Studying Technology: the U.S. Advantage

University of California, Riverside.

Studying Technology: the U.S. Advantage

World-wide demand for graduates of technology fields continues to grow. The United States Bureau of Labor Statistics states that "Information technology jobs are projected to be among the fastest growing occupations between now and 2006 including database administrators, computer support specialists, and all other computer scientists; computer engineers; and systems analysts."

In order to fill these positions, employers are seeking well-educated and qualified people who understand the newest developments in technology. The best place to get this kind of education is in the United States.

What are technology fields?

Programming: writing business application programs to instruct a computer to perform a variety of tasks. It involves analysis of the expected output, information flow, and writing and testing of the code.
Software Testing: a critical quality control function that tests software applications for "bugs" (mistakes).
Technical Support: installing and configuring software and hardware, as well as answering technical questions from a variety of users or developers.
Webmaster: developing both Internet and intra-net applications for companies specializing in internal and commercial Web sites. It involves using appropriate Web programming languages, multimedia, and Unix.
Networking: developing and maintaining wide area networks, including hardware manufactured by CISCO, and administering network software.
Computer Science: incorporates advanced work with software, programming languages, graphics, operating systems, and user interfaces.
Computer Engineering: combines the best of engineering and technology in areas such as robotics, simulation, and real-time systems.

What level degree must I have?

You can qualify for many of the hands-on type of jobs in technology with a Certificate or Associate of Applied Science degree. These degrees can be obtained at technical or community colleges, private specialized training schools, and for-profit training companies; they vary in length from one to two academic years.

There are certification exams for some areas in technology that are separate from degrees, so some employers may require the certification exam instead of, or in addition to, the degree. An example of one such exam is the MCSE Certification (Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer).

If you are interested in a management position in technology, you should pursue a Bachelor's or graduate degree. A Bachelorâs degree usually requires four years of study; graduate degrees can range in length from one additional year for a Master's to six or more for a Ph.D.

At the Bachelorâs level you will also take many general education courses that are not related to technology specifically, but that are important for higher education. The Bachelor's degrees are offered at universities, but you may complete your first two years of study at a community college and complete the second two years at university. After you complete your Bachelorâs degree you can apply to a university for the graduate degree.

How do I choose a program?

It's best to start with your goals. What kind of job do you want to have when you finish your program? What degrees do successful technology professionals in your country have? Then investigate which colleges and universities offer the program for which you would like to apply.

Why should I study technology in the United States?

"Cutting-edge" technology: the technology that you will be learning about, for the most part, is created and developed in the United States. The education you receive here will use the most current methodologies relating to the most current hardware and software.

When you walk onto Radford University’s Virginia campus, you will think you have walked into a very large cyber cafŽ. All academic buildings, residence halls, common areas in student service buildings, such as the student center and dining halls, and even some green spaces are locations where students and faculty are able to use mobile computing. Students access websites, assignments, class syllabi, chats, discussions and any other Internet or network source from any location.
Technology teams: many educational institutions partner with local business interests to develop programs that most directly address the needs of the marketplace. For example, North Seattle Community College in Seattle has a Technology Advisory Council that helps the College continually monitor its technology programs to ensure that the education reflects current trends in Seattle technology. The college recently added coursework in Network Forensics and Network Security due to concerns of the business community relating to viruses, worms, and hacker activity. Students at NSCC benefit from this quick response by learning about security-related issues and by developing the skills they need to implement security in networks÷skills that employers all over the globe are seeking.
Resources: colleges and universities in the U.S.A. have a high standard for computer availability. This means that you will have access to the computer labs when you need it.
Louisiana Tech University provides a campus center called the Innovation Lab, open at all hours of the day or night. The center is wired with outlets for CAT-5/5E, fiber optical and RG6 coax connections. The Lab also has 50" plasma monitors, wireless access points, Web cams, video editing stations, video conferencing, biometric security, interactive white boards and touch screen kiosks.

Students collaborate on research and development in the Lab. According to student Ben Erwin,"Engineering majors need business majors who need graphic design, biology and English majors. There are Bill Gateses walking amongst us. We find them in the Innovation Lab."
Flexibility: if your goals change, you can change educational tracks if you wish. You may also "stack" degrees, for example, earn multiple certificates.
Careers in Manufacturing Technology are always in demand. So, the Metropolitan Community Colleges (MCC)- a system of five separate colleges in Kansas City, Missouri - offers a program through it's Business and Technology College that includes Blueprint Reading, and Machining and Tooling, with instruction in advanced machining techniques, including power lathe and milling, precision shaping, technical mathematics application, using carbide type tools, grinding theory, EDM and robotics.

The Colleges also prepare students for careers in Heating, Ventilating and Air-conditioning technology, also a popular career in an economy where construction is booming. For those who aspire to management careers, the degree in Construction Management provides instruction at the cityâs Buildersâ Association Training Center. These classes cover the increasingly sophisticated technology needed to cope with new construction materials and safety and environmental standards.
Availability: there are thousands of colleges and universities in the United States, and a huge number of programs available-each a little bit different. For students with a business focus, for example, the University of Washington offers a Technology Management MBA to combine the benefits of technology education with an MBA.
Internships: American programs offer practical experience in the form of projects or internships (job experience) for college credit. In Washington State, for example, Cascadia Community College students work in teams to develop high-end IT (information technology) projects for the local business community. They have developed websites for small businesses such as a mailing service, and they refurbish computers for use by non-profit agencies. Recently, one of these student teams received an Omni Intermedia award for creating a multimedia CD and website combining photography, music, graphic images and fine art to promote the College.
Study in English: strong English skills are a benefit to individuals interested in working in the global economy.