Organizations in every industry require skilled technical professionals to develop and manage the programs, systems, and databases that allow a business to function. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, tech careers are growing at a higher rate than other professions; up to 27% industry growth, depending on the job title you pursue. In the face of this dramatic industry growth, there is a shortage of qualified IT professionals. According to a 2015 survey by global cloud-services company Appirio, 90% of C-level executives agree that finding and retaining technology talent is a top business challenge and that a lack of qualified tech professionals is a significant barrier to business growth.
An applied degree, such as the University of Wisconsin Bachelor of Science in Applied Computing, indicates to employers that you’re already skilled in the hands-on application of the tools and technologies you’ll need on a day-to-day basis. This degree can be the foundation for a variety of positions, including:
- Computer support specialist
- Computer and information systems manager
- Systems analyst
- Security analyst
- Web developer
- Database administrator
- Software developer