Being innovative, having the desire to know how or why things work and how they can be improved is one of the main characteristics of people who work in technology careers. Technology has an application in almost every area of life, hobbies or interests you already have - working with computers, tinkering with engines, reading about animal or plant life - can be the first step to a fulfilling career in a technology-related field.
The term technology encompasses a wide range of jobs in the New Economy. And while many entrepreneurial and innovative people are finding success developing computer games, websites and e-commerce businesses, this area of work is only one facet of the wide variety of careers for those with an aptitude for technology.
Technologists design, develop and repair everything from radios to satellite systems, monitor our weather and water supply, clean our teeth and help perform surgery, repair our bikes and maintain our airplanes. Technologists work in electrical, environmental, medical or mechanical fields.
By far, the most well-known area of technology employment these days is in software development. According to the Software Human Resources Council, the software industry in Canada grew to over 170,000 employees to 1994 from 22,000 employees in 1970. A broad-based education and the ability to communicate with people as well as machines are important aspects of a software career, and the most effective training includes a combination of technical and non-technical courses.
As with all career choices, determining where your interests lie should be the first step toward deciding how to pursue a technology career. If you are concerned with the environment, for example, you may want to consider bioscience, forestry or mineral technology as an area of study. Technologists in these areas work with agriculture and resource management companies, private industry and government agencies to study the impact of humans on the environment and to learn how to make the best use of our resources. Job titles in this area can include Fish Farm Technologist, Urban Planning Technologist, Forestry Management Technologist or Mineral Technologist.
One of the mainstays of the economy is manufacturing, and over the past few years the use of technology in manufacturing has steadily grown. Computer-aided design (CAD), computer-aided manufacturing (CAM) and the use of robotics are now the standard methods of developing new products and improving on old, particularly in the automotive and aerospace fields. Aeronautics Technicians work in teams to assemble different components of a plane, while an Instrumentation Technician tests and calibrates precision instruments. To keep manufacturing plants running smoothly, Safety and Environment Technologists help with safety training and quality control, and often write technical manuals outlining how safety procedures should be implemented. And of course, all those computers and robots need to be repaired and maintained, which provides another field of employment for technologists.
For someone interested in science, research and development, technology may be an employment area worth exploring. People who work in these capacities have been responsible for the development of everything from plastic to cleaning products, and from X-ray machines to pain relievers. Growth in the pharmaceutical industry has been particularly strong over the past decade, and $3 billion will be spent on research in Canada this year. Some of the job titles in this area include Biochemical Technician, Biological Laboratory Technician and Chemical Engineering Technologist. All three areas concern the identification and testing of items such as food and beverage preservatives, impurities in water supplies, or the best combination of ingredients to make an effective bug repellant. Some people in this field also work directly in healthcare, be it the care of humans (Pharmaceutics Technicians) or animals (Animal Health Technician).
Or, you may want to consider working in construction. Architectural Engineering Technologists use computers to design and draw buildings, while Building Systems Technologists are responsible for ensuring that heating, cooling and lighting systems function efficiently, making those buildings comfortable places to work and live. Other occupations include Geomatics Technologists, who conduct land surveys, and Metallurgy Technologists, who study the structure of metals.
Most of these jobs require at least a two-year post-secondary diploma. In many of these positions, the pay rate is above the BC provincial average for all jobs ($870/week vs. $630/week).
The Conference Board of Canada recently issued a report showing that the number of people employed in BC's high tech sector (52,000) has doubled over the past 10 years. Many of these people have carried a lifelong interest in applying innovation, and have developed technology careers that provide interesting challenges every working day.
