The Creative ClassShe blinded me with computer science ...

In his book The Rise of the Creative Class, one of the groups Richard Florida writes about is the well educated hip, young, tech savvy professionals that have been driving the dot com and tech economy since the mid-90s. While much of the dot com boom was a bomb, there is still limitless potential in computer related fields. In some ways you have to be lucky, in the right place at the right time. But to put yourself in that place, getting the right education is key.

With the increasing use of computers and the Internet, the demand for computer scientists has risen dramatically and looks set to continue. The depth and breadth of employment opportunities continues to expand in response to demand for computerized solutions. A multitude of subjects come under the general ' Computer Science' umbrella, which in itself is a misnomer as many of these subjects can be creative and artistic in nature.

In an review of the year ahead, IEEE Spectrum Online looks at Technology Trends for 2004 and says the tech sector is turning around. Here is an excerpt ...

Biomolecular engineering is hot, the tech sector is turning around, and the United States will continue to dominate high-tech R&D in the coming decade. So say the IEEE Fellows in the second annual 2004 IEEE Technology Leaders Survey.The subjects from which to choose from within the Computer Science field can vary to suit virtually every personal taste and skill set. While all prospective students will need to be reasonably computer literate, possessing an expert level of knowledge is not a requirement.

CIO Magazine agrees that the boom is not over, and that even though many IT jobs have left the country for places like India, the U.S. will still be on top especially in high-level strategy, design and implementation. Here is a portion of the article, which points to the limitless sky (and wide variety of work locations ... all you need to be is linked up).

By the year 2010, Intel CIO Doug Busch envisions himself managing an IT staff that's all over the map, literally. Not only will his employees be working in places ranging from Rio Rancho, N.M., to Parsippany, N.J., in the United States, they'll also reside in Beijing, Leixlip, Haifa, Penang and a host of other locations Busch has never even been to. Each spot will specialize in a particular area of expertise for the company's IT department-call centers in Manila, business analysis at company headquarters in Santa Clara, application development in Mumbai. And a full roster of career opportunities-from entry level to senior leadership-will exist at each and every location.Those that want to express themselves creatively can choose from a number of design courses such as Computer Aided Design (CAD), Graphic Design, Computer Game Design, Computer animation, Web Design, or Multimedia Development for example. For those who are more interested in the technical aspects there is Computer Programming, Network Engineering and Systems, Computer Analyst, IT Security, Robotics, Military Applications, Cryptanalyst, and Software Development to name but a few.

In addition, most of these roles need to be managed within organizations, so if your skill set lies more on the organizational side then some of the following might appeal: Computer Systems Manager, Computer Systems Officer (Military), Computing Services Manager, or even Cyber Café Manager/Owner.

Here are a few schools which offer your standard computer science oriented degrees ...

ACCIS (American College of Computer and Information Sciences)
Clark University's Computer Career Institute
Westwood Online - Computer NetworksWestwood Online - Software EngineeringWestwood Online - Computer Network ManagementOn the creative side, there are many out there.

An article in Metropolis Magazine looks at the best case and worst case scenarios for the future and talks to a few hip urbanists, designers, etc.

Here are a few online programs I am aware of.

Art Institute Online has a Game Art and Design program.

Adult Education offers a course in Design.

Here is one from Thomson Education in Design.

Westwood Online offers one in Graphic Design & Multimedia, as well as one in Animation.