Top Resources for Future Software Engineers

Understanding Accreditation

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Accreditation is a critical part of education in software engineering. Employers and educational institutions rely upon accreditation as an assurance of quality education. Software engineering requires a strong foundation in mathematics, science, and programming. Accreditation ensures that students gets the education they need in these fundamental areas.

Accreditation ensures that students get adequate support from their institutions including library resources, research facilities, and close relationships with faculty. It also assures students that they will get academic counseling during their learning phase and career counseling.

The Accrediting Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) is the premier accrediting body for software engineering in the United States. ABET approved programs offer students the best guarantee of wide acceptance of their educational credentials among employers and other educational institutions. ABET accredits bachelor’s and master’s degree program in software engineering and provides software engineering accreditation through the Engineering Technology Accreditation Commission and the Computing Accreditation Commission.

Schools that lack ABET accreditation for Software Engineering may have accreditation from other sources. The US Department of Education authorizes accreditation groups that cover entire schools (institutional accreditation) as well as specific parts of a school (program accreditation). Degrees and credits earned from schools accredited by approved Department of Education agencies will get wide acceptance among employers and other educational institutions.

Questions About Financial Aid

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Financial aid is an important part of the educational process for most students and families. The average US costs of one year of full-time attendance on a college campus is about $28,000. One can divide the typical forms of financial aid into two large categories. First are grants and scholarships, which have the important advantage of not needing to be repaid. Second comes loans, which must be repaid in some form. One can also consider a hybrid type which consists of grants or loans that one can repay by service or employment. Grants and scholarships are the top choice for most students.

Loans can cover a variety of costs including the general cost of living, but students must repay them with interest. Education loans can be federally-guaranteed, state-guaranteed, or personal loans to students or their families. When considering loans, students should carefully consider the debt-burden they will accrue during college, which will immediately come due after graduation.

Grants often come from the government (federal or state), foundations, and colleges or universities. Grants can prioritize need, achievement, or some other ideal on which they choose to focus such as nationality, location, age, race, or gender identity. Some grants seek to inspire students to enter fields in which the supply of qualified personnel is much lower than the demand, or to provide representation in fields with a lack of one sort or another.

Software engineering scholarships usually focus on high achievement. Scholarship organizations frequently prioritize high achievement in areas such as GPA, test scores, and leadership. Some scholarships restrict or prioritize awards to meet social goals as well, such as advancing female participation in the STEM fields.

Each year, millions in scholarships and grant dollars go unclaimed. Students often fail to look at the possibilities for scholarships and grants. Many grants intend to support students that live in specific areas or attend a certain high school or college. Some scholarships and grants seek to support women or race minority group members who are under-represented in a field. Grants and scholarships can be quite specific. Companies sometimes offer scholarships to their employees or their family members.

When searching for engineering scholarships, students should be thorough and they should examine any possible classification that may include them. International students may feel disadvantaged because they are not eligible for US student loan and grant programs. These students can search for scholarships that do not require US citizenship or permanent resident status.

The federal government, states, and many private companies experience severe shortages in certain fields. They may also experience a lack of diversity in their workforce. These factors spur extra efforts to recruit certain students. Those efforts often include scholarships, grants, subsidies, and other incentives.

Accreditation is also important for getting financial aid. The US Department of Education administers the student loan program along with a wide range of federal grants and scholarships. To be eligible for participation in federal student financial aid, the school must have Department of Education-approved accreditation.

Best Associations for Students

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Students can join and participate in software and computer engineering associations. Some groups located on-campus serve students. Other professional associations admit students or offer student sections. Whether as a student member of a professional group or a student member of a student-centered group, associations offer substantial benefits for those who are just getting into software engineering.

Student or Open Access Journals

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Open access journals fill gaps in current education by removing costs, membership, subscription, and other barriers to student access to scholarly publications. Students benefit from reading published works and research in their intended fields. Journals offer peer-reviewed work of high scholarly quality. The topics vary, but entries often relate to trends, developments, and innovations.

Open access systems ease the path to valuable current research. Authors can share their work with a global audience. Students benefit from open access publications because the costs and other barriers to access can particularly affect students. Organizations have frequently restricted access to their scholarly journals as membership incentives to professional members These costs can place valuable information out of reach of many students.

The below-listed journals are open access or permit student access.

Software Engineering Study Resources

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Online resources are a valuable source of technical information, education, and practical tips. Online resources offer self-paced scheduling and freedom to choose the precise courses or tutorials needed. They also often have the advantage of being taught by practicing professionals. Students can get differing perspectives than those found in standard textbooks and lecture halls.

Online resources can add valuable knowledge and insights at every stage of your career. Students can benefit by expanding their knowledge and perhaps improving their grades and academic performance. Once in the job market, online resources can provide competitive advantages when bidding for jobs and contracts.

Apps for Software Engineering Students

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Today, software engineering students can take advantage of apps that provide tools for research, learning, and communications. Apps exist for a wide range of functions, some of which save significant amounts of time and effort. Software engineering and computer science more generally use engineering concepts, computational, and communications tools. There are apps for those and many other challenges facing software engineering students.

Some apps go to the heart of software processes for developers and system work. Other useful apps form the tools that help get the job done such as scientific calculators and conversion devices. The items below describe some useful apps for Android or IOS devices.

Software Engineering Certification Options

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The desired level of training may require a demonstrated level of knowledge by education, experience, or both. Some certifications require formal training, college training, and/or specialized experience. For example, the ISC2 awards the Certified Information Systems Security Professional Certification. The test and practice require education and knowledge prerequisites. Candidates must possess five or more years work experience. Further, the experience must demonstrate knowledge of two or more of the eight CASSP common body of knowledge domains.

Vendor-specific certifications provide expertise in the line of products of particular companies. Microsoft, Oracle, and Cisco are leading examples of vendor training and certifications.

Neutral certifications can help professionals demonstrate their abilities to work at advanced levels and not limited to a single system or line of products. Examples of this type include CompTia, (ISC)2, ISACA, and certifications from the Project Management Institute.

Certification Study Resources

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Software engineers can be divided into two main classifications: Applications Software Engineers and Systems Software Engineers. Applications software engineers analyze an end-user's needs and develop a custom program to meet those needs. They use a range of programming languages to do this. Systems software engineers coordinate the creation, maintenance, and expansion of an organization's internal computer systems. Systems software engineers may also be responsible for developing a company's intranet and ensuring system security.

These busy professionals can benefit from acquiring certifications in various parts of their fields. These certifications include vendor specific awards from firms like Oracle and Microsoft. Applicants can get preparation courses that can make preparation more efficient and complete rather than only relying on their previous knowledge and experience.

Job Boards

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Job Boards can be free or paid by the employer. Some boards require sign in or registration for job seekers. Whatever the method, getting to a great job board can start or jump-start a career. Employers use job boards to generate attention and applicants for most vacancies in a company. If a vacancy draws many more applicants than needed, companies may keep the employee information for later use.

Selecting job boards may depend on the types of jobs sought. Some boards are best for short-term, non-repeating types of assignments. Other boards attract employers with substantial and on-going needs. Here are some for tech professionals specifically

Professional Associations

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After graduation, young professionals begin to work and experience life in their fields. The formal education process may have ended, but the professional learning process will have just begun. Professional associations offer valuable opportunities for specialization, networking, and career advancement. They host events, publish newsletters and journals, and create opportunities for industry-wide impact. Professional associations can guide young professionals into new areas of work and reinforce existing knowledge.

Professional associations offer certifications, continuing education, and professional enrichment. Working with other professionals in the same fields and project areas can expand your professional horizons and introduce you to new ideas.

Popular Journals

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Professional journals are an essential part of the software engineer’s efforts to stay up-to-date with news, trends, and developments. The top journals provide peer-reviewed articles, reports, and studies. These items represent cutting edge research and development and can significantly expand your knowledge base. While many journals are available for purchase, some publications require organization membership.

The field of software engineering is relatively new and still emerging as the overall industry grows in prominence and importance. Journals can announce innovations and confirm trends. These types of scholarly publication continue the education process past graduation and into the early stages of the software engineering career.