I believe that one’s future depends on what he/she do today. I study at New York City College of Technology (City Tech). My major is computer information systems (CIS). It is under the Computer System Technology Department, which belongs to the School of Technology and Design. I am getting a AAS degree in CIS at City Tech and after that, I will transfer to Baruch to get a bachelors degree in CIS (Btech) because I want to graduate from a higher rank college. After my studies, I will become a contract programmer that work for other companies through contracts and I will also start my own company where programmers will be recruited and help to find jobs with fair pay rate. Moreover it will help to decrease the number unemployment in America. Before coming to America, I had already taken computer courses in Pakistan. I was appointed as an assistant of my computer teacher because of my good grades in computer course. My brother used to teach me about programming and guided me on what to do next in college. Furthermore, I believe this is best career for me because I have been interested in computers since childhood. Moreover, there are good job opportunities, follow my brother’s footsteps and technology has been developed lately. With that said, in this essay my goal will be to explain the background information of my major (CIS), my reasons for selecting this major, and the things that I will do to be excellent in my career that I choose and also support these with the textual evidence that I researched on.

In computer information systems, you basically learn about different computer programming languages and about business management. After graduation, the options you get in this career are “computer programming, database programming and administration, web programming, and systems/network administration and support” (City Tech 222). You don’t get high pay rate job as programmer right after the graduation. You need to have at least 5 years experience to get higher pay rate job. Firstly, you start as a tester then you get experience from projects and other companies hire you based on your resume. To become an IT manager it takes 7-10 years of experience. In programming, there is a new team that is recently introduced called digital team. It’s not common right now but the idea is spreading. Its main purpose is to handle the main web of the company (basically administrator) and look over other programmers that are working on the project. From getting a CIS degree, you can also start your own business by having a good business knowledge that you learned from your courses of CIS. I want to study hard and spend extra time to study to improve my education at City Tech.

Interest in computers since childhood and good opportunities for job made me choose to do CIS. When I was 7 years old it was first time I saw computer in my life. It made me excited due to the functions that it performs. By the time passes I wanted to learn more about it and wanted to learn how to use it. Then I began to learn about computers in elementary school in Pakistan. At that time, the technology was not really well developed and had really slow computers with less features, comparing to technology now a days. I learned basics of using computer, then I began to use painting application in computer for fun. When I reached in fifth grade, I learned using Microsoft Excel. I learned, how to make report cards for school and I helped teacher in making report cards and I joined computer club and was appointed as an assistant of my computer professor. From that day I set my goal to become a computer programmer. I also have interest in business but I want to combine computer programming and business as my career. I’m still thinking about a business idea that was never been introduced about computer programming. This major contains both aspects that I want to learn about. According to City Tech catalog, “ understanding current business practices in computer system technology” (City Tech 222). Currently, this major helps you to understand about business and also about computer programming. Computer programming has more job opportunities comparing to past few years because of the development in technology. According to the occupational outlook handbook, “ [the] employment of computer programmers is projected to grow 8 percent from 2012 to 2022, about as fast as the average for all occupations. Computer programming can be done from anywhere in the world, so companies sometimes hire programmers in countries where wages are lower” (United States par.6). This shows that job opportunities in computer programming are increasing really fast as compared to other jobs and this job can be done from any part of the world so people from other countries also get opportunities to get a job as computer programmer that can contribute to the innovative ideas about computer programming. Furthermore, “nationally, the demand for computer information system analysts, specialist, and managers is predicted to increase from 274,000 in 2008 to 402,000 by 2018” (Lodgher 1). So, we can see that computer programming has more job opportunities and also requires innovative skills to do the job.

Another reason why I choose this major is because I inspire my brother and want to follow his footsteps. When I was in fourth grade my brother bought a computer in his 9^th grade. He had really interest in technology. He always locked up his room and did experiments on his computer. I always observed him while he was using computer and learnt how to use computer. He chose to do computer science and became a computer programmer. He is working as a programmer. When I told him that I am also going to do computer programming he decided to teach me Java (a computer language used for programming). He is still teaching me about programming and shares his projects with me so I can learn about programming from it. He also teaches me how to act as professional and ways to impress the people interview you. Since childhood I was inspired by from my brother’s achievements and wanted to become like him. When I lost my father, my brother left his studies and tried to find a good job. At that time he was working at a gas station. He realized that it’s not going to be enough to survive. He tried to apply for a job as a computer programmer. After a month he got a job at Maine and he used his own knowledge of computer programming to get a job because he didn’t do much courses in college so he had to rely on what he learned on his own. This evokes interest in me to become like my brother but he wanted to me to study and get a degree that he couldn’t get. I want to get degree in CIS to fulfill my brother’s desire. He spent his life to fulfill responsibility as a brother and son. Now I believe it’s my turn to fulfill my duty as a brother and help my brother to take care to family. So I chose this major because I idolize my brother and want to fulfill desire to get a degree in CIS.

The technology is developing really fast and computers are taking over many jobs. Due to the development in technology there are changes occurring in computer programming and it requires innovative skills. According to Lodgher, “smart organizations however use technologies to innovate and to move up the chain from cutting costs to enhancing products to reaching new customers” (Lodgher 4). In other words computer programming one needs innovative skills because technology is developing, and for this purpose innovative minds are required that could lead to the development of the world. Furthermore, Lodgher explained, “ these technologies provide innovative ways of enhancing and changing everyday systems, making them more intelligent and easy to use” (Lodgher 2). This tells that new technologies are used in innovative ways that helps to develop the computer-programming field and increase the knowledge of programmers that use these new technologies. As the technology developing programmers need to have innovative brains because they have to “work alone, but sometimes with other computer specialists on large projects” (United States, “Work Environment” par.2). Similarly as a programmer you normally work alone and need to have innovative brain to achieve your goal. With that said technology is developing day by day and computers are taking over some jobs, innovative minds are required to develop the technology fields.

All in all, this essay emphasizes the importance of becoming a computer programmer for me. I have to fulfill my brother’s desire and to fulfill my responsibility of taking care of my family with my brother. To excel my studies first I have to get AAS degree in CIS. After that I will transfer to other top college and get a bachelors degree in CIS. Then I will do internship job which is required for this major and for my good resume. I will also start a business that will be really different and will include computer programming. I will do that business and computer programming together. My dream job is to become a senior programmer in the top company of the world with high pay rate. There is a lot of competition in this field but I have to fight through to achieve my goal. There is nothing that one can’t do.

             Work Cited

Lodgher, Akhtar, and Kiranmai Bellam. “Teaching Innovation to Graduate Students in Computer Information Systems (CIS).” Communications of the IIMA 11.2 Aug. 2011: 1-7.EBSCO. 25 Oct. 2015

New York City College of Technology- College-Catalog  2015-2016 (City Tech). New york:  New york City College of Technology, 2015 PDF.  

United states Department of labor. Bureau of Labor Statistics “Computer Programmers”. Occupation Outlook Handbook. Washington: Bureau of Labor Statistics,8 Jan. 2014. Web. 5 Nov,2015

United states Department of labor. Bureau of Labor Statistics “Computer Programmers”. “Work Environment”. Occupation Outlook Handbook. Washington: Bureau of Labor Statistics, 8 Jan. 2014.Web. 5 Nov,2015