Working in the IT Industry

 On completion of this unit a learner should: 1. Know the characteristics that are valued by employers in the IT industry 2. Know the common job roles undertaken by people working in the IT industry.

 Assignment 1: Skills and Attributes P1, D1  Assignment 2: IT Jobs P2, P3, M1

 General skills: (refer to slides 5 - 8)  Industry specific: (refer to slide 9)  Attitudes preferred: (refer to slide 10)

 General skills:  Interpersonal skills – Communication or interpersonal skills are highly valued by many employers in the IT industry. What people skills do you have when exchanging information?  Planning skills – You will need to be able to plan out in advance in order to get the tasks you have been set completed on time. Don’t waste time.  Organisational skills – Carry out work tasks efficiently. Have the necessary equipment and information you require to do the job well. Example, do you have a course folder for all your notes, hand-outs and assignments, etc. or do you rely on your tutor to re-issue them when needed?

 General skills (Continued):  Time management – This is related to planning and organisational skills. It involves making the most of your time and making sure you keep your appointments and deadlines. Paper diaries can be useful but many people prefer using an electronic diary such as Microsoft Outlook or Google Mail. Both provide calendars linked with their systems. Many professional also find it useful to write down important information, such as meeting notes, names and addresses and ‘to do’ lists, in a notebook. This is much better than trying to keep all this information in your head or on various scattered bits of paper!  Team working – In your first job in IT you probably won’t be working on your own. You are much more likely to be working as part of a team and you will probably be the most junior member of the team. A team normally has a leader who will allocate and monitor progress. For a team to work well you must: Understand what your role is and of others Deal with problems with another team member in a positive way Support the team leader Working in a team means give and take, and you must be able to cooperate with others

 General skills (Continued):  Numeracy and literacy skills– The level of these skills depends on the type of job you do. Almost every job (not just IT jobs) require these skills, including the ability to carry out arithmetic, day-to-day mathematical calculations, writing and interpret a note, message or letter. Example, do you know how to work out percentages? Example, do you know how to layout a letter ?  Creativity– How creative you will need to be also partly depends on the type of job you will do. Some jobs such as web page design or desktop publishing require a lot of creativity. Would you be able to contribute innovative ideas for a new product or service in your role?  Problem solving– This skill is partly to do with experience and partly to do with the approach you take to problems. Always collect information and investigate before jumping to any conclusion. If you were faced with a difficult customer on the telephone, how would you deal with it or would you simply pass the matter over to your Team Leader?

 1Finding the right problem to solve  2 Defining the problem  3 Analysing the problem  4 Developing possibilities  5 Selecting the best solution  6 Implementing  7 Evaluating and learning

 Industry specific:  Technical knowledge– Many employers need specific skills in a certain technical area. It is important that during your education you keep in touch with the important IT issues and developments that affect business. At the moment security is a big issue and it is likely to remain so, but developments are happening all the time. Why do you think security is a big issue? What effects can it have on a business? Working procedures– You should have good understanding of the legislation that applies to IT in particular, including Data Protection Act and Copyright Laws. Every employer is keen to make sure they do not break the Law, so they need their employees to be away of their responsibilities in these areas. Look at another PowerPoint presentation on wikispaces under Unit 2 link to read further about Data Protection Act and Computer Misuse. Health and safety knowledge– Your employer will expect you to be aware of your responsiblities under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and to know how to stay safe in the workplace. Refer to the Health and Safety Work Regulations link on wikispaces under Unit 2 link.

 Attitude:  Give an example of each of these:  determined,  independent,  integrity,  tolerant,  dependable,  leadership,  confidence,  self-motivation,  adaptability Define each of these terms Give an example where you have shown or have witnessed each of these being displayed.