Careers in Computing and IT

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Careers in Computing and IT
Luke Riley Department of Computer
Science http//www.csc.liv.ac.uk
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About Myself

• www.csc.liv.ac.uk/luker

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Why Computing IT?
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Understanding the Computational World
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Our recent graduates
More than any other university in the North West
and any other member of the Russel Group

• 42 go on to graduate studies of which
• 40 at Liverpool
• rest in other locations among which UCL,
  Imperial, LSE, Kings College London, Lancaster,
  Bath, Exeter, Manchester, York and St Andrews
• Of the 58 not going onto graduate studies, 78
  have found graduate jobs.

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Our recent graduates
More than any other university in the North West
and any other member of the Russell Group

• 42 go on to graduate studies of which
• 40 at Liverpool
• rest in other locations among which UCL,
  Imperial, LSE, Kings College London, Lancaster,
  Bath, Exeter, Manchester, York and St Andrews
• Of the 58 not going onto graduate studies, 78
  have found graduate jobs.

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Typical Graduate Job Titles

• Junior Control Systems Engineer
• PHP Programmer
• Senior Programmer
• Technical Account Manager
• Technical Project Analyst
• Technology Consultant
• Web Developer

• Build Engineer
• Business Analyst
• Consultant Test Analyst
• Cyber Scientist
• Government Officer
• (Graduate) Software Developer/Engineers
• Graduate Trainee Teachers
• Java Programmer

I was flabbergasted to learn that today
computer science isn't even taught as standard in
UK schools Google Chairman Eric Schmidt (August
2011)
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Graduate Job Employers

• ADB Multiquote
• Apple
• BAE Systems Deltica
• Bank of America
• Beijing Zhangxun Hudong
• Bizznet
• Chinese Government
• Click Consult
• Comptel
• Crowder Consulting
• DSTL
• HSBC
• Health Intelligene
• Hewlett Packard
• IBM
• Incendia Payyment Solutions
• LRDA
• Liveling New Media

• Microsoft
• Moneysupermarket.com
• Netbuilder Ltd
• One Iota
• Out Herd Ltd
• Rain Matthew Trade Ltd
• Report International
• Ripple Effect
• Sefton Chamber of Commerce
• Sonargaon
• Suzhou Biaochi Network
• Telefonica Investigation
• Telesoft Technologies
• Trader Media Group
• Travel Jigsaw
• Ultamation Limitied
• Zen Internet

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Salaries Key Stats
from www.payscale.com

• Large differences in market sectors
• PHP or ASP 42.5K
• Business intelligence/consultancy 52.5K
• Banking or Business Analyst 62.5K
• PostGraduate Degrees lead to better salaries

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Salaries Key Stats
from www.payscale.com
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How can a career in Computing and I.T. match your
personality?
Here are some examples.
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Creative-based Computing
Game Design
Website Design
App building
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Psychology/Philosophy-based Computing
Developing A.I. Communication
Developing Cooperating A.I
Developing A.I. Reasoning
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Sociology-based Computing
Analysing Social Networks
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Business-based Computing
Auction Design
Trading in Financial Markets
Internet Economics
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Engineering-based computing
Developing and Analysing Robotics
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Pure Mathematical-based Computing
Optimising Problems
Solving problems previously unreachable by the
human-mind
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What do Employers Want?
Java, C, Prolog, OO design, Scripting Languages,
etc.

• Technical Skills
• Competence on main programming languages
• ... but also knowledge of programming principles
• Analysis abstraction skills
• Employability Skills
• Communication skills, problem-solving, teamwork
• Experience
• Exploitation in hands-on projects of the skills
  acquired

Foundations Algorithms, Network, Theory of
Computation, Game Theory, Artificial
Intelligence, Robotics, etc.
Mac OS X 10.4 86m SLOC Debian Linux 2.2 45m
SLOC (14.000 person-years worth of work)
These are incorporated in University programs
Final Year Projects, Year in industry placements
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Year in Industry Placements
To date, placements have lead to permanent job
offers to the majority of students after their
degree

• Give our students the chance to
• Find, apply for and interview for placements from
  a wide selection of UK industrial opportunities
• Work for one year (being paid!) within an
  industrial environment
• Provide our students with
• Hands-on experience in a real-world work
  environment
• Appreciation of the need to master the principles
  covered by our degrees
• A significant item in their CV

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Careers and Employability Service

• Help exploring career options
• Find part-time jobs and work experience
• Volunteering
• Starting own business
• Application and interview techniques
• ... and much more

www.liv.ac.uk/careers/
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Some questions to ask about CS university courses

• Is the course accredited (e.g. by )?
• Does the course strike a good balance between
  theory/principles and practice?
• Does the course include team-based projects?
• Is there an opportunity of industrial experience?
• Are Final Year Projects included in the program?
• Are the lab facilities up-to-date?
• How easy is to change courses if my interests
  change?
• Does the University provide a student careers
  service?

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Technical Skills
the tools of your career

• Programming paradigms and languages
• Java, C, OO design, Prolog, Event-Driven
  programming, Scripting Languages
• Software Development life-cycle and Algorithmic
  Foundations
• Abstract Theoretical Principles Thinking
  computationally
• Networks, Robotics, Artificial Intelligence, Game
  Theory ...

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Employability Skills
the know-how for applying your tools

• Communication skills
• Oral, written and presentation skills
• Teamwork
• Problem solving skills
• Thinking logically, analytically, and critically

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Experience
... learning by doing

• Hands-on
• Showing proficiency with the tools you master,
  and the skills you have (e.g. in team projects)
  to solve complex problems
• Final year projects, Team modules
• Internships during summer, Placement experience
  (year in industry programs), Coding clubs

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Questions?