IT – a 21 st Century Profession. Presentation to insert name here 2 The IT Profession Early 19th Century A man working on the computation of data was

IT – a 21st Century Profession

Presentation to insert name here 2

The IT Profession

• Early 19th Century

A man working on the computation of data was called a "computer“

• Beginning of the 20th Century

1930s and 1940s "a computer" still meant a person doing calculations.

• End of the 20th Century

Information technology is critical to economies around the world and underpin just about everything we take for granted especially in the developed world. The IT practitioner is the secret to the smooth running of today’s information society.


The IT Profession

Past Technical solution provider

Present IT (Information and Technology) doesn’t just support business it powers business

Future A business focussed profession, with a base of both technical and business competencies; a transformation partner with business


A Maturity Model for a Profession

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2

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5

Public

Statutory

Governed

Qualified

Organized

EstablishedLevels

DevelopingLevels

IT

Derived from the Carnegie Mellon University Capability Maturity Model®


Why is it important for the IT profession

IT at biology’s frontiers

In less than 10 years IT has gone from being a valuable tool for life sciences to being at the heart of some of the most important research projects ever undertaken.

• Mining data from the human genome requires massive computing power

• Chemical equivalent of the genome project is producing another data mountain

Go green with software

Organisations are looking to software to help them meet their environmental commitments

IT helps restore Lehman UKIf separating the IT systems is successful, Nomura will be able to run Lehman Brothers UK as a standalone entity at a significantly lower cost than when it was Lehman Brothers’ UK entity

Computers to harness speed of light

Scientists aim to speed information processing by using light waves

Future optical computers will provide more processing power and higher speed

Headlines from Computer Weekly September 2009


Scope of the IT Profession


Transformational Change Failure

42%

27%23%

4%

Leadership Organisation and Culture

People Issues

Technology

"Organisation Dynamics" - Jim Markowsky

Danger: A project based on business outcomes or for the sake of it (IT)?

Danger: A project based on business outcomes or for the sake of it (IT)?


Technology at the heart of business

WH Smiths, Amazon and the incredible shrinking market share..

WH Smiths, Amazon and the incredible shrinking market share..

VISA, Mastercard and no other relevant threats..

VISA, Mastercard and no other relevant threats..

Groceries, knowing your customer and real time delivery..

Groceries, knowing your customer and real time delivery..

Collaborative working and booze, or how to get ahead in Columbia..

Collaborative working and booze, or how to get ahead in Columbia..


The IT profession

HR Marketing Finance

+IT


The challenge for IT professionals

The challenge is to:

• Maximise the dividends of successful IT enabled innovation

• Exploit the potential of the technology to increase the ability to compete and meet customer expectations

• Use the power of the technology to help drive business growth


What does Professionalism look like?

• Member of a professional body

• Signed up to a code of conduct

• Committed to continuous professional development

• Qualified

• Demonstrates trusted competence

Student Presentation 2009/10 12

What is a professional body?

A professional body is defined as a non-profit organisation seeking to further a particular profession, the interests of individuals engaged in that profession, and the public interest.

As the professional body develops, so does its range of functions:

• To establish a Code of Conduct

• To share knowledge of new developments and good practice

• To set standards of education, skills and experience

• To advise government


About BCS?

• The UK’s leading professional body for those working in IT & communications

• The only awarding body for Chartered IT Professional (CITP) status

• A route to Chartered Engineer (CEng) and Chartered Scientist (CSci)

• Formed in 1957 and received its Royal Charter in 1984

• BCS is the Chartered Institute for IT and an international awarding body for qualifications

• We have nearly 70,000 members in more that 100 countries

• BCS, the Chartered Institute for IT, promotes wider social and economic progress through the advancement of information technology science and practice.


BCS The Chartered Institute for IT

BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT, promotes wider social and economic progress through the advancement of information technology, science and practice.

In 2009 BCS underwent a transformation.

Changes include:

– A modern new corporate identity,

– Internal restructuring, and an overhaul of BCS Qualifications and Chartered IT Professional status.

We serve over 70,000 members worldwide


Mission & Vision

Mission

• Our mission is to enable the information society by promoting change and wider social and economic progress.

Vision

• Our vision is to be a world-class organisation for IT. We also need to ensure that we, as an organisation, are adapting to that world and can continue to grow our impact and influence in the decades ahead.


Benefits of membership

The importance and benefits of joining the Institute:

• Membership is widely recognised and respected.

• Sets you apart form other IT practitioners.

• Shows that you are keen to contribute both to the development

of your own career and to that of the IT profession

• Demonstrates that you are a committed professional

on whose expertise and competence people can count

A quote from one of ours student members sums up what membership means to them:

“Technology is changing at an ever increasing pace, and it's in your interest to make sure that you are up to date. My BCS membership helps with just that.”

Jocelyn Deborne


Benefits of membership

Open to those following an approved course of study leading to a qualification

Recognised for admission to Associate or Professional membership of BCS.

• We keep you up-to-date with on-line newsletters, detailed reports, journals and books, our online library provides an invaluable resource

• Access to Sun Microsystems Learning

• Any student who passes a BCS accredited degree is eligible for MBCS on

gradation.

Career development

• Free access to SFIAplus the UK’s recognised framework for

IT knowledge, skills and training

• BCSrecruit.com – the jobsite for IT professionals


Networking

BCS has over 40 UK branches, 45 specialist groups and 15 international sections. BCS also has a Young Professionals Group (YPG).

The Member Network is a chance for you to interact with other members, create groups, promote your blogs and Twitter feeds and contribute questions or answers to the new Ask an Expert function


Membership categories

Ordinary Grades:

Student membership - the grade for those on a course of IT related study

Associate membership (AMBCS) - a first step to Professional membership

Professional Grades:

Professional membership (MBCS) - requires 5 or more years’ experience dependent on qualifications

Fellowship - our most senior grade for IT professionals

Chartered Status:

Chartered IT Professional status (CITP) - The benchmark of IT Excellence. As the Chartered Institute for IT, only BCS can award Chartered status.

Other registrations: Chartered Engineer (CEng), Incorporated Engineer (IEng) and Chartered Scientist (CSci)


Set Yourself Apart

• For students, acquiring a recognised qualification is a means of demonstrating a commitment to professional development.

• Any student who passes a BCS accredited degree is eligible for MBCS on gradation, making them exempt form the usual required 3-5 years work experience.

• Students are entitled to a 50% discount, for the first year of membership.

• On the day of graduation we can arrange for a presentation of MBCS certificates

• Continuous support

• Employers are increasingly looking for proof of professionalism.

• BCS membership can help you to stand out from the crowd.

• BCS is committed to making IT the leading profession of the 21st Century.

• We are also dedicated to providing cutting edge services for members that are relevant at every stage of their career.

© 2007 The British Computer Society


Set Yourself Apart

The importance and benefits of joining the Society

• Membership sets individuals apart from other IT practitioners giving industry recognition of skills and experience.

• Membership gives you:

o Professional recognition with industry leading post nominal letters MBCS & CITP

o A huge online IT and communications library

o BCSrecruit.com jobsite and career services

o National & international networking

o Joining BCS is the pathway to Chartered IT Professional status (CITP) and other Chartered registrations (CEng/IEng and CSci)

o Membership demonstrates that you are a committed professional on whose expertise and competence people can count


Which Chartered Status?

CSci for those who advance knowledge and understanding of computer science

CEng for those who apply IT to the /IEng solution of engineering problems

CITP for those who exploit IT to deliver business advantage


Skills Framework for the Information Age


Outcomes

Improvements in:

• Exploitation of I and T

• Reliability of project and programme delivery

• Reliability of critical systems

• Enterprise security & governance

• Returns on investment



The IT Profession

IT (Information and Technology) doesn’t just support business it powers business.

Success is measured by business outcomes

and IT practitioners are the secret to the smooth running of today’s information society


IT – a 21st Century Profession

More info can be found on:

www.bcs.org – Main BCS website

www.ypg.bcs.org – YPG website

http://www.bcs.org/

http://www.ypg.bcs.org/

Documents

IT – a 21 st Century Profession. Presentation to insert name here 2 The IT Profession Early 19th Century A man working on the computation of data was