Career Advice for Job Seekers

Picking a Major: How to Choose a Major for Future Tech Jobs

William Frierson AvatarWilliam Frierson
October 17, 2013


Chris Beck

Chris Beck

Picking a college major is easy for some. For others, it’s a cause of stress. Sometimes it’s just a split-second decision – one you know you can change later.

Whether you choose a major freshman year and stick with it, or switch late into your junior year, the degree you graduate with has a direct effect on the jobs you’ll be qualified for.

Well, that’s not exactly new news. But  what is new is the kind of jobs that will be available to graduating students in the future. STEM fields (science, technology, engineering and math) alone will create one million jobs in the next 10 years.

Here are some of the top tech jobs to keep an eye out for in the next 5-10 years – and the majors that you need to focus on to snag them.

1.  Wearable computing. Google Glass, the Samsung Galaxy Gear, the Pebble Watch – they’re all the latest efforts in wearable computing. The keyword there is latest. Wearable technology is still in its early iterations, which means there is tons of room for new ideas, new innovations and most importantly, new jobs.

Majors to consider: Think engineering. Electrical engineering, computer engineering – especially applied engineering programs.

2.  3D printing manufacturing. 3D printing has really taken off the past 12 months. Designers have been able to create everything from car parts to shoes to prosthetic limbs with 3D printers. The initial cost of a printer is really the biggest expense – after that, you can run a printer with few additional costs. That means fast, affordable production all done in one place.

Majors to consider: The difficulty of 3D printing isn’t the actual operation of the printer – it’s the design. Any college program that emphasizes computer-guided design and computer science (keep in mind that 3D printers print designs based off of blueprints).

3.  IT security. Yes, IT jobs already exist. But in the coming years, they’ll look different and become even more important. That’s because the more we rely on the Internet, the more we rely on online security. Plus, big companies are going to keep investing in their IT departments to ensure their employees and their business stays secure.

Majors to consider: Information Technology, Computer Science, Informatics, Database Management, Systems Analytics.

4.  Wireless engineer. Wireless engineering hasn’t yet reached its peak. Even though we have Wi-Fi speeds that are hundreds of megabits per second, wireless technology is still getting smarter and faster. Also under the umbrella of wireless technology are other engineering jobs like robotics and network sensors (that includes programming, design, maintenance, you name it).

Majors to consider: Wireless Engineering, Software Engineering – basically any STEM major will give you a leg up in these industries.

5. Digital content editor. On the opposite spectrum of STEM majors, there’s journalism. Yes, it’s true that journalism has changed dramatically in the last couple years. Print journalism is on its way out, but digital content is on its way in – and in a big way. More and more journalists are going to need to be able to not just report the news, but also to have the skills and the knowledge to record and edit videos, do on-air interviews, post articles and photos online and have a working knowledge of different design programs.

Majors to consider: Multi-media journalism, communications, broadcast journalism, digital journalism and design.

This article was written by Chris Beck who is the managing editor over at fios.Verizon.Com. He is also a well published freelance writer in the tech and insurance verticals.  Originally from Asheville, NC, he graduated with a degree in journalism from the University of South Carolina.

New Job Postings

Advanced Search

Related Articles

No Related Posts.
View More Articles