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Systems Designer Job Outlook
The computer systems design and related services
industry grew dramatically throughout the 1990s, as employment more than
doubled. And despite recent job losses in certain sectors, this remains one of
the 20 fastest growing industries in the Nation. However, due to increasing
productivity and the offshore outsourcing of some services to lower wage foreign
countries, employment growth will not be as robust as it was during the last
decade. Job opportunities should be favorable for most workers, but the best
opportunities will be in professional and related occupations.
Employment change. Wage-and-salary
employment is expected to grow 38 percent by the year 2016, compared with only
11 percent growth projected for the entire economy. In addition, this industry
will add more than 489,000 jobs over the decade, placing it among the 10
industries with the largest job growth. An increasing reliance on information
technology, combined with the falling prices of computers and related hardware,
will spur demand for computer systems design and related services. Individuals
and organizations will continue to turn to firms in this industry to maximize
their return on investments in equipment, and to help them satisfy their growing
computing needs. Such needs include a growing reliance on the Internet, faster
and more efficient internal and external communication, and the implementation
of new technologies and applications.
The computer systems design and related services
industry also has seen an increase in the offshore outsourcing of some of the
more routine services to lower wage foreign countries as companies strive to
remain competitive. For example, firms have been able to cut costs by shifting
some support services operations to countries with highly educated workers who
have strong technical skills. This trend, however, will adversely affect
employment of only certain types of workers, such as programmers and computer
support specialists. Other tasks, such as integrating and designing systems,
will be insulated from the effects of offshoring.
Given the overall rate of growth expected for the
entire industry, most occupations should continue to grow rapidly, although some
will grow faster than others. The most rapid growth will occur among network
systems and data communications analysts. The growing use of sophisticated
computer networks and Internet and intranet sites will increase the demand for
their services. Other rapidly growing occupations include computer software
engineers, computer systems analysts, and network and computer systems
administrators. Employment of programmers should continue to expand, but more
slowly than that of other occupations, as more routine programming functions are
automated, and as more programming services are offshored.
The demand for networking and the need to integrate
new hardware, software, and communications technologies will drive demand for
consulting and integration. A need for more customized applications development,
and for support and services to assist users, will drive demand for applications
development and facilities support services.
Recent events have made society more conscious of
the vulnerability of technology and the Internet, and the increasing need for
security will spur employment growth in cyberspace security services. Security
specialists will be employed more often to asses a system’s vulnerability, and
custom programmers and designers will be needed to develop new antivirus
software, programs, and procedures. Therefore, employment of analysts and of
consultants in areas such as disaster recovery services, custom security
programming, and security software installation services should rise rapidly.
The expansion of the Internet and the proliferation
“mobile” technologies have also created demand for a wide variety of new
products and services. For example, the expansion of the wireless Internet,
known as WiFi, brings a new aspect of mobility to information technology by
allowing people to stay connected to the Internet anywhere, anytime. As
businesses and individuals become more dependent on this new technology, there
will be an increased need for “mobility consultants,” or service firms that can
design and integrate computer systems, so that they will be compatible with
mobile technologies.
The ways in which the Internet is used are
constantly changing, along with the products, services, and personnel required
to support new applications. E-commerce changed the nature of business
transactions, enabling markets to expand and an increasing array of services to
be provided. And, as the amount of computer-stored information grows,
organizations will continue to look for ways to tap the full potential of their
vast stores of data. Demand for an even wider array of services should increase
as companies continue to expand their capabilities, integrate new technologies,
and develop new applications.
Job prospects. Given the rate at
which the computer systems design and related services industry is expected to
grow, and the increasing complexity of technology, job opportunities should be
favorable for most workers. The best opportunities will be in professional and
related occupations, reflecting their growth and the continuing demand for
higher level skills to keep up with changes in technology. In addition, as
individuals and organizations continue to conduct business electronically, the
importance of maintaining system and network security will increase. Employment
opportunities should be excellent for individuals involved in cyberspace
security services, such as disaster recovery services, custom security
programming, and security software installation services.
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor,
Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2008-09 Edition
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Systems Designer Income
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