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The field of Technology is growing as computers have become prevalent in today’s world. Research done by CompTIA found that Minnesota is home to 142,000 tech workers and is expected to grow over the next decade. In addition to tech, positions requiring data analysis skills are also on the rise. A recent survey sponsored by the American Statistical Association found that over the past five years, nearly two-thirds of organizations (65%) increased the number of positions requiring data analysis skills and more than half (59%) expect to increase the number of positions at their organizations over the next five years. If you have an analytical mindset, this field may be a good fit for you.

Technology and data professionals can be found in most sectors and industries such as government, healthcare, education, and business. People with strong analytical skills who enjoy working with computers and electronic technology are a good match for this field. Some positions may require a specific degree such as computer science or statistics but others may not, as long as you are gaining the skill set needed for the position. Companies in this career field also need professionals with marketing, social media, finance, and human resources backgrounds. Employment opportunities and advancement potential will vary based on your level of education, so it is important to think about whether an advanced degree will be necessary to achieve your career goals. There is not one major or minor that will prepare you for this field as there are many pathways, the lists below are not all-inclusive.

Undergrad Coursework

This career field requires a strong analytical mindset and quantitative reasoning skills. Consider coursework in Statistics, Mathematics, Computer Science Management, and/or Economics.

Graduate Coursework

Some positions within this field require an advanced degree. Do your research on graduate programs as they all have nuances. Here are some things to consider as you begin:

Click to expand each gray box below for opportunities in this Career Field!

Careers

Use O*NET, a free online database that provides career information including job duties, salary, and job growth information for hundreds of careers to start exploring careers in this field. Read Early Career Profiles to gain insights on how recent graduates are utilizing their degree in Statistics and Watch career profiles of professionals in this field, including UMN alums! For more information, see this list of sample titles to get started:

  • Computer Programmer
  • Computer User Support Specialist
  • Systems Analyst
  • Data Analyst
  • Financial Analyst
  • Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialist

Below is a small sampling of organizations and their positions that have recruited CLA students in the past. For a more comprehensive list of job openings, search GoldPASS, a free database of internship, volunteer, and job postings for UMN students.  

  • Analyst, Ameriprise Financial Inc.
  • Analyst, Carlson Wagonlit Travel
  • Fleet Operations Analyst, U.S. General Services Administration
  • .NET Developer, Minitex
  • Marketing Analyst, Revlogx
  • Operating Systems Engineer, Wells Fargo
  • Application Developer, UnitedHealth Group
  • Information Architect, Thomson Reuters
  • Software Development Engineer, Amazon
  • IT Business Analyst, NEWSCYCLE Solutions
  • Systems Consultant, Now Micro
  • Programmer Analyst, CH Robinson
  • Product Support Specialist, Tripp Lite
Get Experience: Internships and more!

Seek out opportunities, such as those listed below, to develop the 10 Core Career Competencies. Analytical & Critical Thinking, Applied Problem Solving, Digital Literacy are especially valued in the Technology, Data, and Analytics career field.

Internships and Part-Time Jobs

Below is a small sampling of organizations and their positions where CLA students have done internships and part-time jobs in the past. For a more comprehensive, search GoldPASS, a free database of internship, volunteer, and job postings for UMN students or search for on-campus jobs.

  • Research Assistant, Species 360
  • Computer Science Intern, Center for Homicide Research
  • IT Intern, Avera McKennan Hospital
  • Research Intern, Minnesota Population Center
  • Marketing Software Systems Intern, Daikin Applied
  • eCommerce Assistant, LifeTime Athletics
  • Software Development Intern, Medtronic
  • Software Engineering Intern, Target
  • Big Data Analyst, Joycity Corporation
  • Healthcare Analytics Intern, Marshfield Clinic Healthcare
  • Auditing Intern, TADS
  • Operations Analyst Intern, Optum
  • Linguistics Tester, Apple
  • Research Scientist, Pfizer
  • Electronics Systems Intern, Honeywell
  • Electrical Process Development Intern, Boston Scientific
  • Bioinformatics Intern, Be The Match
  • Site Reliability Intern, Best Buy

Volunteer

The Center for Community-Engaged Learning has advising staff that will help you get connected to one of the 300+ community organizations that match your interests. HECUA is a program that offers off-campus study that addresses some of the most important issues of our time. Semester-long HECUA programs incorporate classroom studies, an internship, and fieldwork.

Research

Undergraduate research is valuable for anyone pursuing an advanced degree, especially in this career field. There are many ways to participate in research at the University of Minnesota, so be sure to explore them all.

Join a Student Group

Consider getting involved with a student group. Use the search function to find groups that match your interests. Here is a list of groups that may be of interest to you:

Job and Internship Search

Job & Internship Search Sites

Workforce Updates

Minnesota High Tech Association monthly workforce update includes top companies hiring and salary information. Visit the 2017 Technology Industry Outlook published by Deloitte.

Building Relationships

Talk with and Observe Professionals

Networking can help you explore a career field; start by doing informational interviews which is when you set up a time to have a discussion with people who are in organizations or professions that are of interest to you to ask questions about their career path. Then, find opportunities to observe (or Job Shadow) these professionals at work so you can get a better sense of what that career would be like. Find alumni and professionals to speak with by searching the free to use Maroon & Gold Network which allows students to do highly tailored searches to find alumni and professionals in the community who share their specific career interests. For example, you can browse the network to find individuals who are willing to share insights by industry, college, major, degree type, employer, location and more. You can also find contacts by using the LinkedIn Alumni Tool.

Professional Organizations

Get involved with one or more professional organizations to gain career insights, search for jobs and internships, attend conferences, and/or connect with people in this career field.

 

Advice From Employers

“In addition to defining your technical skills, it is crucial to get experience working on teams and taking a leadership role. While technical jobs are just that (technical) they also require interpersonal skills to work on diverse teams.” –Magenic, representative

“Update your LinkedIn profile and reach out to companies you want to work for to set up informal networking meetings. Often times leaders are willing to meet with people who show a passion for the company, even if they don't have any current openings.” –Magenic, representative