When we think of careers in technology our first thoughts almost inevitably jump to fancy programming-based positions with tech companies in Silicon Valley. Although this certainly qualifies as a tech job down to its core, it hardly encompasses the majority. In fact, decent paying tech jobs can be found in almost any industry these days.
Some of the least thought of tech jobs are those that are hidden behind the scenes of some of the most traditional positions out there. For instance, police officers, counselors, and doctors all have increasingly technical careers. So much so in fact that some now even hire individuals specifically with technical degrees.
Tech in Criminal Justice
Within the field of criminal justice technology is having a growing impact in solving and preventing crime on multiple fronts. For instance, developments such as new fingerprinting technology have reduced errors profoundly. And more and more frequently, government law enforcement is hiring cyber security professionals to deter a new, and incredibly serious wave of criminals.
In addition crime mapping technology has become a major player in helping reduce crime through predictive analysis. Crime mapping works by allowing analysts to plot the location of crimes and overlay them on neighborhoods. They can then query by different areas of interest such as type of crime, time of day, demographic of perpetrator, etc. This information can then be used to predict the likelihood of an incident throughout cities, which allows for better placement of officers for a rapid response.
Tech in Counseling
The realm of social work and counseling as also largely adopted technology to help with day to day tasks that improve the quality of care. For example, nowadays many social workers are using social media to directly engage with their clients. Doing so enables them to connect more frequently, and understand certain aspects of client lives with more clarity, which can be a powerful tool.
They are also utilizing apps more and more to help with certain aspects of work such as client data organization and references to specific material. Furthermore, counselors are recommending apps to their clients that are designed to help manage stress or keep track of specific trigger situations that can be discussed during the next session. In many ways, technology has helped to bring greater accountability to both patients and counselors.
Tech in Healthcare
Healthcare is another industry that has greatly benefitted from major advances in technology, and that now hires many technological experts to help implement these advances. For example, many of us have heard of electronic health records. This tech was developed to help doctors and health administrators keep patient health information organized, up to date, and easily accessible to the many health departments that need it for check-ups, prescription fills, and billing.
Tech in healthcare has also opened a wide door for innovations with big data. Big data is already playing a massive role in healthcare through initiatives such as personalized medicine or the tracking of chronic disease outbreaks. Some of this big data technology has even come into the hands of patients through the development of personal health devices such as FitBits which allow individuals to collect and track their own personal health information over time.
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Technology advancements have not only made an impact on Silicon Valley, but also upon numerous other industries. These developments have in many ways worked to make our lives better, and have spurred the demand for professionals with an understanding of technology and how to best implement it. Criminal justice, counseling, and healthcare are just a few examples of industries that are looking for tech experts – what others are out there?
