新兴行业－electronic forensic

同事的儿子跑到Vermont一个college去读electronic forensic专业。听着挺有意思。好象就业一点问题没有。很多人进了警察局。有点象24里Jack Power他们在局里support的人做的那些。
上网查了点资料给大家。也是喜欢计算机的孩子的一个选择吧。

Computer forensics is a relatively new career field. The advent of electronic communications over the past couple decades, and subsequent hacking, security and criminal activity issues, have spawned a field ripe for trained private security and law enforcement personnel. Because very few colleges and universities offer degrees, the nascent computer forensics field draws personnel from among the ranks of law enforcement veterans, people with college educations related to computers and information technology, and workers with security, accounting and IT backgrounds.

1. Education/Certifications

   • There are only a few colleges and universities that offer computer forensics degrees, although increasing numbers are adding curriculums each year to meet demand. Online sites also exist for obtaining associate, bachelor's, master's and even doctoral degrees. Certificate programs are available through many community colleges, normally lasting 18 to 24 months. Many firms look for candidates with degrees in accounting, information technology or IT security or cyber security. They then provide hands-on training or additional education specific to their own company's requirements.

   Experience

   • A combination of formal education and work experience ensures the best starting salary for computer forensics specialists. Law enforcement officials, especially those with computer skills, are ideal candidates for computer forensics careers, as are IT security workers, military computer and IT veterans, and anyone with investigative backgrounds. Accountants are in demand for financial fraud forensics positions. People experienced in employee security for private companies also are good prospects. Depending on your employer, starting salaries for computer forensics specialists can range from $50,000 to $100,000 a year. Security clearances sometimes are necessary, so criminal background checks are standard. Knowledge of certain software programs--Encase, FTK, iLook, Paraben, Drive Prophet, WinHex and Helix--are mentioned in job listings and are also important.

   Employer Type

   • The highest-paying computer forensic jobs, including entry-level positions, are in private firms that contract with government agencies. These types of positions often are lumped in with government jobs when determining salary rates for different employer types. But true government jobs--working directly as an employee for law enforcement or other agencies--do not pay as well as private firms. It's not surprising that the Washington, D.C. area (including suburban Virginia) has a high concentration of high-paying computer forensics positions available for qualified candidates. Law enforcement officers and military personnel involved in computer forensics normally will be limited by pay scales and union contracts, as will many others working directly for government entities like schools or municipal agencies. Civilian working under government contracts will earn more, typically $50,000 to $75,000, although six-figure salaries are not uncommon for experienced investigators. These same types of salaries exist in the private sector for entry-level positions, but experience can increase a computer forensic specialist's salary much more quickly than working for the government. Consultants, members of private investigative teams and computer forensic managers and administrators all can earn $100,000 or more, with partners earning even higher salaries.

   Geography

   • Aside from Washington, D.C.--where the average salary for experienced computer forensic professionals tops $100,00--other large U.S. cities and metropolitan areas also offer the highest wages for computer forensic investigators. Boston's average salary is about $68,500. In Chicago, it's more than $64,000. Orlando, Florida is among the lowest-paying cities at only $38,000, according to Salary Expert. Typical East Coast and West Coast demographics also apply. Areas with high cost-of-living standards pay higher salaries.

   Outlook

   • The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that job growth for all investigative professionals will grow by about 22 percent through 2018, which is much more rapid than for other occupations. Computer forensics specialists can expect at least that much growth as electronic data storage and transmission rates continue to grow. Security personnel at private firms, schools, hospitals and other institutions also expect to increase computer investigative services and to more closely monitor employees who have access to sensitive electronic data.

 

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• 需要视觉忍耐度比较大 -adazheng- ♀ (0 bytes) () 10/30/2011 postreply 09:58:25