How to Become a QA Automation Engineer
20 January
In the past two decades, software development has achieved a lot and has come a long way. The need for software is unfathomable, with the technology surpassing what we imagined to be the height of excellence 50 years ago. Technology is growing incredibly sophisticated, while user demand is increasing at an alarming rate. When it comes to developing new applications and modifications in software, programmers are under increasing pressure to produce them as quickly as possible. However, extensive testing is required in order to spot issues and assure high-quality software.
It's not surprising, then, that many organizations use automated testing to speed up workflows and maximize the efficiency of the quality assurance (QA) process. While manual testing will always be necessary, automation can help startups and large businesses to save time and money. This is where the expertise of QA Automation Engineers comes in.
Becoming an automation test engineer is undoubtedly a worthwhile goal, and if you have decided to walk along this journey, we are here to help you out.
In this blog, we will discuss all the crucial factors that you might need to understand before getting into the field of test automation. From examining the roles and responsibilities of automation test engineers to how you can become one, we will try and cover everything.
What is an Automation Engineer
Many businesses are beginning to streamline their corporate, information technology department, and implementation methods. They are searching for QA automation experts to assist them in formulating, testing, and implementing automation technologies.
The main question is, what does an automation engineer do? The purpose of an automation engineer is to reduce flaws, inefficiencies, and issues throughout the products or software design phase and during corporate or client interactions.
Overall, the purpose of a QA automation engineer is to minimize the amount of labor required by employees while simultaneously improving quality and dependability by automating manual procedures that may be repetitive or irregular.
Is it a Good Idea to Choose Test Automation as a Career
The automation engineer career path is undeniably a quality choice. Test automation is becoming a lot more efficient work, so there is no debate; the process has grown considerably easier because of the proliferation of automation testing technologies. Although it may seem that manually testing with sufficient business expertise may take up the automation process at any moment, this is not the case. Despite this, the industry demands of an automation professional are far greater than they were in the previous years.
Essentially, anybody can run the automated test programs that have been written by a professional. The process of developing such programs, on the other hand, is a separate milestone. In order to do so, it is necessary to have various abilities and greater practical expertise that can't be gained quickly by manual testers.
Nowadays, QA automation engineers are required to offer organizations a comprehensive automated plan for the full program or production process rather than a specific automation approach.
Keeping the industry demand in mind and the shortage of professional automation engineers in the market, it is safe to say that this career path is one of the most lucrative ones out there. Not many people are aware of the field, and you can take advantage of it by getting into it early. The demand for this profession will only increase in the coming years as technology is increasing in the blink of an eye.
Roles and Responsibilities of a QA Automation Engineer
Keeping the responsibilities mentioned above in mind, test automation experts and engineers also include finding the most appropriate collection of tools for each step of the design process and developing a smooth implementation plan that is inexpensive in its deployment. Getting a financial return after a few phases is no longer acceptable to any firm nowadays.
Beyond this, automated test engineers are required to identify and create tools that decrease the amount of duplicate manual testing effort as well as the amount of time spent creating testing datasets for use in the field. Overall, QA engineers will continue to be highly trained technical experts, and the field is expected to provide a wide range of possibilities in the coming era.
What is the Job Description of Test Automation Engineer
QA automation engineer job description includes all the responsibilities they will have to follow and their roles during their job tenure. A typical description will consist of primary roles such as putting up suggestions for automation test processes, monitoring defects, and marking issues that are preventing the software from being installed or working properly.
Designing and installing software data, working closely with programmers and project heads to determine and analyze the most critical elements of software applications, creating thorough and organized testing strategies for software applications, and determining the causative factors that do not correspond to standards.
Other parts of the job description for QA automation engineers are pretty much the same as any other job. The candidate must have problem-solving abilities, be a team player, be good in communication, and have other soft and hard skills.
Now that we have established the common questions regarding the field of QA automation, let's dive into our main topic, which is how to become a QA automation engineer. If you have a background in computer or software engineering or you have certifications concerning the software of any kind, then getting into this field should be a piece of cake for you.
We are not saying that this field is too easy in any way; in fact, the skill and concentration needed for this career path are substantial. We mean that people with a software background may be aware of the basics, and learning the fundamentals of this field might be a little easier for them.
If you are just starting and have not yet decided which career to choose, then getting into the software field is the way to go. If you have already gotten your degree in a similar field, then you can begin the journey towards becoming an automation engineer. Following are some steps that will help you reach your dream career.
- Gather All the Information
Before putting your foot in the field of automation, you should first gather all the information there is about this field. You don't want to begin a journey without knowing what you are getting into and what is required from you as a learner.
From knowing every industry, this field caters to all the courses you should be taking in order to gain expertise. Becoming a professional in any field is complex, and if you don't know the ins and outs of the industry, it becomes even more challenging.
- Start Learning the Testing Basics
Automation engineering is all about testing, and having great testing skills will help you immensely. You need to learn all the basics about testing and what goes into becoming a successful testing expert.
This step includes learning all there is about the things you will be required to test, how to use the necessary testing skills, why do something needs testing, what results you should be expecting, and what to do once the testing is done. This all may seem a little challenging at first, but once you get the hang of it, everything will clear itself.
- Learn the Basics of Programming Languages
This is probably the most difficult part of becoming a QA Automation engineer. There are a lot of programming languages that are being used to develop software, and learning each, and everyone can be a hassle. We suggest learning the basics of widely used programming languages while focusing on the most used ones more.
This will help you know a little bit about everything, but the main focus can be on the most used JavaScript frameworks, such as Pupeeteer, Cypress, Playwright. If you are already working on a program, then learning the language of that particular program is a good idea, but if you are in the process of finding a job, then focusing on different languages should be your goal. A great tip is to search for jobs in the market and see what programming languages they require. This will help you learn the most in-demand languages.
This is a long and tiring process, but the things you will achieve after overcoming this step are something to work for.
- Learn About Automation Tools
How can you become an automation engineer without learning about automation tools? When used in conjunction with other software testing tools, the test automation tools assist organizations and automation experts in automating the software testing requirements, therefore minimizing the need for manual involvement and attaining improved performance, accuracy, and effectiveness.
- Become an Expert in Strategizing and Implementing the Tests
Learning is not enough to become a subject matter expert. You need to be able to complete the practical aspects of testing. Once you are done with the learning stage of testing, it's time to start planning how to execute the tests.
This includes making proper strategies on how to perform the test, what kind of test fits the software, and what are the best ways of adequately implementing these tests for perfect outcomes. Planning, strategizing, and implementing skills will take you a long way and help you climb the ladder of success in this field.
Conclusion:
Now that we have covered almost all the basics about QA automation engineering, you should have your answer regarding your choice of becoming one. This is a great field, and people with utmost determination can easily overcome the challenges to achieve the best results.
Your dedication to putting in time for all the learning and understanding that comes with the dream of becoming a QA automation engineer will decide your fate. If you are willing to give what is required during the initial stages, then nobody can stop you from achieving what you want.
According to research, the job market in this field could grow significantly by 2025, which will most likely affect the salary growth of QA automation engineers. We all know how the world is moving ahead at a fast pace, and automation is the ultimate goal. With such a predictable future, you should take the lead and focus on a career that will stay relevant in the future. Automation engineers will not only stay relevant, but their demand will remarkably increase in the future.
Best of luck with your future in the automation field!
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