Database Specialists

High School

While you are in high school, take as many math, science, and computer classes as you can. These courses will provide you with the basis to develop your logical thinking skills and understanding of computers. Take electronics or other technical courses that will help you to develop your logical thinking abilities. You will also benefit from taking English classes, as you will need strong written and verbal communication skills.

Postsecondary Training

A bachelor's degree in computer science, management information systems, or another computer-related discipline is recommended as the minimum requirement for those wishing to work as database specialists. Some exceptions have been made for people without a degree but who have extensive experience in database administration. Taking this route to become a database specialist, however, is becoming increasingly rare. Most employers will expect you to have at least a four-year degree. Courses in a bachelor's degree program usually include data processing, systems analysis methods, more detailed software and hardware concepts, management principles, and information systems planning. To advance in the field, you will probably need to complete further education. Many businesses today, especially larger companies, prefer database managers to have a master's degree in computer science, management information systems, or business administration. Some companies offer to help with or pay for their employees' advanced education, so you may want to consider this possibility when looking for an entry-level job.

Certification

Many colleges and universities offer undergraduate and graduate certificate programs in data science, data architecture, and emerging fields such as artificial intelligence. Certificate programs typically last six months to a year and are available in online, in-person, and hybrid formats.

Other Education or Training

Keeping up with industry developments is key to success as a database specialist. Professional associations often provide continuing education (CE) opportunities. For example, the Association for Computing Machinery offer CE classes and webinars on big data, data management, data mining, data science, data warehousing, database design, and programming languages. DAMA International, IEEE Computer Society, and other associations also provide information technology–related classes and webinars. Contact these organizations for more information.