The Future of Work: Are Your AI Skills Up-To-Date?

The year of 2020 is finally upon us, and though it has been a bit of a rock start thus far, there is still so much to be excited about. The age of technology has fully cemented itself in our lives, and there is virtually no-one untouched by technology. The tech-heavy and Internet-centric world we are currently experiencing means two things.

First, we should talk about the exponential growth the tech industry has been experiencing. This growth has skyrocketed over the past decade or so, and there are no signs of it slowing down anytime soon. In fact, the exponential job growth across all subsets of the tech industry is a strong indicator that the tech industry will continue to boom.

Technology has no limitations. Anyone can have access to it and that is its true beauty. The COVID-19 pandemic has proven this to be true as work can be done from anywhere around the world, while yielding the same results. This proves that the future of work doesn’t require a physical office setting but a virtual one instead. Remote work is something that we should not overlook as there are a lot of benefits that come with it. A lot of multinational companies have implemented the concept of remote work into their internship programs. As specified by Rahul Pathak in his article, "we have to keep an optimistic mindset and continue to up skill ourselves at every moment possible."

This leads us to the second point of conversation surrounding the booming growth of the tech industry. That is the fact that there has never been a better time to make that career switch into tech, especially during the current state of isolation the world is experiencing.

You may think that breaking into a new career in the tech industry still requires earning a computer science, information technology, or related degree from a university, or a two-year program at your local community or technical college. However, thanks in part to this Internet-centric world, you can learn everything you need to know—all the necessary coding, programming, development, and data science skills—through short term, intensive programs called coding boot camps.

These programs teach you everything you need to know to break into your new tech career in less than a year. Many schools host boot camps through a multitude of learning methods, including full-time and in-person, part-time, online, and even self-paced. If you are currently a busy professional, parent, caregiver, or all three combined, you can still knock out a coding boot camp from the comfort of your own home, and on a timeline that works for you.

Many of these schools also offer tuition payment assistance through options such as Deferred Tuition Payment, or Income Sharing Agreements (ISA), which allow students to enroll, and finish their boot camp with a signed agreement that they will repay their tuition costs after they gain employment in the tech industry. Now that we have uncovered the best way to learn your new coding skills, let’s talk about what you can expect from your new tech career.

Artificial Intelligence

Artificial Intelligence, or AI for short, is the process of building machine learning systems that make the technology we use everyday smarter, and more automated. The goal of AI is to build machines that can think, behave, and understand in ways that simulate human behavior. The technology professionals who design and build AI systems are called Machine Learning Engineers.

You probably use AI all the time but don’t even realize it because it has become such an integral part of our lives these days. Every time you call or text a friend through voice-activated prompts on your smartphone, you are using AI. Your phone recognizes your voice, and what you are saying, and in what language because a Machine Learning Engineer programmed it to know and understand the human voice and the human languages. Machine Learning Engineers build and use Natural Language Processing (NLP) software to understand and process human languages in a way that continues to build upon itself the more the human and computer interact.

Asia is predicted to be a powerhouse for Artificial Intelligence moving forward. With AI startups and research facilities all emerging, it will be difficult for organizations and companies to resist the urge to hop on this “bandwagon”. Even though AI is still in its early stages, there is a huge potential for success that can pave the way for a new era of productivity and employment. An internship in AI will only guarantee success and with companies pushing to implement AI into their operating systems, hiring managers will be on the lookout for young professionals looking for jobs, or internships, in this industry.

Cyber security

Cyber security Engineers are responsible for designing, building, testing, and maintaining the programs that help to safeguard our information from malicious cyber attacks. They build both downloadable software like antivirus, malware protection, and security infrastructure that keeps your data safe in the cloud. Cyber security Engineers use a host of programming languages to build security systems, including Bash, C, C++, and Python.

The Cyber security industry is growing faster than any other field in the tech industry, with expected job growth of 32 percent by the year 2028. As an entry-level cyber security professional, you can expect to earn an average salary of around $50,000, with more senior Cyber security Engineers earning salaries over $130,000.

The Benefits of an Internship in Information Technology

There’s no doubt that the demand for information technology majors is very high. Why is that? It is on demand due to the fast growing opportunities of technology. Students all around the world have developed a passion and interest in this field, making the employment market very competitive. It is very beneficial to be engaged in an internship to get a strong foundation in the skills that you want to acquire.

Information technology is mesmerizing and here’s why:

• You’ll gain valuable work experience and knowledge: The purpose of an internship is to get practical knowledge on how to handle some of the problems that presents itself throughout your career. The nature of information technology is already very “hands-on”. This will serve as an incredible platform where you can apply what you have learned at school into real world situations. Ultimately, the experience that you get is imperative towards professional growth and your future employment status.
• Puts you in an amazing position, post graduation: The best thing about information technology internships is that there’s a chance you will be employed by the same firm. However, don’t give your employers a chance to question your abilities. Make sure you perform well and that you are, indeed, the “person” for the company. Learn to handle complex operations and suggest ideas & solutions to your supervisors, so after you are done with your internship, the management can ask you to continue working with them.

Apply for an Internship with AIP!

At AIP, we pride ourselves in finding meaningful internships for our applicants. Information technology and A.I. is a continuously evolving field with high demand. Let us help you find your next internship in information technology. Apply for a normal, or remote, internship with AIP now.

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