Computer System Analyst

1. Education

1.1. To find a carrer in the computer science, particularly for a computer system analyst, a bachelor computer science. At Waterloo University they offer 70 + courses in this area, with many electives and you can create you degree to fit your specific interests. In addition to this, they provide co-op programs.

1.2. High School Course Requirements: Advanced Functions; Calculus and Vectors; Gr. 12 U English; one other 4U course.

1.3. High School Course Recommendations: gr 11 U Introduction to Computer Science

1.4. Admission average: low 90s

1.5. Admission Acceptance (University of Waterloo): 75%

1.6. Other Recommendations (to be considered for entrance scholarships for the Faculty of Mathematics): Canadian Computing Competition, Canadian Senior Mathematics Contest (CSMC), Euclid Mathematics Contest

1.7. A bachelors degree in computer science (required for this career) takes up to four years. First year tuition and fees can cost up to $17,000 and an average of $11,061 over the entire course for undergraduate tuition and fees at Waterloo University. Taking this into consideration, it will be important to budget and save up money. Looking at loan plans can also be an option.

1.8. The University of Waterloo is about a 50 minute drive from Woodstock, ON. So, I might choose to live on campus, but I could also drive as 50 minutes is not very long. By doing this I could cut down on tuition/residential cost. Living at home will be much less expensive and I will only have to pay for my gas. However, with this I will need to make sure that driving will work with my schedule for work and studying after school, as I will need to continue my job to pay for my vehicle expenses.

2. Long-Range Benefits

2.1. Many good things have come from computer studies career paths, in the past. For example, there have been major advances in the study of human genomes, tracking certain research projects and monitoring/protecting the environment.

2.2. By choosing a career as a computer system analyst, my mains goal would be to keep privacy a priority in the growing internet world. In today's world, privacy comes at a premium as, with the growing internet, we sometimes have to exchange our convenience for privacy or vice versa. In addition to this, with the growing medical and DNA systems, many people wonder who will have access to medical records and other DNA information. This will also be another responsibility computer scientists and analysts will have to take on. Lastly, Cybercrime has also increased with it becoming a large business. In the future, as this war goes on, new computer scientists will need to work together to make sure our society is a safe place for everyone online.

2.3. Computer scientists work a lot (up to/more than 40 hours a week), considering this I will have to balance my social and family life as well. However, I believe that with this job, I will have more time than a surgeon or a marine biologist as I can choose wether I want to work with another company or privately. This can give me more flexibility to work with my time and schedules. Also, since these work schedules are standard business hours, I should be bale to have weekends to myself, as well as payed vacation days (etc.)

3. Job Information (Career)

3.1. Description: Computer systems analysts help companies and/or organizations use computer technology effectively and efficiently. After completing cost-benefit analyses, to determine the financial aspects, these analysts incorporate new technology into current systems and work to update or improve current systems.

3.2. Types: 1. Systems designers/architects - find technical solutions that match the long-term goals of companies or organizations. 2. Software quality assurance (QA) analysts test and diagnose problems in computer systems. 3. Programmer analysts develop and write code for software that meets their employers' or clients' needs.

3.3. Duties & Responsibilities: research and evaluate new technologies; consult with clients; identify the organizational needs of IT systems; analyze costs and benefits; add new functionality to systems; oversee installations; test systems; train users.

3.4. Salary: Median Annual Salary - $88,740 ($42.66/hour) Top 10% Annual Salary - $142,220 (68.37/hour) Bottom 10% Annual Salary - $54,360 ($26.13/hour)

3.5. Job Outlook: Job growth for a computer systems analysts is projected at 9 percent for the decade ending in 2026, compared to the 7 percent growth projected for all occupations.

3.6. Work Environment: Certain people in this career work directly for firms with large or complex networks that require full-time staff to be on site. Whereas, others work independently or for consulting firms that provide computer systems analysis for clients on an as-needed basis (which can be less secure.) Work is generally based in an office setting (ex: single office or multiple officies servicing multiple clients.)

3.7. Work Schedule: Full time, with up to or more than 40 hours per week (as needed.) Otherwise schedules are standard business hours.

4. Works Cited

4.1. McKay, D. R. (n.d.). Computer Systems Analyst Job Description: Salary, Skills, & More. Retrieved from https://www.thebalancecareers.com/computer-systems-analyst-526001 Sanderson, P. (n.d.). Top 10 Reasons to Major in Computer Science. Retrieved from https://www.collegexpress.com/interests/science-and-engineering/articles/careers-science-engineering/top-10-reasons-major-computer-science/ (2020, October 01). Computer Science. Retrieved from https://uwaterloo.ca/future-students/programs/computer-science