STEM Journal Issue 2, 2015

ISSUE 2 / 2015

THE STATE OF STEM

Hint: It’s not just for science, technology, engineering and math anymore

THE BEST NEW

SKILLS DEGREES LEARNING TOOLS CAREER ADVICE OPPORTUNITIES

Q&A

3 real-life successful students share their realworld experiences 1 industry expert predicts what the future holds

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IN THIS ISSUE:

04

The State of STEM

08

Q&A: Students

16

Where the STEM Jobs Are

18

Q&A: Industry Experts

20

Tool Talk

24

Success by Degrees

STEM degrees are in high demand – and fetching top dollar – even in non-STEM fields. Our infographic reveals the trends.

Meet three students using their STEM degrees in surprising new ways.

(and Who’s Hiring SNHU Grads)

Get to know John Rose, tech industry titan and one of the strategic advisors behind our growing cache of STEM degrees.

Programmable robots, lab-in-a-box and more of the latest and greatest hands-on learning tools

Three hot new master’s and one bachelor’s focused squarely on the future of technology – and putting you at the center of it.

GWEN ASKS…

WHERE WERE YOU IN 1992?

That was the year the world got its first web browser. Email wasn’t invented yet. Broadband wasn’t invented yet. Global Internet traffic peaked at a paltry 100 gigabytes a day. The FBI was still a decade away from forming a cyber division, and the National Healthcare Act was two decades away.

Fast forward to 2015, with annual global web traffic nearing the zettabyte mark and major data breaches looming as a constant threat.

Meanwhile, phones talk, cars drive themselves and medical records are being stored in the cloud.

Is it any wonder 20% of today’s jobs require advanced technology skills?* In every industry from healthcare to human resources, the last two decades of innovation have blurred the line between tech- and non-tech roles. To help address these shifts in demand, SNHU offers more than 50 STEM-related online degrees, including 35 in technology.

In this issue, we’ll explore the growing trend of non-STEM career professionals earning STEM degrees. People like Tim McMillan, a police lieutenant who just finished his BA in Mathematics and knows the value of datadriven solutions for law enforcement firsthand.

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Or Katie Atkins, a lawyer from Nashville who’s pursuing her MS in Data Analytics to enhance her research skills.

And that just scratches the surface of our STEM-savvy student success stories – they’re in every corner of the nation, with new ones popping up every day. Who knows? By the time we hit the two-zettabyte era, yours could be one of them.

Source: *Cisco

Gwen Britton Bio Dr. Gwen Britton is SNHU’s executive director of online STEM programs. She’s also a software engineer and an expert on math education for kids. In each issue, she’ll ask (and answer) a question about STEM based on the cover story. Want to ask us a question about this issue’s main feature?

Tweet us @SNHU.

03

The skills learned in STEM-based education – everything from data analysis to computer programming –

UNTAPPED OPPORTUNITIES

give job seekers access to high-paying employment opportunities in fields beyond science or technology industries.

STEM degrees can lead to lucrative roles in management, healthcare, manufacturing and finance – even law offices and community organizations. In fact, no matter what their occupation, STEM degree holders earn approximately

The old ways of working no longer work in today’s economy. Across almost every industry, business is more connected, more interdisciplinary and more complex than ever before. To keep up with the evolving business climate, more and more hiring companies are seeking professionals with advanced technical, analytical, quantitative and critical-thinking skills – and applicants with degrees in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) have the advantage in this competitive job market.

04

$500,000 more than non-STEM majors over a lifetime.* Demand for STEM-educated workers is only going up. By 2018, there will be 2.4 million job vacancies in STEM-based occupations thanks to the creation of new STEM-based jobs and baby-boomer retirements.* With rapid growth projected for years to come, there’s no better time to earn a STEM degree. *Source: Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce

STEM DEGREE HOLDERS EARN $500,000 MORE than non-STEM majors over a lifetime – even if they work in a non-STEM occupation.*

STEM major Non-STEM major

5.3 M

Healthcare Professional

4.4 M

Managerial and Professional

3.0 M

Sales and Office Support

Education

Community and Arts

www.snhu.edu

2.7 M

2.5 M

05

Nearly 20% of all U.S. jobs require STEM knowledge and skills. That’s about

26 MILLION JOBS.

1

80% OF ALL JOBS in the next decade will require technology, math and science skills, according to the National Science Foundation.2

06

*Source: 1Brookings | 2Fastcoexist | 3Linkedin | 4,5Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce

LINKEDIN’S 25 HOTTEST SKILLS THAT GOT PEOPLE HIRED IN 2014 INCLUDE 18 STEM-RELATED SKILLS 3

WHAT ARE STEM SKILLS? 5 An analysis of O*NET data found that the following knowledge, skills and abilities are those typically associated with a STEM-based education.

Statistical analysis and data mining Storage systems and management Network and information security

STEM ABILITIES

Mobile development User interface design Game development And more

Control precision Deductive and inductive reasoning Mathematical reasoning Number facility Perceptual speed Problem sensitivity

HIGH-GROWTH INDUSTRIES

DEMANDING STEM SKILLS 4

BUSINESS

HEALTHCARE

MARKETING

LAW

www.snhu.edu

EDUCATION

MANAGEMENT

MANUFACTURING

SALES

STEM SKILLS Analysis Complex problem solving Critical thinking Equipment maintenance Math and science Programming Technology design Troubleshooting

STEM KNOWLEDGE Production and processing Computers and electronics Engineering and technology Design Building and construction Mechanical Mathematics and physics Chemistry and biology

07

Student Interview

MATHEMATICS APPLIED Tim McMillan is a selfproclaimed geek. “Just ask my wife. She’ll tell you,” he says. For the past three years, Tim has been working hard to pursue his education at SNHU while balancing his work and home life, which includes two toddleraged boys. In June, he completed his Bachelor of Arts in Mathematics — a degree that’s helping him succeed in a surprising career: law enforcement.

08

Q A

Q A

and you don’t ever want to get locked in to a single path.

The other deciding moment was when my 3-year-old son was born. It was one of those things where you start realizing you want to be a role model for your kids. You don’t want to be preaching from the pulpit when you’re telling him someday that he needs to go to college.

You’re an almost 13-year veteran of the police force, now serving as police lieutenant. What drove you to become a police officer?

When I was almost 21 years old, friends of mine were killed during a home invasion.

The suspect, who they did catch and prosecute and who is still in prison, took a DVD player and that’s it. I had never experienced tragedy, and — being so young — it really, really bothered me. Very shortly after that, I enrolled in the police academy and have been working as an officer ever since.

At what point in your career did you decide to go back to school to earn your degree?

It was almost exactly three years ago. I was starting to move up the career ladder — getting a little older and more mature — and I knew the opportunities a degree could open up for me as I progressed throughout my career.

Earning my bachelor’s also gave me a sense of freedom.

The minimum requirement for a lot of jobs is a bachelor’s degree. In law enforcement, nothing is guaranteed in this job. You hope you don’t get hurt, and you can keep doing it until you retire. But you never know what will happen,

Q A

What skills do today’s police officers need now that they didn’t need, say, 20 years ago?

Today’s police officer has to be smarter — and I don’t mean IQ test. They have to be better problem solvers. You have to be able to make moral and ethical decisions. You need officers with the ability to think outside the box and creatively problem solve.

When I went back to school, that’s what I feel I got out of it.

We have four or five officers at SNHU who are working on their degrees, ranging from the ages of 25 to 54. And I see it in these officers, too.

They’re getting their education, expanding their worldview and becoming broaderminded officers. They’re not judgmental. They approach situations differently and smarter. That is always a very proud moment for me.

09

Q A

10

How does your department use data inside the organization and to prevent crime and solve cases?

I’m a certified police academy adjunct instructor — I wear a lot of hats — and a few months ago I got a national certification called “Fair and Impartial Policing.” It’s a new approach to law enforcement.

You’re training officers to be aware of biases in the field.

In the class, we cover how to identify officers who are operating under bias, even if they don’t realize it. We go through reports and determine if we’re writing more tickets to a certain gender or race and if we’re

enforcing laws differently.

Instead of manually sifting through police reports, I said, “Why would we do that?” We’re in the computer age, where we can extract data in seconds.

That’s the trend right now: developing programs using data extraction to examine police reports and how officers are behaving, so you have the ability to go to an officer and stop biased behavior before it happens.

It allows us to be proactive instead of reactive.

Q

Nationwide, are more police agencies using data in dayto-day operations?

A

Definitely. One of the most successful data-driven solutions I’ve seen in other agencies is the employment of data analysts who examine crime waves and deploy their assets to certain geographical locations based on what the crime stats are telling them. You’re almost trying to predict the future by using mathematics and analyzing past events. This has been really successful for a lot of agencies, and you’re going to see more of it. There’s just so much data that’s available to us these days.

I haven’t been in policing that long — just a little over a decade — but back when

I started we had VHS video recorders that were mounted in the trunk of our cars. Now we have digital recorders inside our cars, and officers have these little body cameras that aren’t even bigger than a deck of playing cards. It’s crazy how fast technology is advancing.

Q A

So, what made you choose online at SNHU?

You started off as a criminal justice major. Why the switch to a BA in Mathematics?

www.snhu.edu

so that someone can get in it and they can drive away, but we can remotely shut it down and lock the doors, locking them inside.

I was able to do the time analysis beforehand using applied mathematics — the same procedure that’s in any other statistical research — to determine what times were the best times to do this operation. We didn’t have to go out there randomly last night. We were able to have a plan as to what time statistically tipped the scales in our favor.

But when I took the first math class that was required by my program, I felt like I was really being challenged — and that really excited me. Like I said, I’m a huge nerd. I began to see how mathematics was applicable to my job. Data analysis, applied statistics and applied mathematics are being used throughout the country and progressively in law enforcement agencies, and I wanted to be on the forefront.

As I said, I’m a geek, so I research everything. I called a lot of schools, and everyone I talked with treated me like I was going to a car dealership to buy a car. They’d say, “Yeah, yeah.

Go look at everything, and get back to us if you find something you’re interested in.” I kept thinking, you know, this is an investment. And I don’t feel like anybody wants me.

When I called SNHU, it was the exact opposite. I felt like they really wanted me, and I was excited. The reputation also stood out to me — the fact that SNHU is affordable, a nonprofit and started out as a brick and mortar university. It had respectability behind it.

Q

A

I was going to be a criminal justice major initially, but thank God for my wife. She told me, “Why don’t you get a degree in something you want?”

Because, honestly, I didn’t want a degree in criminal justice.

I’d been doing the job for almost 10 years, and I didn’t think there was anything else academically I could learn in that setting. I wanted to learn something new.

Q A

How have the skills you’ve learned in your program translated to your career?

Just two days ago we had a rash of people stealing cars from outside of two particular gas stations — people leave their car running with the keys in it and someone jumps in and takes it. We set up an operation where we used a bait car. It’s a car that’s rigged

Through my coursework, I saw a lot of the progressive things that could be done with mathematics in law enforcement — two different fields that definitely don’t seem like they go together.

Q A

So what’s next for you?

I finished my bachelor’s in mathematics in June, and when my last classes ended — I gotta tell you — I was a little depressed for a few days! Juggling small kids, work and school have been my life for three years, so I was like, “Well what am I going to do now?” So I decided to enroll in the MS in Data Analytics program, and I start at the end of September.

11

Student Interview

Q Why data analytics? Why SNHU? Why now?

A I have been general counsel for a company that does outreach for Medicare Part B and commercial health plans for three years. Six months in, I realized that I was at a disadvantage in terms of assessing risks and opportunities. Analytics are central to our business, so I researched my options for “going back to school” while continuing this job I love.

KATIE ATKINS Katie Atkins is a general counsel for a healthcare technology company in Nashville, TN, who’s pursuing her master’s in data analytics from Southern New Hampshire University. If these two disciplines seem unrelated, read on. And find out why her boyfriend digs her data smarts.

I looked online and spoke with others. It came down to a large traditional university, some in-state university programs and SNHU. I chose SNHU for the flexibility, the price and the caliber. It really stood out as the best option.

A Q

Though you’re not yet through the program, how are your new data analytics skills coming into play at work?

A In the past, I relied on intuition. Now, data models learned in class let me put proof to what would be otherwise hard to validate. I also participate more intelligently in conversations with colleagues, many of whom have a data background.

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Though you’re not yet through the proMost of myhow family members aredata businesspeople, gram, are your new analytics and my skills academic strength has always coming into play at work? been in math. So I combined business and math and decided to major in finance as an Are youThere partare of acommonalities new data undergraduate. trend, or just joining the such party? between finance and data analytics, as

Q

Q A Data analytics is definitely a trend within a certain professional generation. For good reason.

When you can produce something meaningful backed by numbers, it’s helpful in proving your work’s value and giving others insight — especially when you’re talking about ROI or how to get from point A to point B.

Q When did you develop a love for numbers?

A I hadn’t thought of myself as a number person until realized how much I enjoyed it. I DID take two AP math classes at once in high school, so I guess that was my first clue. But my bachelor’s degree is unrelated. I studied youth at risk, human development and crisis intervention. From there, I jumped straight into a legal career.

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Q Any advice for students just starting an education?

A Look at your path from a few different perspectives. Take what you know you enjoy, then look at what degrees lead to opportunities.

Q Do you use data analytics in your non-professional life?

A I’m fascinated by the idea of diving deep into sensitive data. My boyfriend… he does a lot with trending. So we have geek talk together, mostly with respect to cyber security.

Q How many thumbs-up would you give the program?

A Several! I really am enjoying it.

Work can get in the way a little, and there’s not a lot I can do to stop that.

But my professors are incredibly accommodating and respectful of “the juggle” we do to better ourselves.

13

Student Interview

Q What attracted you to your first career as a financial analyst?

What are some commonalities with data analytics?

A

CHRISTIAN WILLARD Christian Willard proves that a 15-year career as a financial analyst can remarkably morph into a very successful second act in data analytics. Here, he explains how important it is to trend-watch and keep one eye on the future. His favorite superhero is Iron Man. “Tony Stark is a STEM guy too!”

Most of my family members are businesspeople, and my academic strength has always been in math.

So I combined business and math and decided to major in finance as an undergraduate. There are commonalities between finance and data analytics, such as spreadsheet modeling, analyzing data and presenting findings to stakeholders.

Q Where, specifically, did you turn for career advice when you realized you needed to reinvent your career?

A I had done extensive research on in-demand skillsets, most of which were STEM-related. Since I was already 15 years into my career I didn’t want to start all over again.

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Most of my family members are businesspeople, and my academic strength has always been in math. So I combined business and math and decided to major in finance as an One day, while conducting undergraduate. There are commonalities research, I came across the field between finance and data analytics, such as of data analytics and it quickly became apparent that this was a great option for me. I could transition into a new field without start from scratch, and Thoughhaving you’retonot yet through the proit also happened todata be in analytics high gram, how are your new demand, perfect skills comingwhich into was playaat work? combination for my situation.

Q

A Q You are living proof that the number of degrees — two, in your case — doesn’t always trump their relevance in the real world. How would you advise an undergraduate to plan his or her education for the road ahead?

A Look at the current state of employment. Research what skill sets are in high demand – and forecasted to remain so. Then, look at a degree from a return on investment (ROI) standpoint. A degree that is relatively inexpensive and is in high demand should, in theory, deliver a lucrative ROI for the student.

www.snhu.edu

“Add the pay increase, bonus and benefits of my new career and I may recoup the cost of the SNHU program within one year.”

Q Now you build cyber-crime models. What does it feel like to save the world?

A Solving an ever-growing real-world problem with the data analytics program is a real thrill. Every time the media reports on another data breach in a major organization, and every time I see a TV commercial on the importance of information security, I can say that what I do every day contributes to that effort.

Because of that, my job satisfaction is the highest it has ever been.

Q How is your command of data analytics used in your non-work life?

A Well, the benefits and nice salary of my new job provide great security and comfort. I’m also better at managing personal finances through spreadsheets.

And being a huge sports fan, I’ve been able to use my newfound analytics skills to better understand sports and predict outcomes in fantasy sports leagues!

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WHERE THE STEM JOBS ARE (And Who’s Hiring SNHU Grads)

Are your sights set on a booming STEM career track, like cyber security or data analytics? Or do you just want to expand your math or IT skill set (and your income potential with it)? Either way, job markets across the country show solid prospects for years to come.* Ditto for your access to those jobs as an SNHU student. In the past year, we’ve helped place SNHU grads in every hardworking corner of the country, from well-established tech hubs like Boston and San Francisco to emerging hot spots in Austin, TX, Raleigh, NC, and Jacksonville, FL. Learn more about SNHU Career Services. *Source: Forbes

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Largest ST

Interm

S

TEM Job Markets

WHO’S HIRING SNHU?

mediate Markets

Smaller Markets

Every day, more and more of today’s top employers are turning to SNHU for STEM-savvy grads. Here’s a short list of the private and public sector companies that have hired recent SNHU grads for STEM jobs.

Apple, Inc. BAE Systems Bechtel Corporation Cisco Systems, Inc. Citigroup Dana-Farber Cancer Institute Fisher Controls General Dynamics Genesis Healthcare IBM Intel Corporation John Hancock JP Morgan Chase & Co. Land O’Lakes, Inc. Liberty Mutual Group, Inc. Medtronic Microsoft Oracle Pfizer, Inc. Tufts University U.S. Department of Defense United States Navy University of California-Irvine Vanguard Verizon

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Vistaprint

17

STEM Advisory Council Member Interview

JOHN ROSE John Rose is a veteran executive of the high-tech industry who’s turned around business units at Fujitsu, Compaq and Digital Equipment Corporation. He’s also an entrepreneur who helped launch more than 20 startups, including his latest venture, DreamFund.com.

As a member of our STEM Advisory Council, he lends his vast IT industry insights to help spot trends, identify market needs and create new degree programs. In his spare time, he raises horses on a farm in Pepperell, MA. His favorite gadget is his mini iPad, which he uses for “low-volume stuff.” His Windows-based laptop is his workhorse.

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Q

So, let’s go back to the beginning – 1976, when you joined Digital Equipment Corporation. What was life in high-tech like back then?

What got you into it?

A

I was at DEC during the era of minicomputers and mainframes, when desktop computing was in its infancy. I actually started out at IBM. I was fresh out of business school, had never had an engineering or computer class, just business math and one science class…but I had the business aptitude. So I did a six-month intensive in computer programming and they put me to work on mainframe development.

I went up the management chain from there and then went on to DEC as a software quality manager before moving on to strategic planning.

In ’92, I left DEC and went to Compaq (now Hewlett-Packard) as a senior officer where I started their consumer business (PCs and desktops) and created enterprise-wide systems. In ’97, I led Compaq’s acquisition of Tandem Computing and in ’98, we acquired DEC. From there, I went on to chair Fujitsu, made over 13 acquisitions and got involved with a lot of startups.

Q

Wow, you’ve had quite a run during a pivotal time in the industry. So tell us, how has technology and the STEM field in particular changed over the years? Do you see any trends in terms of careers or industries?

What STEM skills do you see as vital for non-STEM careers?

A

STEM has always been important to me, and it’s critical to so many types of businesses today. You see it in outsourcing services

like call centers where they need as many STEM grads as customer service agents. STEM plays a role throughout the operation – for service, products, business processes and so on. And not just technology. Math is key to understanding statistics like rates of calls and response metrics. These days, you see a big need in cloud computing, too. It’s been amazing to see the growth in the STEM area. It’s been heating up for the last 10 years and continues to grow exponentially.

About our Advisory Council The SNHU STEM Advisory Council is a sounding board that provides real-world feedback. The five members of the council serve as strategic partners who help identify gaps and opportunities in our portfolio and connect SNHU to other industry leaders.

They also help ensure the quality and integrity of SNHU’s academic programs. The council meets semiannually to discuss current programs and brainstorm ideas for the future.

From there, it makes short- and long-term strategic planning recommendations, which are subsequently explored, developed and presented for approval. You can see the latest examples of the advisory council’s efforts on pages 24-29 of this issue.

Q A

You’re on the SNHU STEM Advisory Council. What do you see as your role on the council?

What’s your specific expertise?

I’ve been on SNHU’s STEM Advisory Council for three years. There are five members total. I bring my background in the high-tech industry, my work with startups and my business and technology perspective. We spend a lot of time anticipating demand and identifying areas for new degree programs or specializations. It takes time to develop new programs, especially in areas where you need a lab component. It’s been amazing to see the growth in the school and the STEM area in particular.

www.snhu.edu

Q A

What’s the next big wave in STEM? Cyber security will continue to be a booming area, but there are critical STEM needs in every industry with lots of opportunities for people to advance.

Crowdfunding and social savings are also big now – a $10 billion market segment that will be $500 billion in the next 10 years. DreamFund.com is this type of venture. It lets people set up trusts on their own or set up a cause, a dream, then leverage that dream across all social networks. Dreams are powerful things. They can help raise funds for a good cause. They can spark people to create a startup. They can motivate you to earn a degree.

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Be

aker

TOOL

TALK

Hands-on learning tools and real-world experiences for the online classroom

The fundamentals of online learning are “read, write, respond.” But for many students, especially in STEM programs, that’s no longer enough: They want hands-on and interactive experiences that teach the skills required in their field.

Salsa

Ke

tchup

At SNHU, course designers are incorporating a variety of interactive media, software and practical tools — from the simple to the sophisticated — into online courses. And the palette of tools is growing rapidly. Science students now get a complete lab-in-abox mailed to them at home so they can perform real experiments. Nursing students use video game-like software to evaluate virtual patients. Even business students run competing companies in a multiplayer game.

A key aspect of science is experimentation, so chemistry sets, robots and other interactive tools are essential in STEM classes, says Angela Foss, associate dean of STEM programs.

As she talks, Foss makes a small robot travel in circles on a tabletop by typing commands into her laptop. The Finch robot, shaped like a manta ray on wheels, costs less than $100 and has sensors for light, temperature and obstacles, a penholder for writing, an accelerometer and buzzer, a tail it can stand on and a glowing nose that changes colors. Students taking robotics (IT 209) learn how to control the robot by writing code in SNAP and Java, but the robot also supports more than a dozen programming languages and invites students to keep experimenting.

PH

Te

st

er

– Angela Foss

Students studying chemistry, physics, biology and geology get lab-in-a-box kits mailed to their homes. The kits are customized to SNHU’s curriculum, and course design experts try to keep the cost under $100, so they’re affordable.

Instructor Fred Bernardin piloted the chemistry lab last spring, first practicing all the experiments himself and taking pictures of important steps to post in Blackboard. For cost and safety reasons, he decided to eliminate an experiment that involved an open flame, but all the chemicals in the kit are safe.

“You’d really have to work hard to get any explosions.”

– Fred Bernardin

Students test and compare the acidity of ketchup and salsa, use a homemade

www.snhu.edu

in

DO TRY THIS AT HOME

Environmental science student Scott Malusi, 44, of Shepherd, MI, is already an environmental technician with an associate degree in chemistry from a community college. He was impressed with the chemistry kit, which contains a lot of the same equipment he uses at work. Real experiments give students invaluable experience – even when they don’t go as planned, says Malusi, who is now taking the biology class and lab.

Measur

“Students purchase this like they would purchase a textbook and get it in the mail. They can go beyond what is taught in the course, if they want – and it’s theirs to keep.”

calorimeter to test the heat capacity of different metals, and make the volume of gasses expand and shrink.

g

Recently Malusi was supposed to compare the rate of yeast growth on five different sweeteners by trapping and measuring the gas given off, but two of his yeast colonies grew so fast they overflowed their test tubes – and the gas escaped.

“With a lot of labs, they don’t always go exactly as it’s written out. That’s part of what teaches you critical thinking – you have to figure out what went wrong.”

– Scott Malusi

When students have problems with a lab, Bernardin says he supplies

21

Spoo

ns

them with sample data so they still have something to analyze and can complete the module.

“We recognize that not everything’s going to go perfectly for you. The important thing is to get the connections and the understanding,” says Bernardin, who is helping develop the physics lab-in-a-box, debuting this fall.

CRASH THE NETWORK Another exciting new tool enables network security students in IT 320 to run real processes on a virtual computer network, custom-designed by an SNHU expert and hosted by a software company. Students learn how to configure and optimize the virtual network, run diagnostic tests, build a firewall, detect intrusions, ensure the security of wireless connections and more.

When a good STEM tool doesn’t exist, subject matter experts often design one. For a class in building mobile apps, an expert created an empty template: Its base code acts like a building foundation, with the design of the building left up to each student. Experts also design “case studies” on the fly.

For example, in a class on building web services, experts built a sample database and other simulated web services that the students’ web services could interact with.

IT, data analytics and math students also use virtual desktops that provide programming or computational software. That saves students a bundle of money because they don’t have to buy multiple, expensive applications – just a code that gives them access to the desktop. It also saves tech support from having to troubleshoot software installation for thousands of students using a wide range of computers.

“Students get a consistent experience and faculty can easily support what they’re doing.”

– Angela Foss

22

STAND IT

Accelerometer USB Power Temperature Sensor

LIGHT IT

Obstacle Detection System

Light Sensor

SPIN IT *Based on the results so far and the feedback from students and instructors alike, it’s unanimous: hands-on and interactive tools are the key to learning the skills needed to succeed in the workplace.

www.snhu.edu

23

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Cyberspace. For almost every strategy to secure it, there are illicit forces striving to unlock it. This paradox isn’t going to change anytime soon. Look at the numbers: 1.5 million cyber crimes, or $525 million in known losses, are reported a year. Note: “reported.” How many went undetected?

But what’s bad for business can be a boon for the job market. Jobs in cyber security are exploding.

Last February, for example, the Labor Department reported that the U.S. economy added 175,000 jobs, citing the most growth in the professional services sector, which includes technology jobs.

According to a Burning Glass Technologies report, 38 percent of those jobs were cyber security positions.

“These postings are growing twice as fast as IT jobs overall, and now represent 10 percent of all IT job postings,” the report said. Further, the average salary for these jobs is $93,028. The average salary for all IT job postings is $77,642.

24

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Let’s be clear. Cyber security jobs are not falling off trees. Despite enormous demand, they’re hard gigs to get and take 24 percent longer to fill — 45 days as opposed to 36 days for other IT jobs. Why? Employers look for degrees and experience.

Southern New Hampshire University’s new online Master of Science in Cyber security positions students to take off in this exciting, high-demand industry.

Cyber security majors learn how to quell threats and maintain public confidence from faculty who have done it in real life using the most up-to-date techniques and systems.

To learn more about SNHU’s MS in Cyber Security, BS in Information Technology Cyber Security, and the MS in Information Technology - Information Security, or to apply, contact SNHU today.

www.snhu.edu

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WHERE THE JOBS ARE: 1

Washington, DC Area — 27,000+

2

New York — 17,000+

3

San Francisco/Bay Area — 13,000+

4

Chicago — 9,000+

5

Dallas — 8,000+

Two-thirds of cyber security job postings require four years of experience 84% look for at least a bachelor’s degree About half of all cyber security job listings request at least one professional certification, such as Certified Information System Security Professional (CISSP), Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA), Certified Information Security Manager (Security+) and Certified Information Security Manager (CISM)

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GIVE YOUR CAREER THE IT EDGE Cyber security is the new “it” profession. Add an IT slant, and you have the killer app of careers.

While undergrads are choosing cyber security with an IT concentration for the promise of high pay that trendwatchers tout, more and more IT working professionals are pushing pause mid-career to add a cyber security degree to their toolbox. In a recent article, Baseline, a technology journal, says these four professions are particularly conveyable

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to a career in cyber security with an IT concentration: Telecommunications, Programming, Cloud Storage and Database. It only makes sense. In order to protect a company’s crown jewels — its data — you need to fundamentally understand how information flows.

At schools like Southern New Hampshire University, the cyber security path has high traffic.

Our master’s in cyber security with a concentration in IT management is one of the fastest-growing STEM programs. It focuses on network management and security, knowledge management and web fundamentals, then dives deep into varying aspects of information technology,

including the relationships between structure and process in project management and the management of IT functions within an organization. It also covers enterprise resource planning and cyber law and ethics.

It’s the whole package. And because it’s 100% online, it’s ideally suited to those looking to reinvent their career — by choice or necessity.

Learn more about SNHU’s MS in Cyber Security with a concentration in IT Management or apply today.

THE NEXT BIG THING IN APPS: BIG THINGS 2014 was the year — the year mobile devices outnumbered desktops and laptops combined. With the world using mobile as the main source for Internet access, apps now number over 1.2 million at both Apple and Google.

So now what? Some say the new frontier is apps that make devices interact with one another (interoperability).

www.snhu.edu

Programmers get giddy about the next generation of tools — those that don’t require coding from scratch.

Businesses, meanwhile, brace for the sheer horsepower of new apps that will make difficult tasks a cinch.

It’s an exciting new era for software application development. Students are flocking to this field.

At Southern New Hampshire University, the new MS in Information Technology with a concentration in Software Application Development is a popular choice that marries creativity with exceptional IT skills.

The program teaches management of the entire development process — beginning with customer need, designing the program, then instructing the programmers who write computer code and test it.

Students also learn how to make sure the app works as expected and when to go back to the drawing board.

What happens when the app is released? You master how to conduct routine maintenance and perform regular upgrades.

Learn more about SNHU’s MS in Information Technology with a concentration in Software Application Development or apply today.

According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, the demand for software application developers should grow 23% through 2022, much higher than average.

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DATA:

Diversity

AHEAD

Imagine you are a database. Each year, there are roughly 20% more demands on you. Most of your tasks are still performed manually. There are cumbersome new compliance issues. And, as databases become more virtualized, you need more stringent and time-consuming testing. In addition, two-thirds of all organizations want and need more databases just like you.

prepare students for this vibrant database management future.

The writing’s on the wall. Database managers will need to work faster and smarter than ever before, and speak languages like “Oracle” fluently.

The new BS from SNHU covers how to address such issues and assess data used on the web and within internal business systems, how to write programs, analyze and mine for data, and how to perform standard database administration techniques, including installation, performance monitoring, backup and recovery.

Fortunately, schools like Southern New Hampshire University offer programs like the online bachelor’s in information technology with a concentration in database administration to

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How do you maximize the effect data can have on a company or organization? How do you evaluate and assess organization and storage techniques? How can locating data be more efficient and effective?

The program also features classes with Oracle Academy course content to help prepare you for the Oracle Database 11g Administrator Certification and career opportunities that average over $77k a year.* So when you enter a database management job market that’s expected to increase by 15% through 2022, your resume will rise to the top.

SERVICEMEMBER OR VETERAN? WT3 CAN HELP. This year, Southern New Hampshire University launched the Warrior Transition Technology Training (WT3) initiative as a partnership with WT3, a Massachusetts nonprofit dedicated to training

www.snhu.edu

veterans and placing them in high-paying, entry-level IT jobs with Fortune 1000 companies. Corporations get highly qualified employees. Transitioning veterans get the support they need to launch rewarding careers.

And SNHU gets the rewards of repaying our country’s servicemen and women.

If you’re in your last year of service or a recently transitioning veteran who needs a job — or a better job — learn more about the WT3 program today.

Learn more about SNHU’s BS in Information Technology with a concentration in Database Management or apply today.

*Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Outlook Handbook

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