Database administrator : Career development

Database administrators (DBAs) work in a wide variety of organisations and career prospects will vary accordingly. Larger organisations may offer structured career paths to the level of lead or senior DBA, with increasing management and technical responsibility. Many DBAs move on to other areas, such as:

• systems development;
• project management;
• network management;
• database architecture.

The combination of technical and management skills may open up more strategic roles.

The increase in internet traffic has resulted in information playing an even more central role in business, with many organisations now relying heavily on online databases for both commercial and administrative purposes. Any expertise gained in this area may assist in future career progression and employability. The move towards paperless offices in the public sector and the introduction of increasingly sophisticated payment and logistics systems in industry all point to increasing opportunities for DBAs.

A large number of DBAs choose to work as freelance consultants or contractors, capitalising on their specialist technical knowledge. Projects might include the design and development of a smaller database or working as part of a large-scale project in conjunction with specialist IT firms and consultants. This does require substantial experience, but you may find the financial benefits and freedom to take time off between contracts attractive.