Information technology is the force behind today’s fast-paced economy. Demand continues to increase for highly skilled professionals to fill a wide variety of technical jobs in all industries, as companies large and small adapt to rapidly advancing technologies.
NJ’s county vocational-technical schools address this critical need with a broad range of programs designed to prepare the technicians, engineers, and innovators of tomorrow.
Our programs stay ahead of the technology curve thanks to partnerships with employers who advise schools and students on innovations and sought-after skills. For example, new programs address the burgeoning demand for cybersecurity professionals, as well as emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, virtual reality, and new programming languages. Many students earn industry certifications, as well as college credits, while still in high school.
Why Computer Science and Information Technology?
- Accounts for 10.5% of the U.S. economy
- Employs about 5.2 million people
- Tech businesses continue to start up and take off across the country
- NJ’s own thriving tech ecosystem includes industry giants like Audible, Panasonic, Verizon, and Samsung
- Projections indicate a 15% increase in jobs between 2020 and 2030; cybersecurity expected to increase 31% through the next decade
- Professionals earn 89% higher than national median wage
Career pathways in this area include:
Computer programmer
Cybersecurity expert
Database administrator
Data scientist
Hardware engineer
Health information technician
Help desk technician
IT security specialist
Mobile app developer
Network administrator
Robotics engineer
Software engineer
Systems analyst
Video game designer
Web developer
For Students And Parents:
To see what computer science and information technology programs your county vocational-technical school offers, find your school.
For Adult Students:
To find specific computer science and information technology programs at county vocational-technical schools near you, use the “Find Adult Career Programs” tool.
For More Information About Careers In Computer Science and Information Technology:
O*Net OnLine has comprehensive information on all types of jobs, including surveys that help people find careers they might enjoy.
View videos on career pathways in computer science and information technology:
From US Department of Labor Career One-Stop:
https://www.careeronestop.org/Videos/IndustryVideos/information-technology-occupations.aspx
https://www.careeronestop.org/videos/careeronestop-videos.aspx?videocode=15125100
From Working Nation on cybersecurity:
https://workingnation.com/i-want-that-job-cybersecurity-specialist/
Visit ITCareerFinder to explore career paths in the information technology field.
Computer Science and Information Technology News
U.S. News & World Report Best Public High Schools Ranked
New rankings from U.S. News & World Report put 13 county vocational-technical high schools in the top 25 New Jersey high schools and two of those schools place in the top 50 high schools nationally.
Career Classroom: Vo-tech students among Governor’s STEM Scholars focused on future discoveries, innovation (ROI-NJ)
This year’s class of Governor’s STEM Scholars consists of 131 scholars from 20 New Jersey counties. Among them are 30 students from New Jersey’s county vocational-technical schools, making up an impressive 23% of the class.
Career Classroom: Accomplishments of county vo-tech grads validate CTE experience (ROI-NJ)
To mark Career and Technical Education Month this February, the New Jersey Council of County Vocational-Technical Schools released a fact sheet highlighting the value of career and technical education across the state’s 21 county vocational-technical school districts. But, the numbers alone do not capture the full impact of CTE. That is better accomplished through graduates’ own words and their stories of success.
Read more news about Computer Science and Information Technology