2173-NOC

Computer programmers and interactive media developers

(NOC 2174)
High opportunity occupation High opportunity occupation
Annual Earnings
$89,243
Typical Education Background
Degree
Job Openings
(2022-2032)
13,480

Career Overview

Computer programmers and interactive media developers design computer programs and write, edit, integrate and test computer code. Computer code is a step-by-step set of detailed and logical instructions that tell a computer to perform a task. It’s a language that uses numbers, letters and other symbols which become “words” that a computer understands. There are many programming languages, for example, Java and C++.

Duties

Computer programmers:

  • Design software programs and write code using a variety of computer languages for personal computers, mainframe and mobile software applications, information systems applications, operating systems-level software, and communications software
  • Edit, integrate and test the code to make sure that the program produces the expected result
  • Maintain existing computer programs by making changes, as required
  • Identify and communicate technical problems, processes and solutions
  • Prepare reports, manuals and other information on the status, operation and maintenance of software
  • Help collect and record user needs

Interactive media developers:

  • Program animation software to pre-set specifications for interactive forms of media, including video games and internet-based and mobile applications
  • Program special-effects software for film, television, video, online and mobile applications
  • Write, edit, integrate and test software code for e-commerce and other online and mobile applications
  • Help collect and record user needs

Computer programmers and interactive media developers may lead and co-ordinate teams. They may also research, review and recommend a variety of software products.

Depending on the organization, a computer programmer or interactive media developer may need to be able to “build.” This means to convert the source code into something that a computer can execute. In some companies, this might be a specialized team while in others, the developers would do this.

Earnings

Earnings is income that workers receive in exchange for their labour. Depending on the type of employment, earnings can be in the form of wages (hourly), salaries (fixed monthly or annual) or self-employed earnings.

Annual Earnings

$89,243

Provincial Hourly Rate

High$62.50/hr
Median$42.79/hr
Low$25.00/hr
Source: B.C. Labour Market Information Office, derived from 2022 Job Bank Wage data

Work Environment

# Workers Employed

12,800

% Employed Full Time

65%
Source: 2016 Census

People in this job work in the private and public sectors. This includes software development companies, information technology consulting firms, and in larger organizations, in information technology departments.

People in this field often work long hours to meet release dates or fix problems. Updating or testing code can be a long process that needs attention to detail, although many employers now use automated testing programs, which help in this area.

Computer programmers and interactive media developers spend many hours sitting at their computers. They must be careful to use safe work practices to avoid eye strain as well as stress on their back, neck and shoulders, and joint stress from keyboarding and mouse work.

Career Pathways

Individuals who start in this career may begin as a junior developer, at a help desk or in quality assurance (QA).

Some people in this career may oversee entire projects and supervise staff. With experience, they may move up to positions with more responsibility, such as computer systems analyst, information architect, information designer, multimedia designer or producer, technical architect, software engineer, team lead or team manager.

Those that have good business knowledge can go on to become the chief information officer or chief executive officer of a company in the software field. Some may choose to open their own company. There are many different career paths, depending on the person’s area of specialty.

Occupational Interests

It’s important to understand what kinds of occupations align with your interests.

For more about occupational interests visit Skills for the Future Workforce > Characteristics.

Here are the top occupational interest(s) for this career profile:

Investigative
Investigative
Conventional
Conventional

Job Titles

Developer, graphical user interface (GUI)
Developer, multimedia
Developer, multimedia / video games
Mobile applications developer
Programmer, computer
Programmer, EDP (electronic data procss'g)
Programmer, Java / visual basic
Programmer, multimedia
Programmer, operating systems
Programmer, satellite telecommunications
Programmer, scientific
Programmer, software / business app.
Programmer, teleprocessing software
Programmer-analyst

Education, Training and Skills

Generally, completion of a diploma or bachelor's degree in computer science or in another area with a programming component is required. Other requirements may include:

  • Specific post-secondary study or specialized experience in programming for engineering and scientific applications
  • Language-specific certification for computer programmers with specialized knowledge of a particular programming language(s)
  • Continual upgrading of technical skills, which may be paid for by employers

Experienced computer programmers and interactive media developers can apply for the Information Systems Professional (ISP) designation through Canada’s Association of Information Technology (IT) Professionals (CIPS).

Computer programmers and interactive media developers should be analytical, creative, patient and never want to give up on figuring out an issue. They should enjoy methodical and precise work and be good at solving problems. People in this career need to have a good understanding of computer hardware and software, as well as operating systems and computer languages. They should be interested in developing new software or other media.

People in this job need good communication skills to talk to people using the computer programs and software. They will also need to work with others in the company on projects or in meetings. Someone in this role needs to be able to clearly explain technical problems and solutions to a person who might not have a technical background.

Education programs in B.C.

The following program areas are related to this occupation:

  • Computer Information Systems/Science
  • Math/Statistics Related (Arts)
  • Computing Science/Systems Related
  • Math/Statistics (Science)
  • Information Technology Management
  • Pre-press/Desktop Publishing/Digital Imaging Design
  • Integrated/Multimedia
  • Web Technologies
EducationPlannerBC Logo
Find out more information about programs offered specifically for this career.

Skills

Every job calls for a certain set of skills. Knowing those skills is the first step in finding a good career fit.

Here, you will find the 10 most relevant workplace skills. Some are more important to achieving success in a certain career than others. These skills may come naturally to you or you may need to gain them through education, training and experience.

See the list of work-related skills below, ranked in order of importance for this career. Check out the list and see if this career matches your skills—take that first step!

Programming

Writing computer programs for various purposes.

73%
Reading Comprehension

Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.

68%
Critical Thinking

Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.

67%
Complex Problem Solving

Being able to solve novel, ill-defined problems in complex, real-world settings.

64%
Active Listening

Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.

62%
Judgment and Decision-Making

Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.

60%
Operations Analysis

Analyzing operational and product needs to create a design.

58%
Systems Analysis

Determining how a system should work and how changes in conditions, operations and the environment will affect outcomes.

55%
Active Learning

Understanding how new information could be used to solve current and future problems in making decisions.

55%
Systems Evaluation

Identifying measures or indicators of system performance and the actions needed to improve or correct performance, while meeting the goals of the system.

54%

Labour Market Statistics

Discover data, facts and information that have been gathered and analyzed. Learn about the characteristics of the economy and labour market in B.C.

Employment

Find out about employment types and trends by region and industry.

Employment

12,800
Source: 2016 Census

Employment by Region

Map of BC Map of Cariboo region Map of Kootenay region Map of Mainland/Southwest region Map of North Coast and Nechako region Map of Northeast region Map of Thompson-Okanagan region Map of Vancouver Island/Coast region
Cariboo
Kootenay
Mainland/Southwest
North Coast and Nechako
Northeast
Thompson-Okanagan
Vancouver Island/Coast
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Region Employment (2022) % Employment of this Occupation
Cariboo 110 0.5%
Kootenay 250 1.0%
Mainland/Southwest 17,820 79.4%
North Coast and Nechako N/A 0.1%
Northeast N/A 0.1%
Thompson-Okanagan 1,110 5.3%
Vancouver Island/Coast 2,360 13.6%
Source: 2016 Census and B.C. Labour Market Outlook

Labour Market Outlook

The B.C. Labour Market Outlook is a 10-year forecast of the expected supply and demand for labour in the province. It’s usually updated every year. The purpose is to provide British Columbians with the knowledge to make informed decisions on careers, skills training, education and hiring.

Forecasted Job Openings (2022-2032)

13,480
Source: B.C. Labour Market Outlook

Forecasted Job Openings

Forecasted Employment Growth Rate

Composition of Job Openings

Source: B.C. Labour Market Outlook

Job Openings by Region (2022-2032)

Map of BC Map of Cariboo region Map of Kootenay region Map of Mainland/Southwest region Map of North Coast and Nechako region Map of Northeast region Map of Thompson-Okanagan region Map of Vancouver Island/Coast region
Cariboo
Kootenay
Mainland/Southwest
North Coast and Nechako
Northeast
Thompson-Okanagan
Vancouver Island/Coast
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Region Job Openings Avg. Annual Employment Growth
Cariboo 30 1.7%
Kootenay 100 1.5%
Mainland/Southwest 10,780 3.5%
North Coast and Nechako N/A N/A
Northeast N/A N/A
Thompson-Okanagan 700 3.9%
Vancouver Island/Coast 1,860 4.5%
N/A: Data is not available for this region.
Source: B.C. Labour Market Outlook

Industry Highlights

Learn about the opportunities in B.C.'s major industries, including employment trends, earning potential, locations of work and more.

Forecasted Job Openings by Industry

IndustryJob Openings (2022-2032)
Professional, Scientific and Technical Services148,000
Information, Culture and Recreation57,300
Finance, insurance and real estate50,900
Manufacturing49,200
Wholesale Trade33,100
For additional industry information, visit the Industry Profiles page.
Source: 2016 Census and B.C. Labour Market Outlook

Insights from Industry

The growing use of information technologies means more workers in this career will be needed. There is a strong demand for computer programmers and interactive developers. For example, the health-care and justice systems are hiring more of these workers as they continue to automate processes. The continued use of mobile devices also contributes to the demand for programmers.

Advances in technology have created software that can write basic code, removing the need for computer programmers to perform routine and repetitive work. This means there will be demand for programmers with additional skills. New graduates with knowledge of more sophisticated computer programming languages and with experience working with a variety of programming languages will be in higher demand over those who do not have these skills.

Programmers can expect their jobs to change, depending on which computer languages they use and what is happening in their employer's industry. Understanding the systems that are used in the industry is helpful. Programmers need to keep their skills current to remain competitive.

Interactive media is becoming very popular. It covers a wide range of products, from customizable multimedia for training or presentations to web-accessible databases. People who specialize in this area and have information design skills will be in high demand.

Resources