Reasons why you should choose a Career in Software Engineering

Software Engineering is a technology that involves the design, development, testing, and maintenance of software to meet the needs of users/customers. As several people begin to transition to tech, they are caught up in the web of "what role to explore" and "what kind of tech career to choose." 

As of 2022, Nigeria was the 2nd country after South Africa to have the highest number of software engineers with a total of 89,000. This is a result of the increase in demand for tech talents within and outside Nigeria. Furthermore, to support the "software engineering" cause, online course providers such as ALX Africa have continued to provide fully funded scholarships and also, a community for individuals looking to become software engineers. 

If you're being indecisive about what tech career to explore, you may want to consider software engineering. We have written this article to show you what is in it for you.

Fields in Software Engineering 

It is important to know that software engineering is a broad career path that comprises different fields which include: 

• Game development

• Front-end web development

• Back-end web development

• Full-stack web development

• Devops Engineering

• Mobile App Development

• Machine Learning

• Software Testing

• Quality Assurance

• Security Engineering

• Artificial Intelligence

• Systems Integration

• Data Engineering

Software Engineering - What's in it for you?

If you are thinking of choosing a career in software Engineering, the following reasons would justify your decision: 

You can work remotely 

A lot of working-class people are turning towards the remote work style, and software engineering is one of the jobs that offer such luxury. The majority of tasks are carried out on a computer which makes it easier to work from anywhere.  All communications can be done via collaboration platforms such as Slack, zoom, or google meet. 

You get to learn every day

As a software engineer, you may never stop learning and this is one of the most interesting perks that makes it a good career choice. The field is a continuously evolving one and every day, there is a new tool or programming language to explore. Furthermore, considering that you will get to work with different professionals in the same field, there is a high chance that there is something new that you have to catch up with. 

Substantial Remuneration

People may say they are not in a career field for the money but because they have a passion for the job. That's not entirely true because everyone desires a good source of income that will pay their bills and fix their basic needs. As seen on Glassdoor, depending on the level of experience, a software engineer can earn between NGN 180,000 - NGN 750,000 monthly. 

Improves your creativity

Software Engineering is a career that triggers creativity and allows you to get involved in several technical activities and most importantly, problem-solving. While working, you find yourself thinking out of the box and scrambling for effective solutions. The good part is that when these solutions are obtained, there is a gratifying feeling that pushes you to the next task, fixing another solution, and the cycle goes on and on like that. 

A chance to socialize

The common myth is that most software engineers are nerds and stay glued to their systems all day.  This is misleading and incorrect because software engineers connect at conferences, hackathons, and numerous tech events around the world. They take this moment to network, meet new people, hit new career opportunities, and have fun. Also, software engineers have different communities where they share career-related gists and bants. Mostly, you find them in long threads and comment sections on Twitter suggesting really helpful ideas and giving several takes that allow them to engage one another. 

High in Demand

Software does a lot of things now; it connects people, tells the time, allows us to transfer money and buy things online, and even entertains us. Different companies and industries need software engineers to build their websites and fix problems that may arise while using the website. Naturally, now, the current civilization depends largely on software and this has increased the demand for software engineers all over the world. 

Undoubtedly, software engineering remains one of the best career fields to work in. It gives you the type of balance that keeps you in your field and outside. It's more than just sitting by a computer to get your codes right; being passionate about providing solutions is the core of the field.