Now that every industry is underpinned by computing power and specialized software, there is no end of job opportunities available for qualified software developers. Many people have quite an inaccurate view of what a software developer does and the kind work that is available to them. Software developers don’t always make software to order. There are many opportunities for them to get creative and to put their own personal flair on projects that they undertake. Learning to make software, even highly specialized or niche pieces of software, will equip students with an easily marketable set of skills, which can be applied to producing software for anybody.
The jobs and career paths which become available to students who earn their software development degree are many and varied. It is an excellent degree choice for anyone looking to keep their options open and to learn a skill which has endless applications, both professionally and personally.
Here we take a look at just a small selection of the many exciting jobs that software development graduates can apply for.
Mobile App Developer
Many people think that mobile apps are where the money is these days, and while it is certainly true that a number of individuals and small teams have been able to make fortunes from the sale of a single app, it needs to be remembered that the majority of mobile app developers will barely make any money, if they make any money at all.
This shouldn’t put you off pursuing it as a career; you just need to be realistic in your hopes and expectations. The right mobile app, one there is demand for and which serves a useful purpose, will make money. Alternatively, you could just design the next Flappy Bird, but we wouldn’t advise pursuing that as a strategy.
Mobile app development is something that is best done in a developer’s spare time while they work another job or something that is pursued with the backing of an established developer.
In-House Software Engineer
There are numerous businesses who require highly specialized software, which is produced to their exact specifications and to address their specific needs. While it is possible for businesses to outsource this work to an external software developer, there are also significant drawbacks to this approach. For one thing, continued technical support and bug fixes will often add to the cost of having the software developed. Also, if substantive upgrades are needed in the future, businesses will have to pay for new software.
These problems are effectively solved by hiring an in-house developer who can produce, maintain, and upgrade software as needed. This is one of the most lucrative jobs open to those with a masters in software development. There are many talented programmers out there, but those with a software development masters degree will have a clear advantage over the competition, making this a very valuable degree.
Games Developer
There are now endless options for games developers, in terms of both platforms to develop on and languages to develop in. It will be a very different experience depending on whether you opt to develop games solo, or as part of a team. Check out this guide for an idea of the different ways you can pursue a career developing games.
A software development degree is one of the most versatile degrees you can study and it will open up an endless array of potential career paths.
