I am Connor Kempf; A student at New York City College of Technology (City Tech). I am studying Computer Engineering Technology and it is my first year of college. My first reason for choosing this major and this career is the fact that this career has many opportunities and advancement once hired. The second reason why I chose this major is to learn more about technology. Based on previous experiences,technology is the future of mankind. The third reason for my choice of major is I feel I can make a living doing a job I enjoy. The fourth reason is the broadness of this field, it is not focused on one specific thing.
In this essay, I will go into detail about my choice of major and my reasoning for choosing this major. Evidence will be provided to justify my claims. People ask me about my IT experience, I have it. I started studying technology in the sixth grade, continuing through middle and high schools. Upon my graduation from high school, I was certified by Microsoft in networking and security fundamentals. These certifications have the potential of giving me a career. I hope to continue learning about computers and technology as a whole, becoming a productive member of the community. When i finished high school, I elected to continue my education. I want to prove myself to potential employers.
People have asked me why I have chosen my major of computer engineering technology. One of my reasons for choosing this major is the fact that it is a job. This may be an understatement in itself. I know from my experience that this career field is growing, Instructors or workers, they all work under the same title. I encourage the reader to look around and observe the people always using their electronics. I think the phrase “to be left to ones devices” has taken a whole new meaning. This career has a trait, the growth of the field. People use technology in every day life, such as a smart phone or computer. It does not matter what it is, what matters is the fact that it is technology. Technology itself needs someone to maintain it, this is where I think I come in. According to the City Tech College Catalog(2014-2015) “Manufacturers and users of computers and electromechanical equipment are potential employers. Among the employers of graduates of this program are Con Edison, General Electric, Verizon, Cable Version, Apple, Logic Control, Lutron Electronics, JetBlue, MTA, NYC transit and the elevator industry.” (City Tech 218) This in itself is a mouthful of information to swallow. The quote from the college catalog is from my perspective from my perspective showing just how broad the career field really is for someone in this major. The possibilities are endless when it comes to this field. I could end up find a specific area related to computer engineering that I really like. I have not found this specific part as I am still in school.
Technology is the future of mankind as we know it. Many people, including myself, own at least one item of technological equipment. Technology itself is very complicated, there are many specialized subsets of technology such as computer engineering, electrical engineering, computer systems technology, and much more. “Decades ago, Alan Turing predicted machines would likely get smart enough to pass for humans. But these days, artificial intelligence is just one of the technologies shaping the devices of tomorrow.” (Fitzpatrick 75) I can imagine a world where robots and humans interact. Imagine a world where humans and robots coexist. What about the conspiracies that may arise if technology use becomes malicious? There is a lot of “what if’s?” in technology. If however,something does happen that warrants the attention of humanity, it will likely get it. Technology is an invention of humans, it can evolve like we do. Humans design new pieces of technology every day. I suggest the reader search on google for ‘New Technology’ and read a little. Humans like to retain information. I theorize this as a part of the reason why the personal computer was invented. Instead of having handwritten notes or photo albums, many people today store all this great knowledge and memories in the cloud. Computers today were distilled from larger computers, computers the size of a whole room. Today’s technology includes smartphones the size of our hand and tablet the size of a book, allowing us to see the technological world before us. Imagine a day thousands of years in the future and you are looking back through them in the family cloud, looking at photos of your distant ancestors. All this technology is dynamic, it can adapt with humanity. I myself say that in my field, I must be dynamic as things are changing. When I started learning about technology, computers still ran windows xp. That is just to put it into perspective. I have being learn about technology since the sixth grade. I chose this major to build on the experience I do have.I know only one thing about my future and the future of mankind, the fact that technology will be present in some form.
Computer engineers are very important members of technological society. People have a desire for technology. This desire is met by the engineers who design and maintain technology. I know from observation that technology is getting progressively smaller and more complicated. This in itself creates additional workload for engineers who must work within certain parameters. One would think that a computer engineer is paid a huge sum of money for complicated work. This is not true. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics occupational Outlook handbook “$100,920 salary per capita, $48.52 hourly median pay”. (BLS)This shows that although the pay is not great, there is still potential for a living to be made. Think of the average cost of living for New York City, anywhere in the five boroughs. In Manhattan, the average cost of living is somewhere in the region of $8000 monthly when you include food, rent, transportation, etc. Think of how much I would be making when I am starting out. I might be pulling in around $55000 a year in my first couple of years of work. This means that Manhattan is completely out of the question unless my wage was substantial enough to afford the extremely high cost-of-living. I’m not saying that I cannot live comfortably, I just have to be careful where I live in terms of living cost. I know in my field there is at least some potential. It is stated by the Bureau of Labor Statistics that “the expected growth for Computer Hardware Engineers is around 7% between 2012-2022.” (BLS) This means that computer hardware engineering might not be the way I should go if I am pursuing a career. This is not to say that computer engineering is limited to software or hardware, the field is diverse.
My fourth reason for choosing Computer Engineering as my major and indeed my career path is the fact that it is a broad field. According to the City Tech College Catalog(2014-2015) “Manufacturers and users of computers and electromechanical equipment are potential employers. Among the employers of graduates of this program are Con Edison, General Electric, Verizon, Cable Version, Apple, Logic Control, Lutron Electronics, JetBlue, MTA, NYC transit and the elevator industry.” (City Tech 218) This quote has a dual meaning, the potential for employment and a demonstration of just how broad the field really is. Con Edison, for example, is the primary electricity provider for New York City and the surrounding areas. JetBlue is a low cost airline. This goes to show that it is not just one employer who needs computer engineers. Computer engineers are always in demand. The field is broad, avionics, elevators, design and drafting, all fall under the realm of computer engineering. I wonder what my future holds. Where will I work? Where will I live? What kind of work will I be doing?
Computer Engineering, I feel, is the correct choice for me. I have an interest in technology, a drive to succeed, and a need for a job. I do not know where I will be working. I know I will leave City Tech in no way other than with a degree in Computer Engineering Technology. College for me is an opportunity to learn, and grow. College is an outlet for potential in my eyes.I want to make myself a better member of society. Maybe I will invent the next great thing in technology. I have my reasons, Broad Field, Employment, and The Future of Technology,now all I need to do is finish school and get a job.
Works Cited
- New York City College of Technology (City Tech) “Computer Engineering Technology” New York City College of Technology College Catalog 2014-2015. Web. 20 April 2015
- Fitzpatrick,Alex. “The Future of Computing.” Time 184.21/22 (2014): 75. Academic Search Complete. Web. 22 April 2015
- United States Department of Labor Statistics. Occupational Outlook Handbook. “Computer Hardware Engineers.” Web. 24 April 2015
