Information Technology (IT), the most happening career option at present, has revolutionized the way knowledge can be accessed or shared. It has opened plethora of gates for young budding candidates who have aptitude and skill for the technology.
The number of job opportunities available in the IT sector has helped in the rise of institutions and colleges that provided course in IT sector. Such institutions provide quality education in the field apart from orienting candidates to the future job requirements. Candidates who have high aptitude, have analytical bent of mind, are filled with creativity and knowledge, and are eager to go to different places are the most deserving candidates in this field. Also, in the long run it is these candidates who will define the role of the future IT technologies.
In today’s expanding and growing environment everything is available within a short moment of time. Every scalable knowledge is available at no time. Be one in the thick jungles of Amazon or in the uninhabited Moore’s Island, information is readily available. One should only know how to access such information .
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After Industrial Revolution, it is now time for Information Revolution. Information Technology (IT) has revolutionized society with miniaturization of machines of industrial revolution with silicon chips. Silicon Valley situated in the US shows to the world how the technology ca be tapered to better needs of humans. Now most youngsters dream to be part of the Silicon Valley.
India, at present, is an important juncture in its history, having completed the transition from an agrarian economy to a full-fledged, first-world economy, operating at he leading edge of contemporary technology. A key element in taking the country forward and maintaining its growth momentum, wil be the provision of a highly skilled and competent global workforce. This is possible with the current lead India has in Information Technology.
The IT sector is one of the most promising sectors. It is growing at an unprecedented rate. Developing nations like India, the Philippines, and China are leading the undercurrent and spurt in the IT revolution. The steady growth of IT sector in India is definitely a bonus opportunity for fresh graduates and young professionals. The number of job opportunities for these young professionals are growing at an unprecedented rate.
Gone are the days when M.Tech., Ph.D’s in computer streams used to lead the way. Now young energetic professionals with a high aptitude and with degrees like B.Tech. or MCAs or like simple Diploma course from different institutes with expertise in one particular domain hold the nerve of the market.
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According to recent NASSCOM estimate, the Indian Information, Communication and Tele-communication (ICT) industry will contribute 7 percent to the country’s GDP by 2009, providing direct employment to more than 2.2 million people and indirect employment nearly twice that number.
The hardware sector grew at a significant 34 percent during 2003-04, raising the revenues from US$ 3.6 billion in 2002-03 to US$ 4.8 billion. The 2004-05 revenues of this sector grew to US$ 6 billion . Domestic demand for IT hardware components grew from US$ 3.3 billion in 2003-04, with hardware systems accounting for more than half of the segment revenues during this period.
Skill Sets Required
The field of computers is an applied field where one needs to have a lot of analytical skills and aptitude for problem solving. The first step towards problem solving is interaction with the client o know the nature of the problem. For this one should have oral as well as written communication skills. One should also have better negotiation skills. IT domain needs a collaborative teamwork where each individual has equal importance and is vital to the project execution and implementation. Therefore, team spirit, collaborative nature are prerequisite for the job. The pace of the project selection and execution is so much that one should be able to adapt and transform him vis-à-vis the changing surroundings. A faster response time is envisaged from individuals. At the same time one should adhere to quality standards.
- Analytical bent of mind
- Aptitude for problem solving
- Comprehensive communication ability, both written and oral.
- Negotiation skills
- Team spirit
- Collaborative nature
- Quality conscious
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Hardware have additional responsibilities of not only software and programmes work but also make computers efficient, faster and network-oriented for better transfer of data. For successful career in hardware the candidate should
- Be trained and certified to work on leading Operating Systems, like UNIX, Windows and Mac etc.
- Be eager to know and adopt different networking patterns
- Have refined interpersonal skills
- Be able to handle emergencies and unexpected situations calmly and efficiently
Courses
The domain of computers and Information Technology is so vast that it is not possible for an individual to have an in-depth knowledge of all such domains. It is for this purpose that computer education is broadly divide dint two steams:
- Software
- Hardware
India is one of the leading gains in software development. At the same time, in recent times, it is also becoming one of the international hubs in hardware too. A number of courses are available across different universities and institutions in both the domains. Courses vary from short-term certificate course to long-term degree and post-degree courses. The short-term courses are usually of three months to one year duration and they help in the basic understanding of the computer fundaments. Courses specialized in some particular programming language or some particular domain of computers are also offered by various institutions. Most of the courses are job-oriented and are recognized by the Industry but not by Government or AICTE (All India Council of Technical Education). The courses offered by universities and Government institutions such as C-DAC are recognized not only by the industry but also by Government bodies for the purpose of suitable public jobs.
Top Twenty Computer Languages in Demand
Here are the top 20 most happening programming languages, according to the TIOBE Programming Community (TPC). The TPC Index indicates the popularity of programming languages. The index can be used to check whether your programming skills are still up-to-date, or to make a strategic decision about what programming language should be adopted for a new software system.
- C
- Java
- Perl
- C++
- PHP
- Visual Basic
- SQL
- C#
- Python
- Delphi/Kylix
- JavaScript
- SAS
- FORTRAN
- COBOL
- Lisp
- IDL
- ABAP
- Ada
- Pascal
- AWK
Eligibility
The minimum eligibility for courses vary from course to course. For short-term certificate courses the minimum eligibility is 10+2 with Mathematics at least in Standard 10. For Diploma courses of six months to one-year duration you should be either graduate or pursuing graduation course. Long-term Diploma courses like Post-graduate Diplomas or Advanced Diploma courses require Graduates in any discipline.
For PGDCA or MCA on needs to be graduate apart from qualifying the entrance test. For M. Tech, one should be either B. Tech or MCA from recognized institution or university. One also needs to clear entrance test and or have a valid GATE score.
Spheres of Study
Computer technology such a vast field that an individual can hardly understand or master all such technologies. Therefore, they are divided into many different sub fields and domains.
Web Technologies : In the application development two web technologies lead the field. They are Java/J2EE and Microsoft .NET technologies. The Java has been in existence for ten years. And since then it has become more popular. It has remained one of the topmost web technologies. The ease of development and fast turnaround time have made .NET very popular.
Scripting Languages : In programming domain scripting languages play a very important role. A number of scripting languages capable enough to scale down the traditional programming languages. Some of the scripting languages like Linux, Apache, MySQL, Pearl / PHP / Python, LAMP are getting more popular and as a result more number of vacancies are opening up.
Tradition Programming Languages : Whatever the case the traditional programming languages will always be there. There are some domains like when interacting with hardware where these languages provide the only solution. though the number of vacancies in such languages is less compared to to others but when they are coming the are economically more rewarding and also provide for job security. Also the competition in such vacancies is less as few opt for such option due to toughness of the languages. Languages such as C, C++, Visual C++, COBOL will always be in existence.
Other computer-related technologies like Nanotechnology; Biotechnology/ Data Mining; and Network Security also offer a number of job opportunities.
Prospects : The three vital sectors of IT are: Information Technology Enabled Services (ITES), Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) and Knowledge Process Outsourcing (KPO). With ITES-BPO-KPO sector driving the Indian industry there is a tremendous potential for persons having computer knowledge and certifications. The basic material in the ITES-BPO-KPO sector is computers, which envisage the needs for computer professional who help in the design as well as flow of information. India has the largest English speaking IT talent pool in the world over 1,20,000 trained IT professionals. In the last fiscal year the ITES-BPO sector alone added 74,000 jobs. The employment generation in the IT sector is vast. Starting salary ranges from Rs. 8000 to Rs. 20,000 per month. However, once a candidate has two to three years of experience his earnings zoom to as high as Rs. 40,000 to Rs. 60,000 per month. The rise to such high salary depends on the skills, language in demand and market trends.
Hierarchical Structure of IT Professionals
Technical Support Executives : Candidates should have a degree or diploma in computer science with a good knowledge of Networking technologies and systems. Fresher as well as experienced persons can apply for the posts.
Web Designer/Developer/Administrator : An aspirant should possess skills in the Internet technologies such as HTML, DHTML, XML, JAVA etc.
Application Programmer : Degree/Diploma holders with strong conceptual and programming skills in any programming language such as C/C++/Java and Databases.
System Administrator : The candidate should possess knowledge of Networking concepts and operating systems such as LINUX/Windows Server and database like ORACLE/SQL Server, etc. The ideal candidate should have a degree or an equivalent qualification with additional certifications like OCP/RHCE/MCSE, etc.
System Specialist : Specialization in designing, administering and implementation in the respective areas with some experience will entitle you to become a System Specialist.
Project manager/Leader : A Project Manager is accountable for managing software projects he is the overall in-charge of the tem. The candidate, besides having the requisite qualifications like an MCA/BE/B.Tech./M.Tech. or equivalent, should also have strong project management skills.
IT Manager : For a responsible techno-managerial position, a minimum qualification of BE/B.Tech/MCA or equivalent such as DOEACC ‘B’ level preferably with a Management Degree/Diploma is desirable. The ideal candidate should possess a sound knowledge in the varied areas of IT along with good communication and collaborative skills.
Where To Study
Software NIIT Ltd.
8 Balaji Estate, Sudarshan Munjal Marg, Kalkaji, New Delhi – 110019
Tel. : 011-26482054
Website : www.niit.com
Centre for Development of Advanced Computing
Pune University Campus
Ganesh Khind, Pune – 411007
Tel : 020-2594000/01/02
Website : www.cdacindia.com
Uptech Computer Consultancy Limited
16, Rana Pratap Marg,
Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh – 226001
Mahan Institute of Technologies
GN-10 Shivaji Enclave,
Raja Garden Bus Terminal
New Delhi – 110027
Tel : 011-25916832/25916833
Email : [email protected]
DICS Computer Centre
2529, Kingsway Camp,
New Delhi – 110009
Informatics Computer Systems
62-A, Gandhi Nagar,
Agra, Uttar Pradesh-2822003
Hardware
Jetking Infortrain Ltd.
401, Bussa Udyog Bhava, Sewri (W), Mumbai – 400015
Tel : 022-24156528/24156486 Email : [email protected] Website :
www.jetkinginfortrain.com
Aptech Ltd.
AT-1 & IT-2
Ground Floor, SDF VII, SEEPZ, Andheri (E), Mumbai – 400096
Tel : 26974444
Brainware Computer Academy
GN-1, Shivaji Enclave,
Rajouri Garden, New Delhi
Institute of NetworkinNetwork Technology(India) Pvt. Ltd
C-54, South Extension-II,
New Delhi
Assen Training and Research Institute
8750, First Floor, Plot-4/3
Deshbandhu Gupta Road,
Pahar Ganj, New Delhi – 110055
ICAM
H-9, South Extension, Part-1,
New Delhi-110049