Kate Leelaporn
Decision Support Solution Analyst, Acxiom Corp. in Conway

Age: 24
High school: New Glarus High School (New Glarus, Wis.)
College: Arkansas Tech University
Major: Computer Science

What’s the greatest thing about your industry; why should students consider it? It’s the most exciting industry of the decade, and it continues to grow. There are diverse career paths that you could pursue, as technology is being used everywhere — in every industry.

How easy was it for you to get a job in your industry? Acxiom was one of the first places I applied. I looked at their website to see job postings, contacted the recruiter…and then submitted my application. I got the job and joined the team!

What is your job like? I do programming, research problems, do data analysis, recommend solutions, perform tests, learn new tools and software, and document everything. It’s a very dynamic role.

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
Why it’s hot: The U.S. Department of Labor projects that by 2018 there will be more than 2.7 million job openings in science, technology and engineering. This growth is credited to the ever-increasing need for new technologies among consumers and businesses across all industries.

Try majoring in: Computer Science, Engineering, Mathematics, Accounting

Jobs you can get: Computer support specialist, software developer, database administrator, information systems manager, actuary

What’s the pay: Yearly salaries in Arkansas in the computer technology industry average $63,070 for computer systems analysts, $73,550 for software developers and $102,670 for information systems managers. Actuaries and engineers in different fields averaged salaries above $70,000.