IT, Computer Science, Programming or Cyber Security...

[Lyrima]

Howdy folks

Blaek is seriously considering heading back to school and is toying with his options.  He's awesome at numbers and has a strong background in Computer Science/IT.

But we're wondering what types of jobs are out there.  I know bunches of you work in this field one way or another.  Could you please talk about your profession, the perks and frustrations and the background/education needed for it?

Thanks! 

[Jasyn]

While my educational background is in Computer Science, I'm probably not the best example since my career field dwells on the margins, and is geared more toward statistics and numerical analytics, a dash of telecommunications, and programming/scripting for back office automation.  However, I suppose it serves as an example of how such an education can be broadly applied across different types of fields with overlapping needs, which simply underscores its potential value anywhere.

Given my aptitudes and professional background, had I to do it over again, I may have focused on Information Systems & Technology--my particular CS program was a little more mired in theory and low-level (i.e. nuts & bolts) programming in both low and high-level programming languages for my tastes.  I'm far more interested in hands-on and practical application.  That said, there's nothing stopping me from pursuing this route in graduate studies should a wild hair ever grab hold of me.

The Cyber Security program at my alma mater was in its infancy during my time there, and is now top-ranked in the nation, and were I actually better at it, I think I would have jumped right into it, but there would have also been a healthy demand for it in my geographical location considering the presence of multiple Army and Air Force installations, government organizations like the NSA, and their civilian contractors.  That said, there should be lots of demand for Cyber Security professionals in any industry (and if there isn't, there should be more).  If you've followed current events over the past couple of years, Target, Neiman Marcus, Michael's, Hilton, Home Depot, and more recently, Chase, Sony, and BCBS should all be prime examples of the importance of Cyber Security, the integral role it plays in everyone's lives (unless you're Amish) and the potential repercussions for which we're all at risk in the face of a breach.

Programming is ultimately the reason I got into any of this at all, but it's difficult for me to treat it as a standalone thing.  Any one of the three other things you listed is going to want/provide a background in programming, and a well-rounded curriculum is going to begin with the introductory level stuff and then progress into the advanced levels.  However, you may be exposed to different languages (but once you've learned one or two, you can learn any of them), and you will program with different purposes while focusing on different techniques that may be more specialized toward Computer Science, IT, or Cyber Security.

Then, you could very well still end up with a jack of all trades, master of none job (which may or may not be like mine) that exposes you to a little bit of everything depending on the industry and types of projects that come your way.  So that's my little opinion piece article.  I hope it weighs helpfully in Blaek's decision-making process.  Good luck!

[Lyrima]

Thanks so much Jasyn

Hoping others will post with their experiences.

xo