Web Developer Career in Kenya

Most of the time, web developer work in an office. Web developers career revolves around building the front end and back end of websites..

What Web Developers in Kenya Do

Web developers design and create websites. They are responsible for the look of the site. They are also responsible for the site’s technical aspects, such as its performance and capacity, which are measures of a website’s speed and how much traffic the site can handle. In addition, web developers may create content for the site.

Duties

Web Developers typically do the following:

Meet with clients or management to discuss the needs and design of a website
Create and test applications for a website
Write code for websites, using programming languages such as HTML or XML
Work with other team members to determine what information the site will contain
Write, modify, and debug software for web sites.
Write code to generate web pages, access databases and business logic servers
Test and document software for web sites.
Work with designers and content producers.
Work with graphics and other designers to determine the website’s layout
Integrate graphics, audio, and video into the website
Monitor website traffic

Types of specialized web developers:

Some developers handle all aspects of a website’s construction, and others specialize in a certain aspect of it

Back-end web developers – are responsible for the overall technical construction of the website. They create the basic framework of the site and ensure that it works as expected. Back-end web developers also establish procedures for allowing others to add new pages to the website and meet with management to discuss major changes to the site.

Front-end web developers – are responsible for how a website looks. They create the site’s layout and integrate graphics, applications (such as a retail checkout tool), and other content. They also write web-design programs in a variety of computer languages, such as HTML or JavaScript.

Webmasters – maintain websites and keep them updated. They ensure that websites operate correctly, and they test for errors such as broken links. Many webmasters respond to user comments as well.

How to Become a Web Developer in Kenya

The typical education needed to become a web developer in Kenya is an associate’s degree in web design or related field. Web developers need knowledge of both programming and graphic design.

Employers often require candidates to have a bachelor’s degree in computer science, programming, informational technology, or another relevant fields. However, some companies will accept candidates with enough years of experience in lieu of bachelor’s degree requirements.

Education
Educational requirements for web developers vary with the setting they work in and the type of work they do. Requirements range from diploma to a bachelor’s degree. An associate’s degree in web design or related field is the most common requirement.

However, for more technical developer positions, such as back-end web developers, some employers prefer workers who have at least a bachelor’s degree in computer science, programming, or a related field. Since web developers typically build websites from the ground up, they need to know relevant programming languages, such as Javascript, HTML, and CSS.

Web developers need to have a thorough understanding of HTML programming. The most recent version, HTML5, contains new features that web developers need to understand. Many employers also want developers to understand other programming languages, such as JavaScript or SQL, as well as have some knowledge of multimedia publishing tools, such as photoshop.

Throughout their career, web developers must keep up to date on new tools and computer languages.Some employers in Kenya prefer web developers who have both a computer degree and coursework in graphic design, especially if the developer will be heavily involved in the website’s visual appearance.

How to Become a Web Developer in Kenya

The typical education needed to become a web developer in Kenya is an associate’s degree in web design or related field. Web developers need knowledge of both programming and graphic design.

Important Qualities

They must have excellent oral and written communication skills. They must have good presentation skills. They must be able to work in a team environment. They must identify users’ and/or clients’ needs.

They must make changes, as required by their clients and/or users. They must have strong consulting skills and have good problem-solving skills. Web developers must pay attention to detail and be able to meet tight deadlines.

Concentration. Web developers must sit at a computer and write detailed code for long periods.
Creativity. Web developers often are involved in designing the appearance of a website and must make sure that it looks innovative and up to date.
Customer-service skills. Webmasters have to respond politely and correctly to user questions and requests.
Detail oriented. When web developers write in HTML, a minor error could cause an entire webpage to stop working

Pay / Salary

The median annual wage for web developers was $63,490 in May 2014. An entry-level Web Developer with less than 1 year experience can expect to earn an average total compensation (includes tips, bonus, and overtime pay) of KSh 330,000 based on 13 salaries.

An early career Web Developer with 1-4 years of experience earns an average total compensation of KSh 432,000 based on 39 salaries. Statistics from https://www.payscale.com/

Job Outlook / Job opportunities

Employment of web developers in Kenya is projected to grow at 27 percent from 2014 to 2024, much faster than the average for all Kenyan occupations. Demand will be driven by the growing popularity of mobile devices and ecommerce.

Employment of web developers is projected to grow as ecommerce continues to expand. Online purchasing is expected to grow faster than the overall retail industry. As retail firms expand their online offerings, demand for web developers will increase.

In addition, an increase in the use of mobile devices to search the web will lead to an increase in employment of web developers. Instead of designing a website for a desktop computer, developers will have to create sites that work on mobile devices with many different screen sizes, leading to more work. Because websites can be built from anywhere in the world, some web developer jobs may be moved to countries with lower wages, decreasing employment growth.

Job opportunities for web developers are expected to be good. Those with knowledge of multiple programming languages and digital multimedia tools, such as Flash and Photoshop, will have the best opportunities.

Work Environment Setup

About 1 in 7 of web developers in Kenya ere self-employed. Non-self-employed developers work primarily in the computer systems design and related services industry. Most web developers work full time.

LearnersCoach

Learners Coach is an online learning platform that provides a one stop solution for learners, teachers and education providers. It bridges the wide gap between information searchers and information providers by connecting them together. Depending on your location and field of your career, we have different information products and services to meet your requirements. We provide the optimum and customized courses, information products and training solutions