Careers in Computing and IT

1. Careers in Computing and IT • Luke Riley • Department of Computer Science • http://www.csc.liv.ac.uk

2. About Myself • www.csc.liv.ac.uk/~luker

3. Why Computing & IT?

4. Understanding the Computational World

5. 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.

6. 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.

7. 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)

8. Graduate Job Employers • 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 • 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

9. Salaries: Key Stats • 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 from www.payscale.com

10. Salaries: Key Stats from www.payscale.com

11. How can a career in Computing and I.T. match your personality? Here are some examples….

12. Creative-based Computing Game Design Website Design App building

13. Psychology/Philosophy-based Computing Developing A.I. Communication Developing Cooperating A.I Developing A.I. Reasoning

14. Sociology-based Computing Analysing Social Networks

15. Business-based Computing Auction Design Trading in Financial Markets Internet Economics

16. Engineering-based computing Developing and Analysing Robotics

17. Pure Mathematical-based Computing Optimising Problems Solving problems previously unreachable by the human-mind

18. 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

19. 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

20. 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/

21. 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?

22. 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 ...

23. 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

24. 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

25. Questions?