With the diverse range of information, exposure and options available for high school students today, many have a clear notion of whether they want to pursue a career in technology and IT services or not. Which brings us to the question – what subjects one should focus on in Classes XI and XII that will be useful for a tech career.
Mathematics
“Pure mathematics is in its own way, the poetry of logical ideas” – Albert Einstein
Students often wonder how the difficult Math concepts that they study in high school will practically help them in real life. After all, we only need to know basic mathematical functions to pay bills and file taxes. Is the Pythagoras theorem really going to help us run a household and plan a career?
Well, one has to ‘think outside the box’ and ‘look at the bigger picture’ to understand that Mathematics ‘trains our mind’ to approach problem-solving in a logical manner. So, while trigonometry won’t help you pay your taxes in the future, it would have certainly nurtured your mind to be efficient and logical while solving problems. Closer to its alignment with tech careers, most IT roles require us to problem-solve in an efficient and quick manner. Barring exceptions, those with a solid foundation and interest in Mathematics typically do well in developer and analyst roles which require critical problem-solving skills. So, those interested in tech careers would benefit from focusing on Mathematics in high school at least to the level of being thorough with the syllabus of their high school course requirements
Computer Science
“Computer Science is the operation system for all innovation” – Steve Ballmer
Passion for computer science will certainly hold someone who is interested in a tech career in good stead. It’s always a good idea to approach this subject with interest rather than looking at it as an income-generation option alone. Build your fundamental knowledge of software engineering in high school so that you have a strong knowledge base to build upon in the future. Do not restrict yourself to the Computer Science topics covered in your high school syllabus and browse the Internet including online learning modules to challenge yourself in the areas that interest you. Better still, spend your free time creating apps, writing simple code and participating in high school hackathons to take your passion for computer science further. Observe the world around, including the lifestyles of people you know. What are the problems you see that you believe technology has an answer to? Can you code to provide a solution toward this? Build a curious mindset and train your mind to better the world through technology.
English & Languages
“Without language, one cannot talk to people and understand them; one cannot share their hopes and aspirations, grasp their history, appreciate their poetry, or savor their songs.” – Nelson Mandela
While science-based subjects like Physics and Chemistry are also important to gain a deeper level of understanding of the mechanical and intrinsic aspect of the world we live in, there is no denying the importance of focusing on English and language courses during your high school. Typically, many take this course lightly with the belief that it is sufficient to be good in Science alone to succeed in a tech career. This is a misconception which needs to be addressed with a genuine interest from you to improve your communication skills. With the exception of rare geniuses, it will be difficult for you to express your talent or make your mark in the world with sloppy communication skills.
Once you enter a college or an early career program like HCL TechBee, your communication and presentation skills will enable you to stand out positively in a crowd. Even if your career is focused purely on tech coding, you will have to write e-mails, take part in team calls, write reports and present your work – all of which requires good English communication skills. Your High School English course will also expose you to art, prose, poetry – subjects that will expand your mind and improve your soft skills. Whether it is your English course or your second-language course, focus on getting the best out of the meaning of the content rather that treating it as a course requirement you must finish.
Looking Beyond High School
Are you a tech enthusiast looking to enroll yourself in a program that tells you exactly what to focus on after high school? HCL TechBee is an organized, holistic program early-career program that is guaranteed to help you make your mark in the tech world and plan your future. Our program eligibility criteria ensures that opportunities are available for a wide variety of students from different backgrounds who are looking for a systematic way to plan their future.
