Employee outlook report

Instructor: Takuya Matsuda

4 April 2021

Table of Contents Comment by Tak Matsuda: This must appear at the top of the next page.

List of Tables Comment by Tak Matsuda: I am not seeing any of the page numbers of these sections. Please include the page numbers.

List of Charts

Abstract

Introduction

Methods

· Employment Overview

· Primary Research

o Programming

o Game Development

· Secondary Research

o Job Development and Employment Distribution

o Median Salary

Summary

· Programming

· Game Development

References (Citations)

List of Tables Comment by Tak Matsuda: Again, this must be at the top of the next page. And add the page number.

Table 1: Employment Overview

List of Figures Comment by Tak Matsuda: See my above note.

Figure 1: Job Development

Figure 2: Employment Development for Programmers

Figure 3: Employment Development for Game Developers

Figure 4: Comparison of Median Pay

Abstract: Comment by Tak Matsuda: The same as above. Plus, this is double spaced. Please write in single space throughout this report.

The feasibility of employment for a software major is based on the graduate's interests, abilities, expectations, and possible entry options. Software majors have multiple options when looking for employment, including but not limited to cybersecurity, gaming development, and programming. Software careers are best suited for individuals who are motivated, enjoy challenges, and above all, passionate about coding. Comment by Tak Matsuda: Please add a sentence that says In this report, we chose XXX and YYY and analyze their requirements, main duties, etc.

Although this career offers job diversity and potential for excellent income, it entails constant change, stress, and long hours. College graduates looking for employment must determine the exact field they want to work in, how to enter that field, occupation expectations, employment locations, salary, potential growth, and any extra courses or certifications needed.

Anyone considering a career in software should follow these recommendations:

· Speak with people who work in the field.

· Weigh the implications of each option carefully.

· Choose options for personal as well as professional benefits.

· Consider taking extra courses to gain experience and certificates in multiple fields. Comment by Tak Matsuda: Please add a bit more of the core findings. Both programmers and game developers (make sure to read my first comment, as this cannot be found in the handbook) look similar, but what are some of the major similarities as well as differences between the two? Which is more competitive and how so? Which is more financially rewarding and why? You don’t need to answer these questions here but we need to make some comparative analysis here.

Introduction:

The two employment fields examined in this report are Software Developer and Gaming development, both of which utilize critical reasoning and problem-solving abilities as a large part of their career.

Software developers are the creative forces behind computer applications. Some develop and create systems that help people execute complex tasks and construct simple frameworks to manage computers or control networks. With the ever-growing demand for software solutions and the emerging market for artificial intelligence programs, software engineers are expected to see new opportunities emerge. While a video game developer is a software developer specializing in video game development – the process and related disciplines create video games. A game developer can range from one person who undertakes all tasks to a large business with employee responsibilities split between individual disciplines, such as programming, design, art, and testing, etc. Comment by Tak Matsuda: Let’s not use etc in a report.

This research integrates the computer science and game development field's benefits and outlook as a career. It will also discuss the qualifications, required skills, and the duties and responsibilities of each occupation. To understand the average professional's perceptions of their work, interviews were included in the study. Comment by Tak Matsuda: Let’s also add to say that a lot of data is taken from the Occupational Handbook.

Methods:

The section addresses the synopsis of the employment of programming and game development and its requirements and education level for each position. The following step for our investigation consists of two discrete approaches, the primary research from which persons are interviewed based on their respected professions, and the secondary research, which implicates evaluating precedently career-related materials. Comment by Tak Matsuda: Please don’t indent the first lines in a report. You should do so in an essay, but report and essay are two different things. In a report, we put space between paragraphs.

Employment overview:

The professions are outlined in Table 1 below. The requirements for a programmer are a Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science or Computer Programming. While the requirements for a Game Developer “is a high school diploma or a GED.” Choosing to achieve a Master’s Degree in both professions will grant you more opportunities for companies that require an applicant with the knowledge of programming computers. Comment by Tak Matsuda: I don’t know where this quote comes from. And what is the point? Programmers are more competitive because they require a college degree? Please explain.

Table 1:

Employment Overview and Career Requirements Comment by Tak Matsuda: This table is effective. Good job!

Primary research:

The leading research was performed by individual interviews with professionals in the fields addressed. The interviews gave us a future look into the work fields of the two majors and an insight into the life of software developers. The interviews were performed by students who are strictly seeking a job similar to the professionals' occupation.

Software Developer:

From an interview with Ricardo Kloth, we got an inside look at the life of a full-time software engineer. The 32-year-old has been working as a Software engineer and UX/UA designer at Mediaan for three years. The young engineer shared his childhood memories of being fascinated by technology and art. Eventually, Ricardo chose to combine both art and software to thrive in his field. He shared his goals saying, "Something that I aspire to do is to eventually open a sort of center or non-profit for at-promise youth, providing a safe environment and teaching programming, game development and other media and hopefully it will lead to a positive impact." Before landing on his current job, Ricardo had to get a bachelor's degree in software engineering which eventually he felt it was not for him because it was too much right-minded. For him, Software Engineering is so much more than writing code. Ricardo also talked about his job during the epidemic "When I am working from home, I start my day with a 25 min jog. After freshening up and having breakfast, I log into the projects I'm working on. I use this time to check the status of my current project and plan my day. This also includes supporting other team members or doing code reviews. In the morning, teams usually have their daily stand-ups, where we discuss the projects we're working on. We also discuss any impediments and see if we can resolve them at a later time. I try to plan my meetings in the morning to ensure that I can get a stretch of 'uninterrupted' time to work after lunch. During lunch break, I go for a walk or find other colleagues or friends for an online game or chat. Or when I'm at the office, we usually take a stroll to the local supermarket, and when returning, we'll go for a few rounds of Super Smash Brothers on the big screen. After lunch is focus time."

In his job, there is a diversity of aspects like working with different projects parallelly, working with clients, and working with students. In his career, they give intern opportunities to students where they had to develop a system consisting of several applications using the Scrum methodology during the semester. From his perspective, the Software Engineer role has changed on many levels. From a technical perspective, it is no longer only Software Designers but also System Designers. It is no longer taking care of the application itself, whether that be frontend or backend. Now that everything is being virtualized in the cloud, they are also DevOps Engineers, Infrastructure Engineers, or System Designers. Today's software spans multiple machines, systems, or infrastructure in a very scalable and distributed fashion. Comment by Tak Matsuda: Please write in single space throughout.

Gaming Development:

In an interview with Matt Sophos was a learning experience as he talked about his journey to work under Santa Monica Studios. He began his career by working in a team to create “the critically-acclaimed sci-fi role-playing” game, Anachronox (2001). Developed by Ion Storm and published by Eidos Interactive, the role-playing game has a party of three explore a 3D world consisting of space adventures, futuristic cities, and outdoor environments. Anachronox (2001) was inspired by games like Chrono Trigger (1995 - 2003) and the Final Fantasy series (1987 - present), and the novel Ender’s Game (1985). Throughout the several years after Anachronox (2001) debut, Matt Sophos developed gaming titles for companies like “Spark Unlimited, 7 Studios (now Activision, Delirious Games, Climax LA, and Electronic Arts.”

Through his experience, he has led as an “artist and designer to writer and Game Director.” One of his milestones was his team earning a nomination for writing Capcom’s Lost Planet 3 (2013) for “Outstanding Achievement in Videogame Writing from the Guild of America.” His ability to develop and design concepts into video games is admirable to his management skills for his “design and production teams as well as publishers, marketing, and licensing entities.”

I am more fond of the fact he played a role in creating 2018’s Game of the Year, God of War (2018). The game’s flow is fluid as its combat system against dynamic enemies. Also, the story is heartwarming and emotional as you are a part of Kratos and Atreus' journey throughout the Lake of Nine. In the nearly two-hour documentary God of War - Raising Kratos (2019), Cory Barlog, creative director at Santa Monica Studios, explains that the Kratos is learning to become more human, while Atreus is learning to become more godly. Before the interview ended, I told Matt Sophos that “I will be looking forward to playing God of War: Ragnarok (2021).” I hope the sequel will expand upon Kratos’ journey with his son, Atreus, and the game does not disappoint its fans after the franchises’ successful revival.

Secondary research:

Our secondary research was conducted online through the U.S Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) and the various job posting websites. We analyzed the information from our three sources and created organized and reasonable conclusions into tables and figures.

Software developers' employment is projected to grow 22 percent from 2019 to 2029, much faster than the average for all occupations. The need for new applications on smartphones and tablets will help increase the demand for software developers. The health and medical insurance and reinsurance carriers industry will need innovative software to manage new healthcare policy enrollments and administer existing policies digitally. As the number of people who use this digital platform increases over time, demand for software developers will grow.

Software developers are likely to see new opportunities because of an increase in the number of products that use software. For example, more computer systems are being built into consumer electronics and other products, such as cell phones and appliances.

Concerns about computer security threats could result in more investment in security software to protect computer networks and electronic infrastructure. Besides, an increase in software offered over the Internet should lower costs and allow more customization for businesses, increasing demand for software developers.

Figure 1:

Figure 2:

Employment Development for Software Engineers

States and areas with the highest published employment, location quotients, and wages for Software Developers and Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers are provided. For a list of all areas with employment in Software Developers and Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers Comment by Tak Matsuda: Please explain this data more in detail. What does the map say? Where are there many jobs for programmers and why?

Figure 3: Comment by Tak Matsuda: I am not sure where this map is taken/quoted from.

Employment Development for Gaming Developers

We have to create something but not just make it pleasant, but we have to make it work. To create a character, set up the controls, and animate it and see somebody out there playing our game and see it come to life - It's just a lot of fun. Comment by Tak Matsuda: This does not mean anything. Please analyze what the map shows.

Median Salary:

An entry-level Software Engineer with less than 1 year experience can expect to earn an average total compensation (includes tips, bonus, and overtime pay) of $76,444 based on 6,711 salaries. An early career Software Engineer with 1-4 years of experience earns an average total compensation of $84,044 based on 36,048 salaries. A mid-career Software Engineer with 5-9 years of experience earns an average total compensation of $95,302 based on 12,008 salaries. An experienced Software Engineer with 10-19 years of experience earns an average total compensation of $105,322 based on 4,627 salaries. In their late career (20 years and higher), employees earn an average total compensation of $114,238. Comment by Tak Matsuda: Please include the average salary of all occupations in US and explain if these numbers are higher or lower than the national averages. And explain why they are higher or lower. Comment by Tak Matsuda: I am confused. Above, you used other terms such as software developers and software programmers. Are these all the same? Please don’t assume that your reader is as familiar with your field as you are. Please clarify.

An entry-level Video Game Designer with less than 1 year experience can expect to earn an average total compensation (includes tips, bonus, and overtime pay) of $55,501 based on 76 salaries. An early career Video Game Designer with 1-4 years of experience earns an average total compensation of $62,520 based on 311 salaries. A mid-career Video Game Designer with 5-9 years of experience earns an average total compensation of $76,741 based on 145 salaries. An experienced Video Game Designer with 10-19 years of experience earns an average total compensation of $91,395 based on 83 salaries. In their late career (20 years and higher), employees earn an average total compensation of $98,639. Comment by Tak Matsuda: According to this data, programmers receive a higher salary than do game developers. Why?

Figure 4:

The average Software Engineer I salary in Texas is $69,168 as of January 2021, but the range typically falls between $61,510 and $76,318. Salary contents can vary widely depending on the city and many other important factors, including education, certifications, additional skills, the number of years you have spent in your profession. Comment by Tak Matsuda: We mentioned the average salary on the previous page. What is the point of this section?

Figure 5:

The average pay range for a Game Designer varies greatly (as much as $47,403), suggesting there may be many opportunities for advancement and increased pay based on skill level, location, and years of experience. Additional skill and certification can get the average annual salary for a Game Designer in Texas is $111,157 a year.

Summary:

Software developer:

The role of a software developer is to “design software [and] applications that allow users to perform specific tasks.” Software developers must understand how to write code and improve it for the user. This may result in constant maintenance on an application to fix any glitches within the system and obtain opportunities to improve it for better use. Furthermore, a software developer requires analytical skills “to gather and analyze information, solve problems and make effective decisions.” Making these effective decisions requires communication skills between the teams and clients; to better understand the function of an application. Across the job market, many companies rely on people like software developers to make sure systems are functionally working as code can become outdated or tampered with. Comment by Tak Matsuda: Above, you use Times New Roman font and here you use Ariel. Either is fine, but you have to choose one and keep using it throughout.

Gaming Development:

The role of a game developer is to create games through programming and development. Game developers build every part of the game from levels, characters, items, and the environment. Also, game developers will format their gaming projects to be playable from a console, computer, or mobile. The amount of skill or requirements to become a game developer has similar aspects as that of a software developer. A game developer must have communication skills to execute effective decisions while creating or improving a video game application. Furthermore, during the construction process, game developers will have the task to create and edit code, incorporate artwork, create game menus, and enable online access if the game intends to have that.

References:

(Software Developers : Occupational Outlook Handbook: : U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, n.d.)

(Video Game Designer Salary for 2020, n.d.)

(Software Developer Salary in the World | Software Engineer Salary by Country, n.d.)

(Video Game Designer Salary | PayScale, n.d.)

(Software Engineer Salary | PayScale, n.d.)