Do you enjoy working with computers?
Are you fascinated by technology?
Are you a logical and mathematical learner?
Are you the person people rely on to set up or use computer hardware and software?
Have you ever created your own computer program or video game?
Are you organized and detail-oriented?
Do you learn new computer programs easily?
Do you adapt well to change?

If you answered yes to two or more of these questions, you might enjoy a career in information technology. This is a fast-paced and quickly changing industry that includes the following careers:

• Network administrator
• Webmaster
• Data analyst
• Technical writer
• Help desk technician
• Software engineer
• Programmer
• Digital media specialist
• Network technician

Cluster Definition

Jobs in the information technology career cluster involve the design, development, support, and management of hardware, software multimedia, and systems integration services.

Career Pathways in Information Technology

A career pathway is an area of concentration within a career cluster. Each pathway contains a group of careers requiring similar academic and technical skills as well as similar industry certifications or postsecondary education. The information technology career cluster has four pathways: information support and services, programming and software development, network systems, and interactive media.

Information Support and Services
This is the largest pathway in IT, and it involves analyzing users' requirements in detail, selecting the best possible solution, writing specifications, and obtaining the necessary hardware. Jobs include data systems designer, help desk technician, application integrator, technical writer, database specialist, data analyst, and maintenance technician.

Programming and Software Development
People in this pathway design, develop, and produce computer software. They have occupations such as systems analyst, programmer, business analyst, operating systems designer, software architect, software engineer, and applications analyst.

Network Systems
This pathway includes the workers who establish and maintain links between computers, either within a single office, or across the World Wide Web. Jobs include WAN/LAN technician, communications analyst, systems engineer, network support specialist, network engineer, network administrator, and PC support specialist.

Interactive Media
Workers in this pathway create computer applications and content based on interactive media technology. Jobs include Webmaster, Web designer, digital media specialist, and multimedia author.

Click here for a visual representation of the information technology career cluster.

Print and Internet Resources

These Print and Internet Resources offer references for career cluster exploration, including trade, professional, and business associations, government departments and agencies, labor unions, and cluster-specific career Web sites.

Information Technology Print and Internet Resources

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