DatatWare Housing

These days a company lives and dies on how fast it can store, retrieve and analyze information. As such, database administration (DBA) has become one of the most important aspects of a corporation's MIS department. Because of this, a fast growing occupation inside the department is the Data Warehouse Manager.

The DB manager is the person responsible for the loading, storing, maintenance and extraction of all files stored within a business intelligence system. People in this field have done their share of time in the working world, and it's becoming quite common for them to not only have a few years experience under their belts, but also have gotten an MS in some form of Computer Science, with a strong emphasis on DBA.

Anyone interested in pursuing this line of work should be of a meticulous nature. They should also possess strong analytical and logical skills. Good communications capability is also essential as part of the job is explaining how the warehouse system works to those who aren't as adept at storing and retrieving data.

There are many good on campus and online colleges that offer good undergraduate programs in Computer Science and Information Technology. As businesses are the primary employers of warehouse managers, taking some basic courses in the field is oft times beneficial. Once past the basic core a student should try to put in some courses in on basic database construction and architecture.

Upon achieving a Bachelor's, it's time to specialize in Database Architecture and Network information systems. Another Master's level degree that is quite popular is an MBA with an MIS core. At the same time, it should not be too difficult to find a solid job as a database analyst or assistant DBA position. With some time at the company it should be more than willing to help pay the tuition for you sticking around.

Upon achieving either an MS or MBA, there will be one last step in the education process, and that's attending the last few courses or seminars needed to be certified as a Database Warehouse Analyst or Manager. Again, most companies include continued education benefits as part of their employment package. They really have to as this is a position where professionals have to constantly go back for the latest updates and innovations in the field.

Salaries are commensurate with this level of education. According to a recently published report inside the industry, a Warehouse Analyst earns $77,000 to $106,000 a year, depending on industry, location and experience. A Warehouse Manager earns even more, from $92,000 to $125,000 a year. Both jobs are expected to see their salaries grow over 4% in the next year alone. Those with knowledge of IBM DB2, SQL and Oracle are at a premium, and can earn an extra 10% for their knowledge.