A software engineer is a professional who utilizes the knowledge of software engineering in building software, computer games, operating systems, etc. In other words, software engineers design, develop, test and maintain applications.
A software engineer must do everything possible to produce a successful software program. They start from a basic thought and then develop it into a full-fledged powerful program. Software engineering doesn’t make you an expert software engineer or software analyst but essentially teaches you to use programming tools, theory and give explanations on why it is necessary to develop software. Nothing is physical in software engineering, it all exists in virtual worlds.
"Software is easy to make, except when you want it to do something new. And then, of course, there is a corollary: The only software that's worth making is software that does something new." ― Scott Rosenberg, Dreaming in Code: Two Dozen Programmers, Three Years, 4,732 Bugs, and One Quest for Transcendent Software.
What does a software engineer do?
According to Bill Gates, "The computer was born to solve problems that did not exist before."
The computer was invented back in the days to solve complex arithmetic and logical problems. It was used to store and process data. Now it has developed into so much more than anyone could have imagined. One of its subdivisions is software engineering or software development.
Software engineer plans new software for business problems. They design, develop, test, deploy and maintain that software. Software engineers work on broad areas like networking, embedded system, mobile application, data communication, etc. Software engineer uses coding to develop or update programs and they also work to create systems to maintain technology functioning precisely.
Qualification for Software Engineer
The first step of becoming a software engineer/ software developer is to complete formal education and then go for professional education.
Intermediate (2 Years)
After completing high school, you should choose your specialization subject as Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics (PCM) with Computer Science as optional subject. This will broaden your horizon on the knowledge of computer science and its applications.
Bachelor’s Degree (4 Years)
After completing your formal education, the minimum entry-level degree is a bachelor’s degree in Computer Science. The students have to go through a variety of subjects like Data Structures, Computer Organization, Algorithm, fundamentals of Information Technology, Software Testing, Software Architecture, Microprocessor, programming, Data Communication Network, Embedded System, etc. including Engineering Mathematics and Computer Science as the primary subjects.
Master’s Degree (2 Years )
On the completion of the Bachelor’s degree, you can also opt for a master’s programme which will enhance your skills and develop you into a full-fledged Software engineer. You will only study the subjects specializing in software engineering unlike in bachelor’s programme which included everything from simple computer knowledge to the software.
Certification Course (2 Or 5 Months)
For more experience in software engineering, you can proceed to get a professional certification course typically lasting from 2 to 5 months. One such course is the Microsoft Certified Professional Developer (MCPD). Learn more from clicking here. You can also apply for various courses available at the Institute for Certification of Computer Professionals (ICCP). ICCP contains a large number of certification courses, people can select the course according to their choice.
Tools required by a software engineer
Software engineers rely on various software to keep their work running. The first and foremost requirement is to learn a programming language and then tools on which these programming languages will run.
Programming language
- C++
- Java
- Python
- PHP
- Ruby
- Lisp
- Perl
- C
Integrated Development Environment(IDE)
- Oracle Netbeans
- Microsoft Visual Studio.NET
- Eclipse
- Dreamweaver
- Git
- Aptana
Software testing tool
- Selenium
- LoadRunner
- Apache JMeter
- Testcloud
Website Development Software
- Adobe Dreamweaver
- Wordpress
- Adobe Photoshop
- Google Web Designer
Different career path for software engineer
- Embedded engineer
- Full-stack generalist Software engineer
- Security engineer
- Machine learning engineer
- Mobile engineer
- Data engineer
- Android engineer
There are plentiful other job profiles available for software engineers. Software engineers are the most in-demand in the business sector. The average salary of a software engineer in India is approximately Rs. 600000. Do you want to make a career in data analyst and resume is making you restless? Connect with us for a data science career advice.
Job growth in software engineer
According to Statista, “In the financial year 2019, this industry in India generated an annual revenue close to 180 billion U.S. dollars, a significant increase from the generated revenue ten years ago.” Spending on Information Technology in India is expected to grow by over 9 percent. Since the mobile industry is booming heavily nowadays, hence it will give rise to more jobs in the software sector. To know how to get a job fast in software engineering then log in to KnockingJob and get your dream job right away.
