On Tuesday 22 March, The University of Melbourne hosted its 2016 IT Industry Career Panel event. The theme of the panel was ‘A Day in the Life of an IT Professional’. Over 80 students came seeking insights into the challenges facing their industry and looking for advice on how to break into a career in ICT.
The aim of the event was to allow students to gain an understanding of possible career pathways and the real day to day work of IT professionals in various areas.
The panel comprised of:
- Ken Peng - recent alumni of who has entered the profession as an Enterprise Service Analyst for Bristol-Myers Squibb.
- Elizabeth Bromham - Specialist - Service Transition, Service Operations at CenITex, ACS Victoria Women in ICT Committee member and an ACS mentor.
- Dr Rod Dilnutt - Vice-Chair of ACS Victoria, Managing Director of William Bethwey & Associates and Fellow of The University of Melbourne.
- David Kellam - an alumni and now Managing Director, Coremind.
Each of the panellists recounted their career journeys and provided an overview of a typical day in their current roles. Needless to say these roles were rather diverse.
Key messages that students took away about entering into the ICT profession included:
- Emphasising the depth of their experience and how this will add value to prospective employers
- Becoming involved in student and professional networks
- Remembering that employers are looking for candidates who will fit into their team
- Communication and teamwork skills are paramount
- They must be enthusiastic and ask questions
- Always research the company
Students were then invited to ask questions and the event wrapped up with an informal networking session.
Panellists pictured above (from left to right): Ken Peng, Elizabeth Bromham,
Rod Dilnutt and David Kellam
