This is how you start your IT career after graduation – Part 1: The computer science course creates the basis

Who decides on a course in IT or shortly before When the degree is finished, questions like:

• What options do I have after completing my studies?
• Should I start my career with a bachelor’s degree or do my master’s?
• What are the benefits of a doctorate?
• Which professional fields are available?
• In which sectors is an IT career suitable?
• Is self-employment a good option?

The IT industry is developing excellently! This is evidenced by the sales of IT companies that have been growing for years. Hardly any other professional field is as diverse. IT specialists are in demand like never before. The chances for a career with excellent development opportunities are good.

Anyone who studies computer science, and there are more than 150 opportunities for this in Germany, can shape the future. Because on the one hand IT solves existing problems and on the other hand it has the potential to change society. No industry is more innovative.

• An IT career demands, thanks to a wide variety of areas of application, bring a lot of inspiration and fun. The horizon of tasks in IT ranges from business processes to cloud applications and big data to apps and gaming.
• Lifelong learning with its inspiring and positive effects on one’s own personality is in the IT world the agenda. Personal development is actively promoted. Computer science graduates can expect that their work will definitely never be monotonous and that they will always stay up to date with the further development of society and current IT trends. Because the digitization of all areas of life is in full swing. In all probability, nothing will change in this regard in the next few decades. On the contrary. Some developments are only just beginning, for example in the areas of machine learning and artificial intelligence, blockchain, virtual reality and quantum computing.
• Mobile, location and time-independent working now support many IT companies, as they have recognized that flexible working models benefit both employees and the company. This promotes the reconciliation of family and other personal life priorities and dreams as well as the job.
• IT specialists will have a significant impact on the future of our society: The future of the world of work, as well as the future of health, mobility, the energy industry and environmental and climate protection, depend to a large extent on innovations in the IT sector.
• In addition to the aforementioned advantages, jobs in the IT world are above-average secure, because companies urgently depend on IT experts.
• The salaries are correspondingly attractive, especially for academics.
• While IT experts were the exception decades ago and were perceived as exotic at the time, they are now at the center of economic and social development settled and enjoy a high reputation.
• The prospects are excellent. The way IT specialists work is interdisciplinary, team-oriented, cosmopolitan and future-oriented. With the appropriate qualifications, university graduates have ideal opportunities for management positions as IT managers as well as attractive positions and salaries. A career that extends into the boardrooms of all conceivable industries is also open to motivated and talented IT graduates.

So there are plenty of strong arguments for studying computer science. Congratulations if you are about to graduate or have it in your pocket! Anyone who is currently thinking of choosing a computer science course would of course want to know what requirements the course entails and how it works. Here it is very clear to say:

As part of their computer science studies, students first learn the basics of mathematics. This includes disciplines such as analysis, stochastics, algebra, logic and discrete mathematics, as well as computer science basics (algorithms, programming languages, object orientation and data structures). Technical computer science is also taught, ie: “This is how computers and operating systems work, for example.”

Some students report that studying computer science almost feels like studying mathematics in the first semesters. So it is a little easier for people with math skills. However, the course then gradually becomes more IT-oriented.

Good to know: Parallel to the lectures, students should practice using IT systems in their free time. There is not enough time in the course to practice the practical application of operating systems and software. It is therefore recommended that you also deal with IT applications in your free time during your studies.

Following the basics of the computer science course, depending on the field of study, the Specialization. For example, it can lead in the fields of business, media or bioinformatics or IT management, in addition to many other exciting areas.

Anyone who has completed their studies and is about to start their career in the IT world has already important decisions are made, simply through the choice of the subject and through the practical experience gained in parallel.

But how do you ideally start your IT career after completing your studies? There are numerous fascinating options. IT professions can be broken down into countless sub-categories. It pays to consistently complete a computer science degree and to establish contacts with companies at an early stage. Because afterwards, as a graduate, you have the choice between many attractive IT entry-level positions.

As mentioned, while studying computer science, young IT professionals have the opportunity to gain their first practical experience directly in a company collection. These corporate periods don’t just look great on a resume. They also serve as a guide. During these phases, students find out what suits them. This is important and, above all, in good time.

After completing their computer science degree, graduates have a choice: They can either pursue a career as a generalist, for example with the aim of later becoming an IT manager or in a management position at the board level (e.g. as CIO, Chief Information Officer) to work strategically. Or they position themselves as experts in a certain area. Specialists are in great demand in the IT world.