Wendy's Writing



MEMOTO:Lisa GrimbleFROM:Wendy KempaDATE:February 20, 2014SUBJECT:An Exciting Career in Information TechnologyInformation technology was once thought of as large computers, copper cables, and wires. Today it plays a huge part of our daily lives. It is a fast growing, ever changing, and exciting field. It is for these reasons that I am pursuing a degree in Information Technology. This memo will provide detailed information and the benefits of pursuing a degree in IT including 1) education requirements, 2) employment opportunities, 3) salaries and career outlook, 4) an interview with an IT employee, and 5) the importance of effective writing skills in IT.1) Education Required for A Career in Information TechnologyThe University of Michigan-Dearborn provides three options for obtaining a degree in Information Technology. They are as follows:Bachelor of Business Administration in Information Technology Management is twofold. It is designed to develop broad and flexible competencies in business and teaches management skills. IT Management students study general business courses in addition to business application programming, database systems, information systems development, networking, object-oriented programming, managing electronic commerce systems, and security.Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Science students study computer architecture, artificial intelligence, distributed and parallel systems, networks, operating systems, programming, and web technologies.Bachelor of Science degree in Information Systems students study computer networks, databases, programming, web technologies, accounting, and the design and development of information systems.2) Employment OpportunitiesAccording to the University of Michigan-Dearborn, a wide variety of employment opportunities is available to computer scientists and management graduates, such as the following, based on titles of alumni:Applications programmer, software engineer, computer systems consultant, telecommunications planner, computer game programmer, computer applications trainer, database administrator, systems analyst or programmer, systems software developer, computer security administrator, computer graphics specialist, network administrator, systems designer, technical writer, computer and technical support analyst, and president of own company. Computer scientists are also employed in research or consulting in education, industry, government, teaching, and training.Recent IT graduates from the University of Michigan-Dearborn have found professional employment in such companies as Accenture, Activision, Blue Cross/Blue Shield, Chrysler, DTE Energy, EDS, ERIM, Federal Mogul, Ford, General Motors, IBM, Marathon Ashland, NASA, Oracle, and Unisys.3) Salaries and Career Outlook in IT, 2010 - 2020OccupationEmployment in 2010 (in thousands)Projected Growth 2010-2020 (%)Median Annual Income 2011Typical Education NeededComputer System Analyst135.343.1$82,160Bachelor’s DegreeComputer Programmer116.828.8$72,100Bachelor’s DegreeSoftware Developer, Applications174.057.4$88,120Bachelor’s DegreeSoftware Developer, Systems117.871.7$94,570Bachelor’s DegreeComputer Support Specialist107.443.1$48,800Some college, no degreeSource: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics4) Personal Interview with AN IT ProfessionalJohn VanDaele is an IT Systems Engineer and has worked for Ford Motor Company for nearly three years. John received his Bachelor of Business Administration in General Business from Eastern Michigan University. Previous to Ford, John worked for five years as a Desktop Support Administrator at Borders. According to John, the work atmosphere is relaxed business casual attire, which means he can wear jeans every day. His office is a large cube with one to two personal computers, and he occasionally is required to visit data centers and manufacturing plants. John says a typical day includes implementing servers in data centers on a global basis. Implementation includes receiving assets, racking, cabling, loading operating systems, configuration, and obtaining network and storage. He must prioritize and manage several projects simultaneously. He also participates in server build meetings, process improvements, customer and company issue resolution, and team meetings. Communication among coworkers and customers takes place via face-to-face, email, instant messaging, telephone, and web conferencing. John emphasizes that it is necessary to stay up to date on the latest technology; therefore Ford offers many training opportunities.5) Importance of Effective Writing in ITClear and concise communication is vital in the IT field. IT professionals and customers typically don’t speak the same language; the IT person typically uses extremely technical jargon. Due to the nature of today’s fast paced world, technology is outpacing understanding. Therefore, it is critical that the IT professional slow down and make sure their knowledge can be shared with the non-technical world. According to Don Walli, infrastructure analyst at EDS, “Without good writing of procedures, incident reports, trouble tickets, shift logs, proposals, and source code comments, IT clients are often frustrated by not knowing what they're paying for, and problem resolution takes far longer than it should." Therefore, clarity, organization, and attention to detail are vital to effective writing in IT.CONCLUSIONAs highlighted in this memo, a career in the Information Technology field is stable and experiencing rapid growth. It typically offers the highest median wages of all career fields. It is continuously changing and offers new opportunities. To review the data contained in this memo please refer to the enclosed Works Cited page.EnclosureWorks Cited“Computer and Information Science.” University of Michigan-Dearborn. September 2013. Web. 13 Feb. 2014. <umd.umich.edu>.Csorny, Lauren. “Careers in the growing field of information technology services,” Beyond the Numbers: Employment & Unemployment, vol. 2, no. 9. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. 9 Apr. 2013. Web. 18 Feb. 2014. <>.“Information Technology Management.” University of Michigan-Dearborn, College of Business. Web. 20 Feb. 2014. <cob.umd.umich.edu>.Miller, Soozy G. “The Importance of Writing and Communicating in the IT Profession.” 5 May 2009. Web. 18 Feb. 2014. <voices.>.VanDaele, John. Personal Interview. 17 Feb. 2014. ................
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