Career Opportunities with a Major in Technical Communications
Many jobs require a college educated individual. College graduates can use their education in a wide variety of occupations.
Individuals with a Technical Communications major are prepared to write, edit and publish a wide variety of reports, manuals, and other technical or lay publications produced by industry and government. Other career options are managing the flow of information within a company, government agency, or between industries and agencies; and designing and implementing internal training programs, and providing technical information through visual media.
Each area of emphasis offers training in one or more of the communications areas that are most in demand by industry and government. The technical writing and editing emphasis prepares students to write, edit and publish a wide variety of reports, manuals, and other technical publications produced by industry and government. The corporate communications emphasis is designed for students who will manage the flow of information within a company or government agency, or between industries and agencies. The technical media empahsis teaches students how to write, design, and produce media programs for the corporate, government, and cable sectors and focuses on the production of visual media that communicates technical information to a variety of audiences.
Graduates of the program are employed with a variety of companies, including: Media Lab; National Center for Atmospheric Research; Qwest; Lockheed Martin; Telecommunications, Inc.; Waxman's; IBM; CH2MHill; Quark; StorageTek Corporation; Valley Labs, Inc.; Columbia Swedish Medical Center; Colorado Alliance of Research Libraries (CARL); Hewlett-Packard; and CU Health Sciences Center.
SKILLS RELATED TO TECHNICAL COMMUNICATIONS
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Ability to read and write articulately and analytically
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Attention to detail
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Aptitude for researching material of a technical nature
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Ability to work well under pressure
The following list is a representative sample of job titles for individuals with a Technical Communications major. The list represents some, but certainly not all, careers which Technical Communications majors may consider.
Some of these jobs also require education beyond a bachelor's degree.
| Advertising Worker | Announcer, TV/radio | Annual Report Writer |
| Author | Communications Lawyer | Communications Manager |
| Corporate Animator | Corporate Communicator | Coporate Information Officer |
| Corporate Media Specialist | Corporate Scriptwriter | CPA |
| Digital Video Editor | Freelance Writer | Grant / Proposal Writer |
| Hardware Manual Writer | Indexer | Journalist |
| Multimedia Producer | Networking Officer | On-Line Media Producer |
| On-Line Writer | Personnel / Human Resource Manager | Procedures Manual Writer |
| Publications Officer | Publisher | Recruiter |
| Research Assistant | Script Writer | Software Manual Writer |
| Sound Technician | Specifications Writer | Teacher |
| Technical Communicator | Technical Editor | Technical Translator |
| Technical Writer | Videographer | Videotape Producer |
| Virtual Reality Designer | Visual Media Producer | Webmaster |
EMPLOYERS IN TECHNICAL COMMUNICATIONS
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Advertising Agencies
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Colleges/Universities
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Government
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Publishing Firms
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Research Labatories
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Technical Journals
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Telecommunications Companies
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Television Stations
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Web Design Companies
WEB SITES RELATED TO TECHNICAL COMMUNICATIONS
Metro State Department of Technical Communications Website
PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS IN THIS FIELD
The above information is collected from alumni surveys of numerous colleges, professional associations, and multiple print and online resources.
