Experience Requirements Overview

  • Job Zone Three: Medium Preparation Needed
  • Previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for these occupations. For example, an electrician must have completed three or four years of apprenticeship or several years of vocational training, and often must have passed a licensing exam, in order to perform the job.
  • Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.
  • Employees in these occupations usually need one or two years of training involving both on-the-job experience and informal training with experienced workers. A recognized apprenticeship program may be associated with these occupations.

Education, Training and Experience

Required Level of Education: Post-Secondary Certificate - awarded for training completed after high school (for example, in agriculture or natural resources, computer services, personal or culinary services, engineering technologies, healthcare, construction trades, mechanic and repair technologies, or precision production)

Related Work Experience: Over 1 year, up to and including 2 years

On-Site or In-Plant Training: Over 3 months, up to and including 6 months

On-the-Job Training: Over 3 months, up to and including 6 months

Detailed Work Activities

  • Collaborate with others to determine design specifications or details.
  • Recommend changes to improve computer or information systems.
  • Document technical specifications or requirements.
  • Test computer system operations to ensure proper functioning.
  • Coordinate project activities with other personnel or departments.

Work Values

Achievement

Occupations that satisfy this work value are results oriented and allow employees to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment. Corresponding needs are Ability Utilization and Achievement.

Working Conditions

Recognition

Relationships

Support

Independence

Tasks

  • Communicate with staff or clients to understand specific system requirements.
  • Investigate system component suitability for specified purposes, and make recommendations regarding component use.
  • Provide customers or installation teams guidelines for implementing secure systems.
  • Direct the analysis, development, and operation of complete computer systems.
  • Direct the installation of operating systems, network or application software, or computer or network hardware.
  • Monitor system operation to detect potential problems.
  • Identify system data, hardware, or software components required to meet user needs.
  • Perform ongoing hardware and software maintenance operations, including installing or upgrading hardware or software.
  • Verify stability, interoperability, portability, security, or scalability of system architecture.
  • Research, test, or verify proper functioning of software patches and fixes.
  • Configure servers to meet functional specifications.
  • Collaborate with engineers or software developers to select appropriate design solutions or ensure the compatibility of system components.
  • Design and conduct hardware or software tests.
  • Evaluate existing systems to determine effectiveness, and suggest changes to meet organizational requirements.
  • Document design specifications, installation instructions, and other system-related information.
  • Perform security analyses of developed or packaged software components.
  • Provide technical guidance or support for the development or troubleshooting of systems.
  • Define and analyze objectives, scope, issues, or organizational impact of information systems.
  • Establish functional or system standards to address operational requirements, quality requirements, and design constraints.
  • Develop system engineering, software engineering, system integration, or distributed system architectures.
  • Provide advice on project costs, design concepts, or design changes.
  • Evaluate current or emerging technologies to consider factors such as cost, portability, compatibility, or usability.
  • Develop or approve project plans, schedules, or budgets.
  • Communicate project information through presentations, technical reports, or white papers.
  • Train system users in system operation or maintenance.
  • Complete models and simulations, using manual or automated tools, to analyze or predict system performance under different operating conditions.
  • Develop efficient and effective system controllers.
  • Develop application-specific software.

Work Styles

Achievement/Effort

Job requires establishing and maintaining personally challenging achievement goals and exerting effort toward mastering tasks.

Persistence

Initiative

Leadership

Cooperation

Concern for Others

Social Orientation

Self-Control

Stress Tolerance

Adaptability/Flexibility

Dependability

Attention to Detail

Integrity

Independence

Innovation

Analytical Thinking

Data Source: This page includes information from the O*NET 28.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. This page includes Employment Projections program, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.