CAREERS IN INFORMATION TECHNOLOGIES

WELCOME Career Exploration is a three-step process -- Know Yourself, Know the Market, Make the Match. Follow the steps below to find out if a career in information technology is for you. Or if you know that it already is something that you're interested in, proceed directly to step 2, "Know the Market," to get more information on occupational opportunities in Southwestern PA and around the country. 1. Know Yourself. Links to self-assessment tools to help you decide if IT careers fit your interests, abilities, skills, work values, and personality. 2. Know the Market. Information on jobs in information technology, job requirements, employers, and educational requirements and options. 3. Make the Match. Links to information and resources to help you decide on a career in IT and how you can get started.

KNOW THE MARKET Once you've looked at your interests, abilities, etc. and determined that information technology careers might be a good option for you, then you need to research the market. Use the links below to get job descriptions, employment trends, training resources, etc. You can also check out the links on employers in the region who hire IT workers The Occupation & Jobs in the Field Pittsburgh Region's Occupation and Workforce Link‹PROWL This searchable database provides job seekers with regional information on occupations in the area. Go to the "Occupations Menu" which will provide you with a search engine to find out about information technology careers in Southwestern PA. The Information Technology Association of America ­ITAA‹ provides some basic descriptions of jobs in the information technology field. Information Week Online offers a number of links to information in IT careers, including sites geared towards women in IT and opportunities to network on-line with IT professionals. You can also find out about salaries in the field. Preparing for a Career in IT Microsoft provides resources and information on careers in IT. They also explain about the IT industry, dispel some myths and share video success stories. ComputerWorld offers an array of articles and tips on careers in IT. Skills Surveys: Wondering what skills employers seek in IT professionals? ComputerWorld has articles on a 1998 comprehensive survey as well as what the latest requirments are. PlanetIT provides a wealth of articles and resources on IT as well as industry information. Specific Occupations Computer Gamemakers: If computer game design is one of your career options, visit the makegames site where they tell you everything you need to know about how to enter the field. Includes a complete guide to the occupation as well some tutorials to get you started. Skills Net: If you're interested in multmedia careers, visit the Skills Net site which has complete guides to the industry and specific occupations. Software Developers The TechCareers site offers resources for individuals interested in Software development, including links to jobs, etc. Software Consultant Read this great career profile on software consulting. Software Engineer: Find out what software engineers do. Education & Training SWPA Training Programs ­ CWE's Working Book Make your selection from the "Computer and Information Sciences" column on the left side of this web page. Once you have made your selection, your results will appear in the window. Pennsylvania's Labor Market Information Delivery System PALMIDS: PALMIDS contains data on a wide variety of employment, economic, career-related, and education topics. It is intended to serve the information needs of job seekers, employers, students, educational curriculum planners, workforce and economic development agencies, and the general public. Read the instructions here and then you can search the database for a variety of information on IT careers. Information Week Online: has links to several on-line tutorials for both beginners and experienced professionals who may be interested in learning a programming language. They also have links to other training sites around the world. TrainPA.org: A comprehensive interactive list of workforce and training resources available throughout Pennsylvania. Select an area to begin your search. America's Career InfoNet: A Department of Labor-sponsored web site with a variety of occupational research links. You can also try America's Learning Exchange (accessible through this site) to identify other potential training programs. Distance Learning Options: You can learn a variety of IT skills through distance learning. Explore these links to find out more.

Meet the Employers