Learning and passion are inherently two factors that go hand in hand to bring a more flourishing academic career. But have human beings ever wondered what it would be like to study without passion or study without leading to a bright career future?
For any discipline, too, to be successful, students must determine their goals and directions when they commit to dedicating themselves to that industry. Of course, in the midst of a society that is increasingly in demand and the trend of technology and custom software development, software engineers are increasingly being used and sought for talent. However, the time when just knowing “code” is able to handle many different problems, software engineers today, when collaborating with businesses also require hard skills, soft skills and thinking, as well as good expertise, to stay responsive to new trends and have flexible problem solving in all situations.
So, which direction for software engineers in modern life to date? Will this industry become interesting or boring in the upcoming time? The following article will take a closer look at these interesting questions.
Software Engineer – more than just a career, it is a path
As its name suggests, Software engineer (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Software_engineer) is a person who applies principles of software engineering to the design, development, testing, evaluation and maintenance of computer software.
Based on each specific area of expertise, engineers can introduce themselves to people by many different names such as Programmer, Developer, or Computer Scientist. However, knowing how to program, but not necessarily qualified to become a software engineer.
Depending on the nature of the project, software engineers can be selected to assume several roles or concurrently assume all roles. For macro projects, software engineers can be distinguished from those who specialize in only one role because they are involved in the project’s design and programming.
The demand for highly specialized computer software engineer positions will continue to increase. According to forecasts from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) in the US ( https://www.computerscience.org/careers/software-engineer/), job growth for the computer software engineering industry will increase 21% by 2028 – a figure showing high recruitment demand and the necessary level of this position for the US in particular and for the world in general. In most professions, computer software engineers can find jobs with the salary they want. In fact, the labor market is expected to become more bustling with more than half a million jobs added to computer and information technology engineers.
Direction for software engineer in the future
The 21st century has witnessed many achievements in science and technology, led and created many breakthroughs, this is a significant step in information technology (IT). Therefore, the 21st century is also considered the ‘information age’. Every day in human life goes by with the support of machines, intelligent living technical equipment, software engineers must always keep themselves progressive attitude and learn new knowledge, to bring more products for humanity.
Specialized skills required
According to Computer Science Organization of the US (https://www.computerscience.org/careers/software-engineer/), of course, to become a respected computer software engineer, expertise is indispensable for the following factors:
Java
This is a programming language that is written and used on different platforms without the need to recompile. Using syntax from C and C ++ programming, Java code products can run on almost all operating systems including Mac OS or Windows.
JavaScript
Representing one of the three main technologies of the web, when applying this kind of scripting language, engineers will perform tasks that are complex and integrated in almost any web page. With JavaScript, engineers can update content, animations, manipulate media, and store variables.
C++
Almost all types of computers have C ++ and it uses both low-level and high-level languages, including text manipulation, numbers, and other tasks that computers can use. Therefore, it is imperative that engineers have knowledge of this programming language in order to reach many different types of customers.
C#
Originally developed solely for the purposes of Microsoft, the C # programming language is somewhat simpler than other languages. C # includes the components of C ++ and Java, allowing the user to define repetitive behavior, and supports polymorphism, encapsulation, and inheritance.
SQL
SQL uses a number of commands to assist in modifying, deleting, updating or inserting data. In the tech world, it also has another interpretive name: Structured Query Language. Thanks to SQL, engineers can manage structured data that exists relationships between variables and realities.
Others
These are just typical programming languages and easy to imagine. Of course, depending on the nature of the project and the product’s requirements, engineers will identify and apply the right language. Such as Ruby, Rust or PHP, a web development script that integrates with HTML; Swift, which can be programmed for all Apple products, or Python, can be easily learned without any compilation.
Soft skills are equally important
Interviewing Saigon Technology, a leading software development company in Vietnam, they state that equally important as hard skills, soft skills serve as a stepping stone for engineers to easily work and gain advancement in their careers:
Good Communication skills
Not only important in daily life, communication skills also play an important role in operating a team of employees to collaborate and work together – especially machine software engineers. Although speech when communicating with coworkers is important, email, phone communication and face-to-face meetings with superiors or clients are also key. An engineer is not necessarily a person with good eloquence or negotiating skills, but certainly, it must be someone who is able to convey information clearly and honestly.
Flexible thinking skills
Not just a boring profession, “how do customers ask, we write like that”, software engineers today need good thinking skills coupled with multitasking ability. Because, inevitably when changing teams to change to different projects, the role of engineers will vary with each scale of project.
The ability to organize and focus on details
Of course, everyone understands that this is a job that requires high concentration and meticulousness. Every word, every number, every stamp written down, experts are responsible for their products. In addition, when coding problems and errors occur, experts immediately have to learn and deal with them, and keep an eye on a wide range of intricate details surrounding many ongoing projects.
Last but not least,
It is undeniable that each person will choose their own path based on the professions and fields that they have chosen previously. Engineers can choose to develop their careers in the direction of professional research, following in the footsteps of prominent inventors or experts. On the other hand, they can also use their own software knowledge to apply to other areas, to contribute to promoting digitalization and business development.
However, regardless of the direction, always remember the following two factors: constantly learning to develop more knowledge and really keep your passion.
