What Is Computer Software Engineering?

Computer software engineering focuses on the concepts and theories of computer science, engineering, and math analysis. This field involves design, development, testing, and evaluation of the software and the systems that allow computers to carry out their functions.

What Does a Computer Software Engineer Do?

Software engineers are the creative minds behind computer programs. They play a vital role in the product development phase. This stage involves analysis of users’ needs; design, development, testing, and enhancement of application; and promotion of its features. Evidently, companies need the skills of a software engineer to maintain an efficient operation.

Indeed, from coding to problem solving, this career requires grit. But your hard work will be paid off because this career is a perfect match to several specialty areas. Here are the six based on a write-up from LinkedIn.

1. Front-End

– creates the visual and interactive features of a website or app that users see. These include animations, text boxes, buttons, games, and forums.

2. Embedded Apps

– focuses mainly on the built-in or embedded applications on various electronics and Internet of Things.

3. Cloud Infrastructure

– involves working with the hardware used in developing and accessing cloud systems.

4. Machine Learning and Data Science

– includes data processing with algorithmic and statistical aspects. It covers data integration, visualization, engineering, and automated data-driven decisions.

5. Mobile

– develops software and apps for small, wireless computing devices such as smartphones or tablets.

6. Test and Quality Assurance

– focuses on the process of establishing, determining, and maintaining set requirements for developing or manufacturing reliable products.

Software Engineering Skills You’ll Need to Thrive and Survive

If you’re planning to enroll in a software engineering course, these tech skills can help you earn a hefty paycheck according to BusinessInsider.com.

1. Platform as a Service (PaaS)

Cloud and PaaS providers use this cloud-computing model to deliver application development tools over the Internet and host hardware and software on its own infrastructure. It’s a growing trend among app developers especially now that most firms are turning to public cloud and are veering away from in-house hardware and software installs.

2. Cassandra

This is an open source “noSQL” database designed to store and manage large amounts of data across commodity servers. It is a go-to database of most mobile and cloud app developers as it serves as both a real-time operational data store and a read-intensive database.

3. Advanced Business Application Programming (ABAP)

Systems, Applications, and Products (SAP) developed this software language to build business apps on top of SAP’s software. SAP is a very famous suite of financial apps causing ABAP to be an in-demand skill among SEs.

4. Hadoop

Experts use this open-source software framework to gather, store, and analyze vast amounts of data on low-cost commodity hardware. Hadoop’s distributed file system helps lower the risk of tragic system failure even if many of the nodes break.

5. Service-Oriented Architecture (SOA)

Developers choose this approach to create an architecture based on the use of services. SOA users write their code in small bites, making it shareable to various apps.

6. Data Architecture

Due to big data’s recent fame, many firms today look for skillful data architects who can ensure the health and security of their stored info. They demand not just those who can figure out the type of data to keep. They also seek experts who can manage complex processes and translate them to specific database solutions.

7. Unified Modeling Language (UML)

UML is a graphic language used to visualize, specify, construct, and document pieces of a software-intensive system. It’s a coveted tech skill because it converts complex software designs into a simple program.

8. Java Database Connectivity (JDBC)

JDBC is an application program interface (API) from Oracle that allows specialists to connect and interact with databases using Java code. Since Java is a popular language for writing apps, most firms pay huge sums to those who have in-depth knowledge of JDBC.

Taking Up a Computer Science Degree

Computer software engineering is now one of the fastest growing careers brought by tech advancements. If you want to ride the tide, taking up CIIT’s Bachelor of Science in Computer Science is a sure way. Aside from earning a degree, you’ll acquire the needed skills to thrive and survive in this field.

Check out this page to learn more about this course.

Sources: drexel.edu | businessinsider.com | blog.tunga.io | learning.linkedin.com | careerprofiles.info
Photo by Gustas Brazaitis on Unsplash and Kevin Ku from Pexels

To help you realize what you can become and achieve, below is an infographic of famous software engineers and their gifts to the trade.

Click here to view a larger form or to take a copy of this infographic.

How to Become a Software Engineer through CIIT’s Computer Science Course

According to LearnHowToBecome.com, software engineering is a constantly changing field that adapts to newly developed technologies. Due to its shifting nature, aspiring software engineers like you can have multiple entry points into this profession. While there’s no easy way to succeed, you can choose from these CIIT programs to enter this coveted industry.

1. Associate Degree or Senior High School (SHS) Track

Though firms often prefer job seekers with a college degree, a certificate from an associate degree course or SHS track can land you a part-time or entry-level job. CIIT’s SHS computer programming specialization offers topics that will introduce and teach you the basics of programming.

2. Bachelor’s Degree

A computer science degree or a related field is the usual minimum educational requirement favored by most employers. CIIT’s bachelor’s degree in computer science offers a comprehensive program that will prepare you to design, write, and modify complex software and codes. It will also allow you to develop new and effective systems for solving computing problems.

3. Coding Boot Camps or Specialist Courses

Coding boot camps and specialist courses are short courses that often last between 10 to 12 weeks. Most IT and computer science schools like CIIT offer these courses and workshops for those who want to study while working. These programs include hands-on and immersive learning environment that prepares you for a part-time or entry-level job.

Start your journey right by enrolling in any of CIIT’s computer science course. Who knows, you might be the first Pinoy software engineer to make it to the list. Thus, call or send us a message to get more details of our offers!

Sources: learnhowtobecome.org | howtobecome.com | wikihow.com | arkhitech.com | ranker.com | thefamouspeople.com | online.husson.edu | en.wikipedia.org

Gender Divide Is Still Wide in Tech

Walking into any tech company, you can easily notice how male software engineers dominate and outnumber their female colleagues. Experts name gender stereotyping as one of the reasons for this gender imbalance in the tech field. Deeply seated in most cultures, the concept that links masculinity to technology is still rampant and hard to overcome.

U.S. News recently wrote an article on this topic citing a study published on Peerj.com. PeerJ is a publishing firm that features works or researches related to Biology and Computer Science.

In the said study, a team of U.S. researchers tried to check whether men and women get their coding suggestions or “pull requests” equally accepted through GitHub, an open source software community. U.S. News says that over 12 million users go to GitHub to seek help from fellow developers in reviewing their codes and in puzzling out the problems in the software they are building.

As GitHub does not provide gender details on their users’ profiles, the researchers used social networks and Google to find out the identity of about 1.4 million GitHub users. After analyzing the data they acquired, they found out that users were more likely to accept coding suggestions from women versus men. Overall, women actually have their requests accepted at a higher rate (78.6% of the time) compared to men (74.6% of the time).

Women’s acceptance rates were also greater than men for some programming language in the top 10.

Researchers, however, found major gender bias when women make pull request to “outsiders,” or users who are neither owners nor coworkers of their projects. In their study, when gender was not readily available on user profiles, outsiders accepted pull requests from women 71.8% of the time. But when female coders made the requests using a profile that identified them as women, the acceptance rate dropped to 62.5%.

Overall, despite the proven expertise of women in open source, gender bias still exists in the field. Users only see females as better coders if they do not reveal their femininity.

Inspirations for Enrolling in a Software Engineering School

Obviously, women do not lack skills. They, in fact, tend to surpass male engineers in terms of efficiency and merit. If the previous study does not seem realistic; then, check out below some of today’s successful female software engineers as published on BusinessInsider.com. 

1. Kamilah Taylor

A senior software engineer at LinkedIn, Taylor was one of those who rewrote the company’s major app and messaging. She also worked with her peers in developing the LinkedIn Learning iOS app. Besides co-authoring “Women in Tech: Take Your Career to the Next Level with Practical Advice and Inspiring Stories,” she is also an advocate for women and people of color in the tech industry. 

2. Casey Edgeton

Edgeton works as a senior product designer at Forward, a promising health care startup. In this venture, she aims to “reinvent healthcare,” by providing users with an artificially intelligent app that can do body scans and DNA tests among others. She was likewise one of Uber’s first designers who helped develop the app’s interface. 

3. Raylene Yung

She leads the team that supports the API and dashboard of Stripe, a payment processor for business of all sizes. She started her career at Facebook and worked her way up to a director’s position, focusing on areas such as privacy, sharing, and news feed. 

4. Natalia Burina

The director of product management at Salesforce’s Community Cloud business, Burina helps to build Einstein, an AI technology that the firm is embedding into nearly all of its products. Prior to this, she built and founded Parable and served as a mentor for Stanford Society of Women Engineers.

5. Anne Aaron

As the director of Video Algorithms at Netflix, Aaron leads a team of software engineers and research scientists in enabling its millions of members to stream movies and TV episodes in the best possible quality. She is a PhD holder in Electrical Engineering and distributed video coding working her way up from senior engineer since 2011.

6. Raji Arasu

Arasu works as Intuit’s senior vice president of Platform and Services. She supports developers and third parties who build products that tie into the firm’s core products. She was StubHub’s former CTO, Code.org’s advisory board member, and a board member of NIC, a federal tech service provider. 

7. Deb Liu

As vice president of Platform and Marketplace at Facebook, Liu runs product management and engineering for a unit that allows third parties and apps to make money on the site. She also serves on the board of Expanding Your Horizons Network, a nonprofit that encourages girls to enter STEM careers.

8. Melody Meckfessel

She works as a senior engineering director at Google’s Cloud Platform. In 2013, Wired named her as “the woman who was at the heart of everything Google builds”. It was also at this time that the company promoted her and asked her to lead the Developer Tools and Signals for Google’s Cloud Platform and its engineering teams. 

9. Myra Haggerty

Haggerty is Apple’s vice president for sensor software and UX prototyping. She and her team are the people behind an Apple device’s response to touch input, from the fingerprint sensor to multi-touch controls. She has been working for Apple for the past 23 years and part of various patents that shaped everything from Mac to iPhone. 

10. Marianna Tessel

She is the present senior vice president of engineering at Docker, the company who created the “containers,” a new category of software development tools. Prior to this, she worked as a VP of engineering at Ariba and VMware. 

Tips for Career Advancement

So how can a software engineering college like CIIT-Philippines help you confront gender gap and create your own inspiring story? Below are some tips for your career growth.

1. Build confidence.

Seek a group that can foster a great environment of inspired confidence. Do not let internal doubts sidetrack your career and surround yourself with people that can encourage and inspire you. 

2. Do not be afraid to ask for what you want.

Do not fear asking for something you believe you deserve. Nobody would give what you want just because you’re thinking about it. You need to open your mouth and ask.

3. Know your prospective employer.

In addition to knowing the job, you should also learn about the company’s culture. Firms that have programs in place to boost sponsorship of women offer flexible work arrangements and use quantifiable goals in performance reviews.

4. Find a mentor or a sponsor.

Find a mentor or sponsor that you can emulate and lean on but don’t settle for just anyone, seek someone that appreciates you and your skills and who is in a position to support you. He or she should be a well-respected senior who can offer you advice that carries a lot of weight. 

5. Be yourself.

Resist the urge to blend in and ask questions when you don’t know something. Wear, state, and pursue what you want without worrying too much about the fallout. Be yourself and don’t let fear hold you back from achieving your full potential. 

Don’t let the stats and stereotypes stall your future as a female software engineer. Enroll in a software engineering college that supports gender equality like CIIT Philippines. Our computer science degree includes software engineering and other relevant subjects that will help hone your skills to thrive in this career.

Call or email us to inquire about this degree and CIIT’s other bachelor’s degree courses.

Related Articles:
Computer vs. Software Engineering School in PH: Do They Differ?
Skills Required in a Computer Software Engineering Career

Sources: e27.co | usnews.com | businessinsider.com | techbeacon.com | makers.com | forbes.com | qz.com
Image Credits: businessinsider.com

A degree in software engineering prepares you for a well-paying job. Why not consider enrolling at CIIT, one of the leading arts and technology schools in the country. Learn more on CIIT courses.

To view a larger version or download a copy of this infographic, please click here.

Related Articles:
Where Can a Software Engineering Course Take Me? [Infographic]
High-Paying Jobs from Software Engineering Colleges

Know your interests and the fields where you excel most. From them, you can sort the courses before you choose the best for you. Do you want to become a software engineer? Let us look at a few of the most useful data to help you decide.

Figures and Data

The Philippines’ Commission on Higher Education released a 2014 report on its priority courses, with Information Technology (IT) topping the list. This simply means that the course will be in-demand for the next couple of years.

Software engineering (SE) is a specific IT field. Thus, getting a degree in SE can be a good choice.

Let us dig deeper by looking at a few details on SE as a profession.
Best Job – Many trusted web sites listed software engineer as one of the best jobs in the world, at least, for 2014. Both Forbes and Career Cast placed it in 7th spot. Meanwhile, US News and World Report named software developer (SD) as the best of all jobs. People often refer to SE and SD as similar with engineers who create software, though SDs are not always engineers.

• Job Outlook – The US Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that job outlook for SDs (from 2012 to 2022) will be 22 percent much faster than normal. This rather mirrors or shares the global job outlook for this career.

• High Pay – Bloomberg.com has released a report on countries where software engineers get the highest pay. The top 10 were Pakistan, India, South Africa, Bulgaria, China, Ukraine, Philippines, Brazil, Egypt, and Mexico.

• Opportunities – SE experts are skilled because they can design, improve, maintain, test, and assess certain software and systems. Thus, they can work for large companies.

Hone Your Skills

When you choose SE, it can be a good source of income. You can enroll at CIIT, one of the best software engineering colleges in the Philippines. It offers Bachelor’s degree in SE.

To learn more on this course, subjects, and fees, inquire at CIIT by sending your e-mail to info@ciit-ph.com.