3650D 3650D

Work Effectively in an IT Work Effectively in an IT EnvironmentEnvironment

Lesson 1Lesson 1

What is IT?What is IT? Where does it occur?Where does it occur? What careers are there in IT?What careers are there in IT? What skills are required for what job?What skills are required for what job? What is a job description?What is a job description? Who do I go to, to find an IT job?Who do I go to, to find an IT job? What are IT Professional Bodies?What are IT Professional Bodies?

What is IT?What is IT?

IT emerged as a convergence of IT emerged as a convergence of computing and telecommunicationscomputing and telecommunications

Also known as Also known as

• Communication technologyCommunication technology• InformaticsInformatics• Information and Communications Information and Communications

Technology Technology

Key Players in ITKey Players in IT

IT occurs within the following industriesIT occurs within the following industries

• Tourism and HospitalityTourism and Hospitality• Real EstateReal Estate• RetailRetail• Services (eg Auto etc)Services (eg Auto etc)• Manufacturing IndustryManufacturing Industry• CommerceCommerce• Other?Other?

Key Players in ITKey Players in IT

IT can be categorized into three IT can be categorized into three major functional areas e.g.—major functional areas e.g.—

• ManufacturingManufacturing• ProfessionalProfessional• UserUser

ManufacturingManufacturing The production of hardware and software The production of hardware and software

including all manufacturers and distributors of including all manufacturers and distributors of computers and computer based equipment such computers and computer based equipment such as—as—

• Disk/tape drives/storage devicesDisk/tape drives/storage devices• TerminalsTerminals• PrintersPrinters• Communications equipmentCommunications equipment• Integrated circuit chipsIntegrated circuit chips• Power suppliesPower supplies• Wiring/networking systemsWiring/networking systems• Applications and systems softwareApplications and systems software

Professional - 1Professional - 1

A wide variety of information-processing A wide variety of information-processing professionals in areas such as—professionals in areas such as—

• Information processing departmentsInformation processing departments• Sales, service and repairSales, service and repair• ConsultingConsulting• Education and trainingEducation and training• Computer employment and recruitment Computer employment and recruitment

agenciesagencies

Professional - 2Professional - 2

Larger companies may have in-house Larger companies may have in-house IT sections including—IT sections including—

• OperationsOperations• Data administrationData administration• Systems analysis and designSystems analysis and design• ProgrammingProgramming• SupportSupport

UserUser This area includes people who either use the This area includes people who either use the

computer directly or use the information it computer directly or use the information it provides and are called “users” or “end users”—provides and are called “users” or “end users”—

• Word processors, desktop publishers (editors of Word processors, desktop publishers (editors of magazines, newspapers etc)magazines, newspapers etc)

• Graphic designersGraphic designers• Small businessesSmall businesses• Bank tellers, checkout operatorsBank tellers, checkout operators• LibrariansLibrarians• ClerksClerksAndAnd• Robotics used in automated warehousesRobotics used in automated warehouses

Australia’s IT Industry - 1Australia’s IT Industry - 1 Australia’s IT industry consists of—Australia’s IT industry consists of—

• A substantial and rapidly growing user A substantial and rapidly growing user basebase

• A large number of service providers in A large number of service providers in software, telecommunications and software, telecommunications and systems integrationsystems integration

• A large number of software developers A large number of software developers and suppliers, both local and and suppliers, both local and international, covering systems and international, covering systems and applications softwareapplications software

Australia’s IT Industry - 2Australia’s IT Industry - 2

• A strong presence by international suppliers of A strong presence by international suppliers of both computers and telecommunicationsboth computers and telecommunications

• Two large telecommunications carriers, Telstra Two large telecommunications carriers, Telstra and Optusand Optus

• A relatively large telecommunications A relatively large telecommunications manufacturing basemanufacturing base

• A small local computer hardware A small local computer hardware manufacturing basemanufacturing base

Careers in IT – Research ExerciseCareers in IT – Research Exercise

Using the Internet, locate information on IT Using the Internet, locate information on IT employment growth areas/skills shortages within employment growth areas/skills shortages within Australia, in particular within New South Wales.Australia, in particular within New South Wales.

Write several paragraphs on—Write several paragraphs on—

• How IT is ranked in the job market, for example where How IT is ranked in the job market, for example where are theare the

Biggest growth areas in ITBiggest growth areas in IT

Skills shortages in ITSkills shortages in IT

New Jobs in ITNew Jobs in IT

Careers in IT – Job StreamsCareers in IT – Job Streams

Systems developmentSystems development OperationsOperations Supplier supportSupplier support Specialist supportSpecialist support ConsultancyConsultancy Education and TrainingEducation and Training Research and DevelopmentResearch and Development Other?Other?

Handout “Career streams and job families”Handout “Career streams and job families”

Careers in IT – Where do I go to Careers in IT – Where do I go to find a job in IT?find a job in IT?

Try the following sites and add your Try the following sites and add your own to this list—own to this list—• http://www.monster.com.auhttp://www.monster.com.au• http://www.careerone.com.auhttp://www.careerone.com.au• http://www.jobnet.com.auhttp://www.jobnet.com.au• http://www.znet.com.auhttp://www.znet.com.au• http://www.seek.com.auhttp://www.seek.com.au

Careers in IT – Research ActivityCareers in IT – Research Activity

Using the Internet locate a particular Using the Internet locate a particular IT job advertisement and identify the IT job advertisement and identify the following—following—

• Obvious IT skills, (eg networking skills)Obvious IT skills, (eg networking skills)• Underpinning skills, (eg understanding Underpinning skills, (eg understanding

of operating systems, GUIs, basic of operating systems, GUIs, basic programming concepts)programming concepts)

What is a Job Description?What is a Job Description? A job description outlines the role A job description outlines the role

and responsibility of an employee for and responsibility of an employee for a particular job.a particular job.

Research exercise—Research exercise—• Using the Internet, find a job description Using the Internet, find a job description

for an IT position.for an IT position.

What are IT Professional Bodies?What are IT Professional Bodies?

These are organizations which These are organizations which support a sector of industry such as support a sector of industry such as the IT sector.the IT sector.

They require membership and offer They require membership and offer support in the form of conferences, support in the form of conferences, interest groups to keep up with interest groups to keep up with trends in ITtrends in IT

IT Professional Bodies IT Professional Bodies

Research ExerciseResearch Exercise

• Choose two organizations from the list Choose two organizations from the list you have been given and find their site you have been given and find their site on the Internet, then liston the Internet, then list

The criteria for joining the organizationThe criteria for joining the organization The facilities the organization providesThe facilities the organization provides

Handout “Professional organizations”Handout “Professional organizations”