There is no denying that the IT field is growing, and students who take their time to earn a degree in the field of IT can gain an advantage applying for positions as the competition gets more serious. If you are enrolled in an undergraduate program, or you are about to enroll in school and you have not selected a major, now is the time to learn about different career options in the field of IT.
As you are comparing your options, you might come across careers that you always assumed were the same position with a different title. If you were under the impression that a Database Specialist and an IT Specialist were the same position, it is time to learn the responsibilities and duties of each profession so that you can decide if either of these career options are right for you.
What Does a Database Specialist Do and What Type of Training Do You Need?
A Database Specialist is an IT professional who is responsible for maintaining a database, monitoring performance of a database, and improving the performance of a database by identifying problem areas and fixing them. Commonly referred to as a Database Administrator, a Database Specialist will primarily work with management software like MS Access and Oracle.
To become a Database Specialist, most employers require applicants to hold a minimum of a 2-year associate’s degree in Computer Science, IT, or Management Systems. You may need to pursue a 4-year undergraduate degree if you want to compete against applicants with experience in today’s highly competitive computer industry. While the competition is high, the BLS does predict that there will be 37% growth in employment for Database Specialists by 2016. Experienced Database Specialists can later advance and become Database Managers or even executives in the IT department.
What Does an IT Specialist Do and What Training is Required?
Now that you understand what a Database Specialist does, the next step to distinguishing between each IT career is learning what an IT specialist does. Obviously, an IT specialist is a computer specialist occupation, but the roles of the IT specialist range significantly compared to a Database Specialist. An IT professional can work on either the hardware side of the industry, or deal with software. Professionals specializing in hardware can do anything from installing software to building computers, and professionals specializing in software may troubleshoot systems and repair malfunctions.
Competition for IT Specialist positions is fierce, and while a certification or degree is not always a requirement, if you want to compete you should possess a degree in a computer-related field. If you are trained and you hold a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science or Information Technology, you should have no problem finding a position in the industry because demand is so very high.
An IT specialist can be a broad term for any professional providing information technology support. Database Specialists fall under this broad blanket term, but these professionals perform very specific duties. Make sure to consider the roles, the environment, and requirements to become an IT professional. If you keep all of these factors in mind, you can pursue the right career,
Further Reading: What Does an IT Specialist Make?
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