Technology and technological innovation have defined the last century of civilization – and continue to shape the lives of Americans and global citizens alike. From the explosion of e-commerce to the smartphone revolution, there is no denying that tech is where the money is. Indeed, tech industries represent some of the most lucrative career paths someone can take in the modern age. But which are the best careers to cultivate in tech?
Software Developer
To no one’s surprise, one of the more lucrative tech careers you can cultivate today is in software engineering. While coding is becoming less of a rare skill, and hence a more common commodity across industries, demand for competent coders continues to outstrip supply. The result is an extremely well-remunerated career path, with multiple pathways for specialism or conversion. Software developers are in high demand in a variety of sectors, from gaming to finance and beyond.
Electrical Engineer
While many assume that tech careers today must exist in the digital domain, this could not be further from the truth. Indeed, the evolution of technological capability is couched in the advancement of hardware circuitry – making electrical engineering (or EE for short) one of the most important careers to the continued upward trajectory of tech in the US and worldwide. It is also an eminently easy career to explore early, with suppliers like RS Americas providing components and resources for initial experimentation with electronics and circuitry design.
Electrical engineers can specialize in many different industries too, with different skill sets lending themselves to different sectors. Engineers with profound understanding of high-voltage systems can find highly-paid careers in the energy sector, while small-signal specialists can make a killing in product design and development.
Data Security Analyst
While many tech careers revolve around the creation and iteration of new things, there are equally important and lucrative careers to be found in research and analysis. We are truly in the era of Big Data – and harnessing the great swathes of information flowing through businesses, media streams and even nations is a skill with value.
Many data analysts find a well-supported career working for government organizations such as the CIA, where this unique skill-set can be imperative to national security. Private firms also pay a premium for solid analysis skills, whether political think tanks or financial organizations.
Fintech Entrepreneur
Not all tech careers require in-depth and near-scientific knowledge of a technological discipline, though. Indeed, there is ample space for the business-minded upon us – and particularly so in emerging tech industries that seek to disrupt the status quo. One key tech industry with massive upside potential is fintech, or financial technology.
The fintech industry is enjoying a significant degree of investor funding and innovation, as digital banking technologies an e-commerce sales solutions become more and more central to consumers’ lives. The rise and rise of blockchain technology has also created fertile ground for new business, where all it takes is the right idea to win large-scale private contracts.