abound everywhere for anyone who is willing to acquire and constantly update the appropriate skills. Yet, despite the growing need for professionals in this field, African Americans still make up only a small segment of it. Why?

Dr. Shirley Ann Jackson, president of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, the nation's first technological institution, attributes it partly to fear of the unknown. "Many people {African Americans} feel it's an impossible field to get into because they have had little or no knowledge about career choices in the field.” Jackson, one of the first two African-American women to receive a doctorate in physics in the U.S., challenges “after all, how many scientists or physicists do you know?”  But, even if you have little or no exposure to the IT field, Jackson asserts that this is not a reason to think information technology is not viable career option for you.

"IT is a broad arena and there are many avenues for Black collegians to enter the field, but they need to be clear about their focus, " insists Jackson, who was also the first African American and the first woman to become a Commissioner of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

Being Clear In Your Focus Involves Several Steps

First, decide what you want to do in the field. Information technology can be used in countless ways. Do you want to use it to design networks, design components, or develop software? Or, maybe you'd like to use it for architectural design or for computational purposes.

Once you have a clear goal in mind, then find out what the academic requirements are for your chosen work and determine how closely you meet them. "Access to IT careers is not limited to those who major in computer science. Psychology and engineering majors, for example, should not feel precluded from the field," says Jackson, citing an example of a person with a master's degree in psychology, who was hired by Oracle for an annual salary in excess of $100,000. No matter what area you choose, Jackson insists that grounding in job-specific fundamentals is what gives you direction in your work and helps you get ahead.

"For example, managerial jobs require, management skills; for finance jobs you'll need a strong background in economics or finance; math and computer science are necessary for highly technological jobs; and the fundamentals for work in computational jobs are science and engineering courses.

Next, if you lack any parts of the academic requirements, explore your options for obtaining them with the realization that you don't necessarily need a traditional degree from a technological university to qualify for IT jobs. "There are a proliferation of programs in non-technical universities, ranging from interdisciplinary programs to computer-science-related programs, to entire schools that are dedicated to information technology. Also, African Americans must be aware of and willing to use information technology to learn. This means looking at the possibility of taking courses that are offered online and by other distance means."

Just as important as education, relevant work experience and mentorship will facilitate entry into the field. Internships, summer programs, part-time jobs, volunteer work, and student membership in professional organizations are all great ways to acquire skills and information that can jump-start and advance your career. "Seek out direct mentors to play an active role in guiding you in the field and unwitting mentors, from whom you can learn indirectly by virtue of studying them or interacting with them."

Finally, research the labor market to get a clear perspective of employment trends and their potential impacts on African Americans. One such trend is globalization. Companies that wish to stay "afloat" will have to meet the needs of more and more diverse customers, something that can hardly be done without a more and more diverse staff. The impact of this trend could mean an advantage in the IT world for African Americans. So, African Americans will have a unique opportunity to ride the wave of this technological revolution and benefit from the professional opportunities to come?

Pamela M. McBride is a career management consultant and frequent contributor to THE BLACK COLLEGIAN Magazine.