Software engineers and designers research, design, test and maintain software applications, technical environments, operating systems, embedded software, information warehouses and telecommunications software.
Watch the video below to see what a day in the life of a software engineer is like.
Source: Estimated median employment income based on 2021 Job Bank median hourly wage rate (median annual salary = hourly wage rate x 40 (hours per week) x 52.14 (weeks per year))
Note:Estimated median employment income based on 2021 Job Bank median hourly wage rate (median annual salary = hourly wage rate x 40 (hours per week) x 52.14 (weeks per year))
Source: 2021 Job Bank Wage Report
Source: B.C. Labour Market Outlook
10 year expected job openings: 9,340
N/A - Data not available
Software engineers and designers perform some or all of the following:
Software engineers and designers may work in a variety of settings. Some may work in an office or studio (for game design), others may work from home or split their time between a home and company office. Project management and video conferencing technologies allow people to work remotely at least some of the time, if their company agrees to it.
Depending on the work they do, software engineers and designers generally work a regular 40-hour week. Sometimes, people in this job may need to work overtime to meet deadlines. Those with this career could have flexible work schedules. They may work some nights or weekends on a regular basis and some might prefer this schedule as it allows them to manage other parts of their life, such as childcare, in a way that benefits them.
Software engineers and designers work for both the private and public sector. This includes information technology (IT) consulting firms, IT research and development organizations and video game companies. They also work in the aviation, transportation and healthcare industries to name a few. Some with this job may be self-employed and work as a contractor or consultant to larger companies.
People in this job spend a lot of time sitting at a desk and working on a computer. This can cause wrist, back or neck strain. To help stop this from happening, it’s important to make sure that workstations are set up properly.
Source: 2016 Census
Usually, software engineers and designers must complete a bachelor's degree in software engineering, computer engineering, computer science or a related subject. Working in a co-op work program through a post-secondary institution can help those with job opportunities.
For some in this job, it could be beneficial to have the Information Systems Professional (ISP) designation, which is issued by the Canada’s Association of Information Technology (IT) Professionals (CIPS). To receive this, a person must have:
Licensing by a provincial or territorial association of professional engineers is required to practise as a Professional Engineer (P.Eng.). To obtain a Professional Engineer licence, candidates must have the equivalent to graduation from an accredited program in engineering, a period of work experience that demonstrates the required competencies to practise engineering and pass a professional practice examination on the professional obligations, law and ethics of engineering practice in Canada. In British Columbia, this is done through Engineers and Geoscientists B.C. (EGBC).
Other qualifications that can be helpful in finding a job as a software engineer and designer include:
Throughout their careers, software engineers and designers are expected to continue training. If they are licensed through EGBC, they may need to do this so they can keep their licence current. EGBC offers courses, self-directed studies, seminars and other professional development opportunities for its members.
Software engineers and designers should know how to communicate well because they often lead or work in teams and can be asked to explain complicated software designs to clients. Critical thinking and problem solving are also skills that are an advantage.
For more information about programs offered specifically for this career, visit EducationPlannerBC.
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 35 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. You’ll also find the skill strength needed, letting you know how capable you must be in that skill.
Check out the list and see if this career matches your skills—take that first step!
Software engineers often work for companies that are involved in the development of safety critical software and systems. These are systems such as aircraft, cars and medical devices – which means if they fail, someone could die. People who work in this job must be detail oriented, responsible and have a commitment to making sure that each part of their job is done well.
Those in this career need to continue to update their skills regularly since improvements and changes in technology often affect their work. More and more, employers want their software engineers and designers to have graduated from a CEAB-accredited program and be licensed with Engineers and Geoscientists B.C. (EGBC).
The health-care sector increasingly needs software engineers to design, develop, evaluate and maintain safe and secure eHealth information systems.
Career paths
As software engineers and designers gain experience, take more training or earn a degree, they can move into higher-level positions, such as chief software architect.
With business and management experience, software engineers and designers may become managers of large software groups or hold other senior positions in the company. Some choose to open their own consulting firms.
Additional resources