PHP Programmer: Career Profile

2010-03-05T00:45:00.000-08:00

Education required to become a PHP programmer includes certification in PHP programming and experience in the field. Related careers include web development, database administration, and computer programmer.

Definition of a PHP Programmer Career

Typical Duties

PHP programmers construct database plans as requested by employers. They set up programmed web tasks that communicate with different applications and oversee product updates for websites. They may also be called upon to work with other web protocols, such as SSH, FTP, and POP.

Geographical and Industrial Demand

Demand for PHP programmers is most concentrated on the west coast in Richland and Leavenworth, WA and Sacramento, CA. There is also a high demand for these workers in Sarasota and Lake City, FL and throughout Ohio in Columbus, Marion, and Lancaster.

Demographic Information for PHP Programmers

An overwhelming majority of workers in this field are male: 98.4%, with only 1.6% being female. Many are single (39.6%), and 81% do not have children.

How to Become a PHP Programmer

Required Education

Applicants should have a high school diploma and prior experience or certification, which may be obtained online by taking a test. Some PHP programmers have a master's or bachelor's degree in computer programming, which will become increasingly useful as competition for employment in the field heightens due to slowed industry growth.

Skills Required for a PHP Programming Career

In order to become a PHP programmer, you will need to have excellent problem-solving and technical thinking skills and be able to troubleshoot using the latest technology. You'll be responsible for knowing how to send HTML-based emails through PHP and for writing adaptable code able to change to fit to ever-evolving needs. You will also be expected to administer product revisions to websites and to manage the hands-on completion of full cycle development, including creation, preservation, and design.

Economic Outlook for PHP Programmers

Salary Information

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), www.bls.gov, the median yearly income of PHP programmers was $62,890 in May 2004.

Economic Outlook and Demand for These Careers

According to the BLS, employment of PHP programmers is expected to grow more slowly than the national average through 2014. For this reason, competition in the industry will be disproportionately high. Projections will be best for college graduates with experience working with a number of programming tools, including C++, Java, and newer domain-specific languages.

Employment Hot Spots for PHP Programmers

Those seeking employment in this industry will have the greatest chances of being hired in and around Silicon Valley in California, in the Dallas/Fort Worth area in Texas, and near Sarasota, Florida.

Career Profile - Web Developer

2009-06-03T03:55:00.000-07:00

Overview - Web Developer

A Web Developer is a Software Engineer that develops applications specifically for the world wide web. The applications generally utilize a server and a client (web browser).

Some of the programming languages that Web Developers currently use include:

* On the server side, java, C++, C# and VB.net are often utilized. Some scripting languages, such as perl, VBScript and PHP are also used.
* On the client side, the popular technologies Web Developers use are javascript, DOM, HTML and CSS.
* To collect information from web users, the popular relational database technologies utilized by Web Developers include MYSQL, Oracle and Microsoft SQL Sever. XML is also often used for document data transfer.

Web Developers - Education

Web Developers usually have formal education and training. A BSCS is common for this position. In addition, training in specific languages is very common.

Becoming a Web Developer

The most straightforward path to becoming a Web Developer is through formal training (a BSCS or MSCS). Software Engineers that do not have web development experience may start by developing small components or pieces of web applications with guidance from more senior developers.

Internships and contract positions are also a great way to get started in a Web Development career. The more hands on training, the better!
Career Path for Web Developers

Web Developers have a couple of possible career path options.

* One path would continue within a Development role, which would remain very hands on in coding.
* The second option is to move into a Software Architecture role, which is less development and more complex, high-level design.

Either path may eventually lead to Project Management or Product Management roles, depending on the company and the individual interests.

The Web Developer role is often confused with the Web Designer role. The two roles are very different!

Web Developer