Why back-end engineering can be a potential course

Software engineers are in high demand in the present tech industry. They are the unsung heroes of the digital world. According to a study conducted by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, USA, the employment rate in software engineering is expected to increase by 22% by the year 2030. Most students who hold a b.tech degree in computer science of IT choose to become a back-end engineer. Back-end engineers are responsible for creating the structure of a software application.

Students or industry professionals who do not have a graduate degree in software engineering can also become back-end engineers. There are many boot camps and finishing schools that are offering a course in back-end engineering and making learners job-ready in this segment. People who were keen to make a career in the tech field but could not do so due to certain reasons can now avail this facility to fulfill their dreams.

Concerning this, let us look at the background of back-end engineering and the career opportunities it holds for us.

Career path towards back-end engineering

The curriculum of back-end engineering centers around coding and other machinations that makes the interface of a technology system operational. There are three main paths that aspiring back-end engineers can take to pursue their education - college degree, boot camps, and self-directed learning. Those who do not have relevant college degrees are left with two options only.

The advisable option here is to choose a boot camp, as they provide the opportunity to gain a set of job-ready programming skills through an accelerated curriculum.

Boot camps help solve the shortage of back-end developers by providing hands-on practical learning experience to their applicants irrespective of their educational background. They provide cohort-based learning and certification to their learners, which allows them to secure a good job. Few boot camps also provide pay-after-placement facilities to their learners to reduce the financial burden from them.

Big IT companies such as Infosys are actively hiring an upskilled non-IT workforce to bridge the talent gap in the industry. Learning back-end engineering can be challenging for many people, especially when they come from a non-engineering background. It requires dedication and hard work to learn this course for better career growth in future. The idea of switching your career can strike your mind at any age. The transition of non-IT professionals into core IT development is immensely high and is happening everywhere. Non-IT professionals have successfully secured a job in the IT sector with a pay hike of around 40%, after learning the required skill sets. So, if you are planning to change your career path, this is the right time to start.

(The author is the CEO and Co-Founder of FunctionUp)

What is back-end engineering?

Back-end engineering involves building, designing, and maintaining the server-side of a web application. It is primarily responsible for building the framework of a software application. Back-end engineers help in optimizing servers for better speed and stability, ensure the security of the web structure, generate reusable code libraries, and create data storage solutions.

They also write server scripts and Application Programming Interface (API) for front-end engineers and UX designers. The necessary skills required for a back-end engineer are proficiency in Java, PHP, Ruby, C+ and other coding languages.

Proper knowledge of database systems and software design is also required. Various platforms such as Uber and IRCTC employ back-end engineers to develop code or algorithms to make back-end tools operational for users.