According to the 1998-99 Occupational Outlook Handbook, the fastest-growing jobs projected from 1996 to 2006 are all related to Information Technology. These jobs include: Computer Engineer (109 percent projected growth), Systems Analyst (103 percent), and Database Administrators and related computer support specialists (118 percent).

The report mentions in broader terms, "Employment of computing professionals is expected to increase much faster than average as technology becomes more sophisticated and organizations continue to adopt and integrate these technologies, making for plentiful job openings."

This is especially good news for talented minorities, who have historically been under-represented in the information processing industry, explains John Hannabach (right), recently retired director of Career Services at Georgia Tech University.

He states: "The demand far outstrips the supply. While there is some indicated growth in enrollments in the IT/IS majors, women and minorities are not represented anywhere near adequate numbers. Even though Computer Science and Computer Engineering are difficult and challenging majors, starting salaries are at the top for talented graduates—with excellent opportunities for part-time positions, internships and co-op employment while students earn their degrees."

Frank Johnson (left) is a principal with Diversity Search Partners, an Information Technology search firm headquartered in Ashburn, VA. He shares the same optimistic view concerning the demand for highly skilled minority students who excel in the IT disciplines:

"Progressive employers have realized that you can’t do technology without employing a diverse workforce. Accordingly, many are being more proactive in recruiting under-represented minority groups. For undergraduates, many will benefit from the significant investment that most employers are making in training and development. As a result, a larger number of African Americans and other minorities will quickly gain skills in leading technologies like Networking, Electronic Commerce, Y2K, ERP, Data Warehousing and client/server computing."

To understand the increasing demand for IT professionals, consider, for starters, the impact of the Internet on American households and businesses.

It’s estimated that there are approximately 320 million Web sites worldwide, with the number increasing daily. Over 76 million American households are online, and that number is expected to double by the end of 2000. Pretty soon, home computers linked to the Internet will be as commonplace as color TVs were in the 1960’s. Similarly, in large and small businesses alike, desktop computers with access to the World Wide Web are also becoming standard tools for day-to-day business operations.

What fuels this tremendous growth in Internet usage is the fact that household consumers and businesses want instant access to a vast array of information. The Internet is a virtual worldwide mall of products and services. With a few mouse clicks, you can get the latest information related to sports, entertainment, political news, travel and weather conditions, medical self-help, etc. As online shopping becomes more popular, millions of consumers now "surf" the Web to locate the best deals for: designer clothing, collectibles, automobiles, home mortgages, insurance and financial investments, sports and concert tickets, vacation getaways, etc.

Similarly, the Internet is fast becoming indispensable for companies that shape the emerging trends in electronic commerce ("e-commerce"), which currently exceeds $300 billion in exchange of goods and services. Businesses of all sizes and description use their Web sites for marketing, sales, distribution, customer service and other key operational functions. Businesses linked to businesses via the Internet add another dimension to the exploding potential of the global economy that has become miniaturized in a keyboard, computer monitor, and Internet portal.

As Bill Gates explains in his book Business @ the Speed of Thought, the most significant impact of Internet technologies is the expansion of worldwide connectivity. He discusses this phenomenon in this way:

"In the digital age, ‘connectivity’ takes on a broader meaning than simply putting two or more people in touch. The Internet creates a new universal space for information sharing, collaboration, and commerce. It provides a new medium that takes the immediacy and spontaneity of technologies such as the TV and phone and combines them with the depth and breadth inherent in paper communications. In addition, the ability to find information and match people with common interests is completely new."

Information Technology has influenced society in another important way: how we communicate in and out of the office. Do you need to retrieve your e-mails received at work on your cellular phone while you’re at the beach? No problem. What about printing a fax in your "dashboard office" that’s been transmitted to your palm computer while you’re dodging freeway traffic? It’s a snap. Do you need to transcribe something to your home computer while you wait for dessert in a fancy restaurant? With your handy-dandy cell phone, it’s easier than you could imagine—thanks to the miracle of digital and voice-recognition technologies. Want to add a little music to your cache of digitized information? Using MP3 (a computer file format for audio), you can download your favorite music from the Internet, post it on another Web site, send it via e-mail, or store it to your hard drive. All while you’re preparing for a hot Saturday night date!

Who makes all this possible? For college students with a technical aptitude, how can they tap into this revolution of communication and information processing?

Designing and Delivering the Technology

To be more specific, "Information Technology" is an umbrella term for the interrelation of numerous scientific and information-processing fields, along with corresponding areas of practical application. From a career standpoint, professionals who design and deliver Information Technology encompass a vast array of highly-skilled specialists. Their academic backgrounds include: computer science, applications engineering, telecommunications, electrical engineering, Web site design, computer graphics, network administration, etc.

Most professionals working in Information Technology have a four-year degree, but some have an associate or technical-school degree (with appropriate work experience). Their actual job titles vary as much as the functions they perform. Standard job titles include: Database Analyst, Database Administrator, Systems Programmer, PC Support Specialist, Software Engineer, Systems Analyst, Web Developer, Client/Server Developer, Network (LAN/WAN) Administrator, Technical Writer, Information Technology Consultant, Computer Business Analyst, and so on.

What is most important to consider is the fact that IT drives all segments of our economy and impacts every profession—technical as well as nontechnical. For this reason, knowledge of IT is perhaps the key skill for job enhancement in the new millennium. Even students who have majored in other disciplines are well advised to include in their academic repertoire some coursework in Information Technology.

"The use of, access to and comprehension of data and information is vitally critical to success in the business world today," says John Hannabach. "It is not the domain of the so-called high tech companies, like Intel, Motorola or IBM. It is the domain of all business and industry worldwide. For that reason, today’s successful graduates should be comfortable using computers, the Internet and Web access as a way-of-life."

Because Information Technology (broadly speaking) is such a hot field, the demand for well-trained graduates escalates every year. To attract the "brightest and best," companies on the cutting edge of Information Technology offer highly competitive salaries and other special perks.

The Occupational Outlook Handbook lists median entry-level salaries for a number of IT specialists. Here is a sampling of salary comparisons reported in the Handbook:

• Computer programming - $35,167
• Information systems - $34,689
• Systems analysis and design - $36,261
• Software design and development - $39,190
• Hardware design and development - $41,237.

When discussing earning potential, keep in mind that private-sector jobs generally pay more than government employment. Furthermore, the larger, trend-setting

corporations typically offer more attractive compensation packages than smaller, ambitious start-up companies.

Something else must be said. Not only do companies in Information Technology pay well, they also offer a variety of career paths for academically gifted young professionals. Whether it’s in California’s Silicon Valley, Redmon, WA., Atlanta-Norcross’ Technology Park, or Raleigh-Durham’s Research Triangle, it’s not unusual for talented and ambitious IT professionals to make significant career advancements every six to 12 months. (Such advancement may be reflected in more challenging project involvement rather than a new job title, of course.)

Recruiting, retaining and advancing smart people makes good business sense. As Bill Gates points out in his book, this is especially important for companies in the information services industry. "When you get a critical mass of high-IQ people working in concert, the energy level shoots way up. Cross-stimulation brings on new ideas—and less experienced employees are pulled along to a higher level. The company as a whole works smarter."

As you set your sights on a career in Information Technology, expect to contribute to the intellectual capital of the company you join. In so doing, you will increase your earning potential and solidify your long-term value to the organization.

Have you thought about joining a professional association? For launching a career in Information Technology, that is as important as maintaining a superior GPA while in school.

The Black Data Processing Association (BDPA) is a leading professional organization linking Information Technology and the African-American community. Begun in 1975, and headquartered in Landover, MD, BDPA has 40 chapters nationwide and aims for 10,000 members by January 1, 2000.

The organization sponsors conferences, workshops, career counseling, computer competitions, and networking opportunities to members. The 1999 annual conference, held in Atlanta this past August, promoted the theme "Closing the Gap In Information Technology." To accomplish this vision, BDPA aggressively promotes corporate partnerships, student mentoring and talent showcasing, recruitment, and business start-ups.

In his President’s Message (on the Internet), George Williams set forth a bolder agenda for the association: "BDPA intends to further develop the education components of member services through the newly formed BDPA University. Besides the technology courses, BDPA-U will offer training on other subject matter such as capital formation, community development, and investing in the global economy."

Other worthwhile associations include: the National Technical Association (www.huenet.com/nta), the National Council of Black Engineers and Scientists (www.blackscientists.org), the National Society of Black Engineers (www.nsbe.org), the National Association of Black Telecommunications Professionals (www.nabtp.org), the Society of Women Engineers (www.swe.org), and Women in Technology International (www.witi.org). Check out their Web sites for more information about their services and membership criteria.

First and foremost, it’s important to work hard in school and acquire broad-based technical skills. As much as possible, become a budding "mini-expert" in your particular area of technical study. Read as much as you can. Research the Internet. Talk to as many professionals as you can who enjoy successful careers in some facet of Information Technology.

Developing broad-based skills serves another important purpose, mentions Frank Johnson. It gives you a competitive edge as a job candidate now and in the future. In his assessment: "Employers are challenged with finding candidates that know several programming languages or technologies, and have gained practical experience in technologies that drive technologies. In addition to this emphasis on education, progressive employers will increasingly attempt to retain employees who know how to integrate these technologies into cost-effective IT solutions."

To acquire practical knowledge in your chosen field, seek out internship and co-op work experience at industry-leading companies that thrive on hiring future leaders. While working there, try to bond with one or more IT specialists who are willing to serve as mentors in your formative years of career development. As with other professions, to

succeed in an IT environment, it’s not just what you know, but who you know who can help catapult your career.

In addition, cultivate your instincts for originality and creativity. A standard slogan at the corporations that shape Information Technology is: "Think outside the box." The message is the next brilliant idea that will propel the company to new heights in research and development, or sales and marketing, can come from unexpected sources in unusual ways. It’s typical for these companies to have corporate cultures that encourage individuality, spontaneity, "nonconformity," and marketable creativity.

Lastly, dare to think big. In many cases, young entrepreneurs founded the companies that now set the standard for computer hardware and software development, Internet design and e-commerce trading, and broadband technology that is revolutionizing cable TV and telecommunications.

You may not start your own company after receiving your sheepskin. But in offering academic excellence, a passion for success and a winning attitude, you can land a job with a company that is on the cutting edge of shaping Information Technology in the new millennium. The rest is up to you.

For further reading on IT careers, consult:

• Don B. Altman, Digital Frontier Job & Opportunity Finder: Tomorrow's
• Opportunities Today. Moon Lake Media, 1996.
• Christopher W. Hunt, Scott A Scanlon, Job-Seekers Guide to Silicon
• Valley Recruiters. John Wiley & Sons, 1998.
• Millsom Henry (ed), IT in the Social Sciences: A Student's Guide to the Information and Communication Technologies. Bladwell Publishers, 1999.

Calvin Bruce is a freelance writer from Atlanta, who frequently contributes to THE BLACK COLLEGIAN Magazine.