Working in the computer industry takes more than just familiarity with modern technology. It’s a pretty complicated field. In order to get hired in any capacity be it IT support or low volume PCB assembly lines, you will probably have to have some sort of schooling or certification. Each area of the computer industry requires different expertise. Circuit board assembly services might require an ability to use computer aided design programs among other things while IT support means you need to know how computers work from the inside out.
Generally speaking regarding low volume PCB assembly, IT support, computer repair, software updating and all the other elements of the computer industry, here are a few things that you should know before getting knee deep in the process.
It’s a Process
You have to go through schooling. Especially if you want to do something higher up like being a computer engineer, you are never going to get hired if you don’t have continued education on your resume. While you might be able to catch on if you worked in low volume PCB assembly areas, most companies don’t have time to sit and teach you how to do things. They want you to already know and be able to step right in an keep up. This means school, training, apprenticeships and more.
It’s Competitive
Everyone wants to be a part of the computer industry. It’s one of the most promising careers because it’s constantly advancing and moving forward and there’s no chance that technology is ever going to be a thing of the past. In fact, it’s our main hope for the future. This means that you are going to have to make yourself stand out somehow. Just barely making it through school and having no work experience is not going to be how you land a job in the computer realm.
It’s Fast Paced
Technology is constantly and quickly moving forward. There are always new things coming out. As soon as one product is released, it’s time to start working on the next one. You have to know how to keep up in high paced, high stressful situations. It’s the only way that you are going to be able to keep your job. Nothing but work experience can prepare you for the speed that you will need to go, not only physically but in your mind. You should always be one step ahead in your thoughts; thinking of the next idea, next plan, next model and how you can make it better than the last.
It’s Confusing
The word confusion barely scratches the surface. Maybe it’s because there’s so many little intricate parts. Maybe it’s because the industry is moving so fast. Maybe it’s because it’s easy to get stressed out and not see things clearly. Whatever the case may be, the technology and computer industry is just plain confusing sometimes. There are going to be things that happen that you can not figure out. You’ll have to run tests and try outs and even then the prototype won’t come out like you think it should.
It’s Underappreciated
Don’t accept to get a pat on the back every time you do something right. A job well done will probably gain something more like “Finally! What took you so long?” Don’t be discouraged. Your reward comes when you product hit the shelves and people love it. Of course, you’ll have to remember that it’s a team effort and you can’t take all the credit. Even so, there’s a great sense of accomplishment.
If you think you can handle all of these things and still want to get involved in PCB Fabrication and assembly or tech support or whatever area that you are interested in, then that’s great. You should start your college training as soon as possible. However, if you have any doubts then you might want to start out by getting an entry level job in a computer shop or company and see how it goes. If you can pick up terms like low volume PCB assembly and remember the names of all the hardware, then you might have a naturally ability. But if you just can’t seem to keep up, then maybe the computer industry isn’t for you.
