Employment skills

Week 1 LectureWorld of work in IT

• RAJAN THAPA

• MBA- Kaplan Financial, London affiliated to Liverpool John Moores University UK

• ACCA- Kaplan Financial, UK

Agenda

• Introduction to the module• World of work in IT

Module Briefing• This module prepares students for employability and

includes ‘people’ skills • team working,• delivering presentations, • client relationships and attending meetings• and ‘environmental’ issues • (health and safety, business ethics)

Module Aim

• Prepare students for employability and context building for subject.• Enable students to conduct critical self-analysis and reflection and

develop a range of employability skills.• Develop appropriate skills needed by graduates to compete in the

labor market.• Develop skills in research, communication, presentation, taking

initiative and working in teams.• Develop reflective learning and action planning

Coursework Briefing

• Detail information about your course work will be given on tutorial

• Component 1: Individual Course work 50%• Contribution to class (10%)

• Component 2: Group Exercise 50%

The question!

Is it so simple?

Careers in the field of IT

• IT touches nearly every aspect of modern life. Examples?• A large workforce is needed• oh., what about mobile phones? # app economy• IT industry was not significantly affected by the recession of 2007-

2009• The industry lost about 1% of its employment in 2009 but regained

momentum in 2010, when it surpassed the employment numbers from 2008

JOBS in the field of IT

• PROJECT MANAGER• critical link between IT team members and key individuals involved with a project to ensure its timely

completion

• DATABASE ADMINISTRATOR• responsible for installing, backing up, testing, securing and making changes to production databases within an

IT environment

• DATA MODELER• Creates blueprint for a design: creating data designs, defining relationships between data fields

• SYSTEM ADMINISTRATOR• install, upgrade, monitor and maintain software and hardware to keep IT operations running smoothly

• BUSINESS ANALYST• Business Analyst can also be defined as a bridge between the business problems and the technology solutions

• SOFTWARE DEVELOPER

IT industry growth

• From 1990 to 2001, employment in the industry rose quickly• businesses began to invest in computer systems

• From 2001 to 2003, employment declined in the industry #dot-com crash in 2000

• Since 2003, employment in the IT industry has grown by 37%• During the recent recession (December 2007 to June 2009), the

industry lost only 1 percent of its workforce• By 2010, employment had recovered and was higher than it had been

in 2008.

IT industry growth

• It is projected to grow. Why?• Increase use of information technology services. • Demand for protection of data and intellectual property is rising• Cloud computing growth • Though Network administrators and computer support specialists in other

industries may experience employment declines as their companies switch to cloud computing and fewer employees are needed to maintain and support their company’s network.

Worldwide IT spending forecast (billions of U.S. dollars)

Category 2012 spending 2013 spendingDevices 627 666Data centre systems 141 147Enterprise software 278 296IT services 881 927Telecom services 1,661 1,701Total 3,588 3,737

IT employment and employment growthOccupation Employment in 2010 (in

thousands)Projected growth 2010–2020 (percent)

Computer systems analysts 135.3 43.1

Computer programmers 116.8 28.8

Software developers, applications 174.0 57.4

Software developers, systems 117.8 71.7

Computer support specialists 107.4 43.1

Source: U.S. Bureau of LaborStatistics.(Csorny, 2013)

Imagine this scenario!

• Two men work for a large corporation. Both men have been at the company for the same number of years, and both are committed, dedicated workers.

• A managerial position has opened up, and both are under consideration for the promotion.

• The men seem equally qualified as far as experience, attitude, and dedication.

• But, one man recently earned an accredited online degree in information technology.

• Which employee do you think will get the promotion?

Imagine this scenario contd…

• A degree in information technology won't get you every promotion you want, but it can give you the edge you need over others competing for the same position. No matter what industry you work in, you can rest assured that your company uses information technology in a number of ways.

Cyber Crimes

• Yet, for all its advantages, increased connectivity brings increased risk of theft , fraud, and abuse. People become more reliant on modern technology, we also become more vulnerable to cyber attacks such as Corporate Security Breaches, Spear Phishing, and Social Media Fraud.

• Cyber intrusions and attacks have increased dramatically over the last decade, exposing sensitive personal and business information, disrupting critical operations, and imposing high costs on the economy.

• “By the end of 2015, 74% of enterprises will be infected with undetected, financially motivated, targeted threats that evaded their traditional perimeter and host defences” Source : Gartner, Top Ten Key Predictions.

• As per Nasscom report and National Cyber Crime Policy of 2013 published by Government of India 5, 00,000 Cyber Security Professionals are required by the end of 2015.

Job Opportunities for cyber security

Common Job Area for Multimedia

Web Designer

Interactive Content Producer

Graphic Artist

Sound Designer

Desktop Publisher Online Publishing

Broadcast Engineers

Animators

Motion Picture Professionals

General points to consider at work

• Prioritising work• Proactive attitude• Dress code• Coming with solutions to problem• Time keeping• Politics at work• Use of mobile/personal emails• Not putting your foot in your mouth• Who to email/not e-mail• Protecting your colleagues/team/manager/company

IT- related issues

• Importance of good analysis of problem and fixing the correct problem

• Importance of understandable (and commented) code• Reusable and structured code• Handing over to other people - importance of documentation• Non-possessiveness of code (not a personal possession)

More IT- related issues

• Testing throughout - documentation of testing and amendments• Beware of Fixes which can introduce more bugs• Future-proofing coding (taking a little longer to prepare for growth)• Change control process etc.

Successful companies in Nepal

Successful companies worldwide

What do they say about the graduates?

• Passion for the Business• Taking Ownership• Teamwork and Collaboration• Trustworthiness

• Client Focus• Adaptability• Communication• Creative Problem Solving• Drive to Achieve

• Practical skills• Personal attributes• Inquisitive mind• Flexible approach• Relationships with clients• Function well as part of a team

• We are a proudly non-profit organization driven by a culture of openness and collaboration. It’s a value we hold strong and it’s how we work together, day in and day out.

• At Mozilla, we like to find the best and most fun ways to do things, and we like to think it shows in all that we do. Throw in a good dose of freedom, teamwork and perks, and you’ve got life at Mozilla. And we haven’t even mentioned the snacks yet.

British Interactive Media Association

(BIMA)• ‘an open-minded problem solver with excellent attention to detail, a

willingness to learn and a drive to create the best interactive experiences’.

• ‘Above all we're looking for a team player with a real desire to be a first class programmer and create ‘wow' level interactive experiences’.

• (BIMA – jobs, 2008)

Main Types of Requirements

• Evidence of Skills/Knowledge• Qualifications, Work experience, Portfolio of work

• Communication• Problem Solving• Team Working• Project Management• Self-Motivation

Going on a new Job . . .

• Your colleagues will understand that the transition period in a new job role will take some time and some adapt faster than others.

• The main emphasis should be on willingness to learn, listening and above all being courteous and punctual.

• If all these things are in place then a long and prosperous career in your new organisation is inevitable.

My Experience!

• Do what you Love not the money!• Keep interest in Technology not gossip!• Always have a positive attitude.• Learning is a never ending process.• Do not be afraid of change!• “Don't bother just to be better than your contemporaries or

predecessors. Try to be better than yourself.” ― William Faulkner

Top tips

• Be early – not ‘on time’.• Carry a pen/notebook with you• Be honest about problems• Come with possible solutions• Clarify information• If you don’t know then try and find out – then ask!