Animator

Movies, television and Web pages all use high-tech animation. In the long term, Overbye says, animation is a growing industry.

Students interested in a career in animation should be creative and have an eye for design. “It is a more top-level skill,” Overbye says. “These are going to be the more artistic types, the people who are good at laying things out.”

Computer animators also need to have strong computer skills and “know the tools they are using,” Overbye says. Animators can be hired by movie studios, television networks or companies looking for Web designers.

“You’re seeing a general trend toward higher (Internet) speeds to the home, so content going on the Web is becoming more dynamic,” he says.

Video game creator

The field of video games and simulation is growing quickly. Computer professionals design video games, military flight simulators and job training programs. Many colleges have created bachelor’s degrees in game simulation and programming because of increased need. Simulation tools have become cheaper, so that means more businesses are interested in buying the programs. Taxi cab drivers, for example, could be trained with a simulation program to learn how to drive a route, Overbye says.

Video gaming is also a growing industry in need of professionals to create consoles, handheld systems and computer games. Overbye says students who are thinking about careers in simulation or game programming should have a strong interest in computers, math and physics. Employers will also expect students to take courses in English, humanities and social sciences to learn communication skills.

Network security administrator

One of the oldest crimes in the world is stealing money, Overbye says. And that crime has gone high-tech as banks and businesses trade money and financial information over networks. Any time you use a credit card at a fast food restaurant, for example, the restaurant network has to send the information to its and your bank. Hackers want to get into the network to steal money, and it’s security’s job to protect the system.

Start a career in network security with a degree in computer information systems. Overbye says students who are considering this degree should have strong math, science and programming skills. They should also be creative types who tend to ask a lot of questions.

Webmaster

Someone has to design all those good-looking Web pages. Web design is a growing field with beginning designers starting at $35,000 a year, says Sung Kang, an assistant professor of graphic design at Iowa State University in Ames.

Creativity and critical thinking are the most important skills for a Web designer. “All the new technology they can learn, but sometimes creatively thinking is very difficult to teach,” Kang says.

To become a Web designer, earn a degree in computer programming. Or, study graphic design while taking a few programming courses from the computer science department, Kang says.

Task 4. Tell about your future job. What skills should you have? What personal qualities should you have? What professional abilities are required for your future job? What perspectives do you expect?