What do I do to become a computer engineer?

What Do I Need to Do to Become a Computer Engineer?

• Answer:

  Computer engineers usually specialize in either hardware or software. Hardware engineers design computer hardware such as circuit boards and peripherals. Software engineers design software to meet user needs. A college degree is required for almost all entry-level engineering jobs and relevant work experience is a bonus. Therefore, to become a computer engineer, start preparing in high school, enroll in a computer engineering or related bachelor's degree program, and try to complete a few internships. High School Preparation begins in high school. Computer engineers must have problem-solving and analytical skills. They must be able to design complex systems and applications from written specifications and abstract concepts. Inquisitiveness and creativity are required, as is patience because debugging hardware and software systems can be frustrating. Getting into a top electrical engineering, computer engineering or computer science undergraduate degree program requires a strong background in math and science, along with courses in English, social studies and computers. Research colleges and universities that offer computer engineering and related programs. Apply to at least two or three colleges and select one that fits your academic goals and financial resources. College Computer engineering majors are offered by several universities. Courses usually include the design of hardware and software systems, communications systems and several advanced math courses. Designing embedded systems --- hardware with embedded software --- that are part of everything from smart phones to military systems will also likely be part of your undergraduate course curriculum. According to the 2010 "U.S. News & World Report" ranking of colleges offering computer engineering programs, the top three universities were: Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), in Cambridge, Massachusetts; Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; and in a tie for third place, Stanford University in Stanford, California, and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in Champaign, Illinois. MIT offers three four-year bachelor of science degree programs that prepare students for a career in computer engineering. Usually, accredited engineering degree programs with the words "electrical," "computer" or "software" in them will help you become a computer engineer. Choose electives to suit your interests and career objectives. Internship Look for an engineering school that offers some form of an internship program where academic semesters are alternated with work semesters at participating companies. These work periods usually start in the second or third year of a typical four-year undergraduate program. You'll get valuable work experience, which will be a plus on your resume, and make decent money to help pay for tuition and other college expenses for the study semesters. MIT, for example, has an internship program for its bachelor's and master's degree students; it also prepares doctoral students in future teaching careers relate back to real-world experiences. Outlook Computer software engineers and computer programmers held about 1.3 million jobs in 2008, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS. The BLS expected the employment of software engineers to increase by 21 percent from 2008 to 2018, much faster than the average for all occupations. Computer hardware engineers held about 75,000 jobs in 2008. The bureau expected the number of hardware engineers to grow slower than the average for all occupations through 2018.