After 2 weeks of intensive meetings with parents and children, during professional testing, we got an interesting picture of the priorities in choosing professions for schoolchildren: every second boy wants to get a specialty in the field of IT, and every second girl would like to try her hand at modeling and fashion -design.
And then the questions related to training, choosing a country, and getting a job to begin. In a logical path, only the “navigator” needs to be programmed correctly to reach the endpoint.
And so, a brief “road map” for those wishing to get a profession in the field of information technology:
HOBBY OR FUTURE SPECIALTY?
Can this be determined by how much the child imagines a particular specialty and type of activity that he will perform after receiving the desired education?
For example, you can ask about the difference in the following specialties:
- Management Information Systems,
- information technology management,
- Information Systems and Business Analytics,
- information systems,
- technology management?
Or, if the child says that he wants to be a Game Designer, “try on” the qualities that a specialist in this profession should have:
- BE ABLE TO WORK with multi-disciplinary teams
- BE ABLE TO CONSUME and discuss your point of view with artists, programmers, producers, and marketers – everyone who is involved in the process of preparing the game
- BE ABLE TO ACCEPT constructive feedback on your work
- ABLE TO PRESENT your ideas on paper and verbally
- BE CREATIVE and CREATIVE
- WRITTEN and ORAL communication skills
- A good base in VISUAL DESIGN and DRAWING
- Have an understanding of 3D Studio Max, NUKE, or Maya
- Know various platforms and technologies, as well as programming skills
IN WHICH COUNTRY DO YOU GET IT EDUCATION?
Of course, the answer to this question is very individual, but we must not forget about the main purpose of study abroad programs for Kiev residents – to get an interesting and well-paid job.
There are many examples of when our guys with Ukrainian education found what they were looking for. But if you wanted your child to use advanced technologies, practical rather than theoretical education, internships in leading companies, and participation in scientific developments that are already changing the world today, then the way to foreign colleges and universities.
The better the laboratories, equipment, and the level of professionalism of teachers, the more expensive the cost of education and the higher the requirements for applicants. Do not forget about quotas for foreign students – they are very small and you can get into prestigious specialties either after college with work experience or through transfer programs from less prestigious universities, declaring good results.
It is no secret that American universities are the world leaders in training in this specialization, in the scientific field, as always, the British are not inferior, but Canadian specialists find practical skills and work faster since their education is more focused not on theory, but real projects are cheaper for the customer, not inferior in quality, and there is less competition for employment in this country. If you take a look at neighboring Europe, the question of teaching in the national language immediately arises, then the issue of budget savings is immediately resolved, but other criteria are very specific.
COST OF EDUCATION
You can get higher education abroad through preparatory programs (since our 11-year education is not enough and you still need to add an extra year to the university program) or through colleges, where the cost of education is much lower.
The order of prices in US dollars, for the year of study, looks like this:
USA
- MIT $44k
- Stanford $47k
- California-Berkeley $26.3k
- University Texas $17.5k
UK
- Oxford $32.5k
- Cambridge $31.8k
- Imperial $38.5k
HOW TO PREPARE FOR TRAINING?
Knowledge of English will be a priority. Reading the review of a Ukrainian IT specialist about how he got a job in Denmark, he jokingly remarked that the level of his English helped him win the competition from applicants. The guy said that if the “techie” can freely communicate with the employer in English and can tell a couple of jokes, that’s enough to work abroad.
An important criterion for the inclination to this type of specialty will be a high level of development of analytical and abstract thinking. It is believed that only 6% of the population has such abilities.
And another study showed statistics that specialties in the IT field are more often chosen by introverts, guys who avoid communication, and public speaking and are not socially active. It makes sense for parents to pay attention to these traits and help the child to complement their strengths in mathematics. Human skills are no less, and perhaps more important for a career than tech skills. There are many interesting specialized vacation programs in tech camps where teenagers can try their skills and improve their English at the same time. Since such programs are held together with local children.
Stars Academy is always happy to help and advise on the path that is best for your child.
Read Extra: Can I Send My Child To Study In Europe? How To Check His Progress?
