With information systems permeating every area of modern life, there is no shortage of opportunity for professionals in the field. The basic concepts of programming, database management, networks, systems analysis, and IS security as learned through a Bachelor of Science in Information Systems degree can translate across virtually any business environment.
Choosing to advance your education with a bachelor’s degree in MIS can help qualify you for a career in some of today’s most prolific industry sectors, such as:
Healthcare/Hospitals
Grand View Research reports that, in 2015, the global hospital information systems (HIS) market was valued at $13.26 billion dollars. That number is expected to mushroom by 2025, reaching $39.7 billion. This figure represents a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 11.4 percent, driven by the need to manage an increasingly larger volume of data.
Clinical data is just part of that equation, with financial, legal and administrative information also playing a role in the upsurge. Data analysis is a key role in healthcare information systems work, with predictive analytics helping to reduce medical errors, lower healthcare costs, and improve care delivery.
Another trend driving job growth in the healthcare IT field is continued investment in cloud computing services, particularly in the areas of data storage and remote access. Software investments also continue to be robust as hospitals look for newer and more efficient ways to share data with providers and patients across multiple platforms.
The United States accounts for almost half (48.2 percent) of the world’s healthcare information systems spending, due to legislative mandates and industry-wide adoption of new technologies and advanced data management solutions. Top jobs in healthcare IT, as reported by staffing firm Modis, include Ambulatory Systems Analyst, Clinical Systems Analyst, and Health Information Management (HIM) Project Manager.
Airports/Air Travel
According to Air Transport Action Group, the global aviation industry currently employs 62.7 million people worldwide, including 11.2 million “indirect jobs” which include information technology professionals. Overall employment growth is expected to reach 99.1 million in the next 20 years, with indirect job growth keeping pace.
The information systems market in the airport sector is expected to experience continued rapid growth in the United States through 2021. Three key factors driving this expansion include investment in research and development in aviation manufacturing, the need for improved financial performance (including cost cutting and commodity pricing strategies), and growing demand for onboard passenger connectivity and communication systems.
Flying magazine lists Aero IT Specialist as one of the most in-demand careers in the aviation industry. These are hands-on positions that require networking and online systems knowledge to install, troubleshoot and repair onboard Wi-Fi and connectivity solutions.
Financial Services
Consumers have become accustomed to online banking and financial management tools and expect to have their transaction and account balance data available at their fingertips. Meanwhile, businesses look for quicker and more streamlined ways to accept payments and conduct other transactions.
With increasing demands from customers, this is a disruptive time for the financial services industry as it strives to mature in response to ongoing “fintech” digitization trends. Fintech – financial technology – includes all aspects of how money is managed across banks, investment firms, payment companies, lenders, insurers, and related businesses.
Both established firms and start-up companies have challenges to overcome. Banks in particular need to get beyond legacy technology with investments in innovation, while new ventures need to find a way to reconcile their breakthrough technologies with an overwhelming regulatory climate.
Above all, however, cyber security remains integral to all aspects of transaction processing, particularly as increasing amounts of digital data migrates to the cloud. As such, information security is a prominent area of opportunity for IS professionals who are interested in the financial services industry.
Analytics provides another career path in the sector, with finance and insurance creating a full 10 percent of Big Data jobs throughout the United States according to Forbes. Financial services opportunities in information systems are especially prevalent in the Midwest, South Central, Northeast and Mid-Atlantic regions, where the industry ranks in the top five fastest-growing IS hiring categories.
Manufacturing
Manufacturing is not often the first industry to come to mind when you think of information systems careers, yet it accounts for 18 percent of Big Data jobs in the United States today. Opportunities exist from coast to coast, at companies large and small.
According to the National Association of Manufacturers, the U.S. manufacturing sector was valued at $2.17 trillion in 2015, which would make it the ninth-largest economy in the entire world. A lot of those dollars are going into analytics and logistics, as well as into artificial intelligence and automation technologies.
Whether you call it computer integrated manufacturing (CIM) or digitized manufacturing, both hardware and software expertise are integral to the industry. Information systems skill and knowledge prove valuable to companies using industrial assembly robots, computerized machinery, 3-D printing, automated product handling systems, and other innovative solutions.
While there has been a lot of talk about how computerization is destroying manufacturing, the reality is that replacing manual processes and retraining employees to use more efficient technology-enabled tools can actually increase productivity and hiring.
Your Future, Your Choice
When you think about the industries outlined above, you can see where opportunities will continue to emerge in the years ahead. These leading sectors also overlap to create additional jobs. Consider these scenarios, for example:
- A healthcare device manufacturer needs programmers to build a device that can integrate with electronic medical records systems.
- A healthcare provider needs systems analysts to transition to a new financial information system.
- An aerospace manufacturer needs network professionals to help develop onboard communications technologies.
- A financial services company needs data management and analytics experts to develop new solutions for clients in the manufacturing sector.
- An airline needs information security professionals to secure their online payment systems from potential breaches and threats.
These are just some of the many ways that today’s top industries can come to life for IS professionals with various interests and talent. Pursing your online Bachelor of Science in Information Systems degree is an important first step in taking advantage of the diverse opportunities that lie ahead. Consider pursuing your MIS degree from UAB’s Collat School of Business. In this 100% online program, you will find award-winning faculty dedicated to guiding students right to the center of the action.
Sources:
SatPRNews, Information Systems
FlyingMag, Aviation’s Most In-Demand Professional Careers
Deloitte, 2020 Banking And Capital Markets Outlook
BusinessInsider.com, Technology is Changing The Financial Services Industry
Forbes, Robert Half Top Ten Technology Jobs In 2017: Data Scientists, Big Data Expertise In High Demand
Forbes, Where Big Data Jobs Will Be In 2016
NAM, The Top 18 Facts You Need to Know
USAToday, Special Report: Automation Puts Jobs In Peril