The Best of Creative Computing Volume 1 (published 1976)
A Computer Career for You? (Computers in the workplace in 1974)
A Computer Career For You?
by Judy Edwards
This article was written while Judy was at the Northwest Regional Educational
Laboratory in Portland, Oregon. She is now a Research Assistant at the Lindquist
Center, University of Iowa.
INTRODUCTION
The world of computers is rapidly changing. New hardware and software is being
developed almost daily. The people who work in the computer center of the future
will find the pace increasing. New ideas today will be obsolete tomorrow and
they will need to learn rapidly about new developments.
The demand for skilled people will grow rapidly as technological projects grow.
The competition for jobs may increase as the need for up-to-date technological
knowledge is required.
For those who are planning a career in the computer world, careful planning for
that career can insure them a secure place in an ever-changing environment.
There will always be new things to learn and advancements for those who assess
their abilities, build a good training and education program for themselves and
finally survey the jobs thoroughly to find the right position.
Let's look at some of the factors involved in planning a career in computers and
see how you can become more aware of what you would want to do in the field of
data processing.
THE NEW TECHNOLOGICAL AGE
There will be a growing need for computers as information increases. Computers
will have an ever increasing job to do in business, science, government,
education and in the professinal world. In fact it is likely that many of us
will use a simple form of computer in our homes within just a few years.
With the greatly increased appearance of computers, it seems accurate to predict
that more and more jobs will exist. Many of the jobs and working environments
will not be what they are today, however. Obviously, as the computer takes on
more and more routine work, our work will be new and more interesting. We will
learn new skills and find a challenge in keeping up-to-date on discoveries in
computer technology whether we work
directly with computers or not.
New Career Atmospheres
People who work directly with computers will have an inside picture of
technology at work. They will see less and less paper work and more
machine-stored information. They will learn about telecommunication systems -
those which send computer-stored information over communication lines and
television screens to millions of people. Computer personnel will work with and
understand vast networks of computer systems which will serve a world-wide
population. Specialists in computer science will see knowledge of all kinds
computerized for rapid access. Library reference information, for example, will
be computerized and referenced by pushing a button on a small table-size or
pocket-size computer.
Whatever the application, computer center personnel will continually be learning
and moving ahead in a more and more creative atmosphere. The new technologists
will not only be concerned with the development of computing machines, but they
will be concerned with better understanding of human processes so that man will
be capable of relating those complex processes to the computer.
[image]
COMPUTERS IN HOSPITALS
CRT terminals are used in many hospitals to record medical
information on patients being admitted. (Photo DEC)
