Database administrators modify and maintain database applications. They understand the technical and operation sides of their organization. And, they're knowledgeable about how databases integrate with their organizations’ daily operations. What They Do Database administrators make sure applications and programs work well with their employer’s databases. To do so, they must have an understanding of various programming languages. In this way, they gain an understanding of how the various applications will affect their databases. This knowledge also helps them determine the best way to maintain and extract information from the systems.

Sleuthing Time Glitches will occur in the organization’s databases from time to time. So, database administrators must have problem solving and deductive reasoning skills. This is because they need to figure out why these glitches or bugs are occurring. They’ll then need to use decision-making skills to determine the best way to fix these bugs. Sometimes, they’ll find and fix the bugs themselves. But other times, they’ll work with other IT staff, such as programmers or developers, who can fix the structures in the application. Building Relationships Database administrators spend their time building links or relationships among numerous tables and databases. This enables system users to interact with the company's systems and extract information as needed. Non-IT employees often have no idea what database administrators do. But, the job of anyone who needs information from the system often relies on the database administrator’s relationship building skills.

Mistaken Identity Sometimes, people in the organization assume that the database administrators are programmers, application developers or project managers. They might be partially right on all. Database administrators sometimes use programming skills to develop database applications. This task gives them the appearance of programmers. Some database administrators go on to become developers and IT project managers. They typically work in the IT department, but also work closely with their organizations’ operational units. Needed in Many Industries Just about every company needs database administrators. Organizations need data to get a picture of their current standing. Furthermore, data helps companies make decisions for future endeavors.

Businesses analyze data to see how they measure up to their competitors and to show investors the organization’s value. Employers in myriad industries need database administration, so they can collect and organize their information.

Possible Earnings In 2012, the median wages for database administrators was $34.88 per hour or $72,560 per year. Job growth in this field is projected at 12 percent, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Read more about career training union county here.