Tech Careers Posts for School Careers Advisors

A career in the tech sector can be diverse, challenging, exciting and rewarding. In order to help your school community understand study pathways and career options, we have created a series of posts for Careers Advisors to share with teachers, students and parents. These short posts, with a call to action and links to online resources, will provide readers with a variety of information to unpack, including study and training options, pathways into roles, tech worker profiles and suggestions of skills to develop using free or accredited training resources. The links shared are also possible teaching resources.

The posts below are now yours to share from the desk of the Careers Advisor.

A Day in the Life - Alison Collins from Halfbrick

Australia has its own digital games studio start-up success stories. Halfbrick was started by a few friends in a Brisbane basement in 2011 and is now a fully remote company with employees in other cities and countries around the world. Halfbrick hit the big time in 2010 with Fruit Ninja and has many other titles such as Jetpack Joyride. Halfbrick specialises in mobile phone games and Alison Collins is just one successful game designer at the studio. Each day, Alison will be ideating, designing, researching, analysing, collaborating, testing and finetuning the games you play on your phone!

Alison did not complete a games design degree; she followed a pathway that worked best for her. She didn't do any tech subjects at school, and wasn't sure about what to study after graduating, but always loved playing games. After teaching English in China for six months, Alison studied a dual degree in Information Technology and Arts, both providing her with knowledge and skills for a unique perspective in a creative industry. After a light bulb moment, Alison decided she wanted to become a games designer! Find out about Alison's pathway into game design at Halfbrick on the ACS Foundation BiG Day In YouTube Channel.

You can arrive at a career in the tech industry by taking a pathway that suits you. Ask your school’s careers advisor to explain your study and training options and consult the ACS Foundation Technology Careers Wheel for a careers showcase. To stay up to date with the latest tech news, subscribe to the FREE ACS Information Age newsletter. #acs #acsfoundation #ictgisp #halfbrick

VET Pathway and Careers Wheel

There are three main pathways into training for an impressive tech career: self-taught, University and Vocational Education and Training (VET). Parents and students traditionally think that a tertiary degree from a university is the only way to get a great tech job. This is not true. A VET pathway will upskill a student and provide engagement with industry experts. It can also prepare a student for further tertiary study if needed. The message is to seriously consider VET courses, via TAFE or an RTO (Registered Training Organisation) because employers do value this training path.

Take the time to explore the ACS Foundation Technology Careers Wheel and you will see that many of the roles highlighted have a VET pathway. For example, to train for a Web Developer role, you can do a Cert III in Information Technology. When finished this 12 month course, you can join the workforce or matriculate into a Diploma of Information Technology to improve your skills even more (an extra 6 months). So many options!

Cyber Security

As cyber-attacks are becoming increasingly common and more harmful, organisations are looking for ways to protect themselves and mitigate the risks of future attacks. Australia (and the rest of the world) is currently experiencing a severe shortage of qualified cyber security professionals, and demand for creative problem solvers is at an all-time high across a range of industries including banking and finance, healthcare, law, retail, defence, and government. With information technology professionals already in high demand, adding a specialisation in cyber security to your skill set will ensure you enter the job market with highly sought-after expertise.

Cyber security is one of the world’s fastest growing industries. While IT security is not a new idea, this increasing prevalence of cyber-crimes is driving unprecedented demand for qualified cyber security professionals. Strong media coverage of high-profile attacks has meant that businesses are more wary than ever of being publicly named and shamed for putting their customers' data at risk. Australia is facing a severe skills shortage of cyber security professionals with a current shortfall of 2,300 workers, and more than 17,000 additional professionals estimated to be required by 2026.

TAFE Queensland offers both introductory and advanced IT security and network security courses. Our Certificate IV in Cyber Security (22603VIC) is a specialised course that will prepare you to enter the industry and protect organisations against malicious cyber activity.

TAFE campuses located on the Gold Coast, Brisbane and Sunshine Coast have recently opened Training Security Operations Centres (TSOCs) to train students in cyber-attacks and defence skills. Contact TAFE Queensland for further details. To stay up to date with the latest tech news, subscribe to the FREE ACS Information Age newsletter. #acs #acsfoundation #ictgisp #tafeqld

Author: Karen Graham, Work Integrated Learning, Project Management, Partnership Broker at TAFE Queensland, Gold Coast

Tech Success Story: Canva

Australia has a proud history of tech innovation and success stories. Canva is an graphic design platform, popular with social media content creators and graphic designers. Canva started in Perth on 1 January 2012, the creation of Melanie Perkins, Cliff Obrecht, and Cameron Adams. In 2023, Canva has over 2 000 employees in three locations and users have created over ten billion designs. In late 2022, the value of the company was set at $26 Billion. The teams at Canva operate like mini start-ups, setting and working towards goals in marketing, software engineering, sales, design, product management and information technology.

Let's look at 'Product Management.’ This involves creating 'the most accessible design tool for every person in the world'. A 'Product Specialist' sees products 'through their entire lifecycle—from concept through to validation, build, post-launch analytics and iterations.' This role collaborates with engineers, data specialists, other product managers and business partners to prioritise and create cool products! Find out more about Product Management via the ACSF Tech Careers Wheel.

Pathways - University

There are three main pathways into training for an amazing tech career: self-taught, University and Vocational Education and Training (VET). A University degree will provide you with a deep understanding of how technology works in your chosen context. University is not just about the study. Going to Uni helps you develop as a person and provides a network of current and future contacts with whom you can learn and grow. Some study path examples include Diploma in Esports, Bachelor of Game Design, Master of Artificial Intelligence or PhD in Computer Science. You can even complete a one-year TAFE course and matriculate into a University degree which recognises your prior learning.

Let's look at a Software Developer; 'programming languages and source code to create software programs for specific tasks and to meet client requirements'. The fields of study

include Computer Science, (Software) Engineering and Information Technology. The skills developed include project management, programming, database management, cloud computing, debugging, data structure, algorithms, encryption and networking. A Graduate Software Developer can earn (on average) $60K to $70K per year. A Senior Developer can earn over $130K per year.

BiG Day In Careers Day

BiG Day In events are for Year 9-12 school students to explore careers in technology. Students take part in sessions covering training options, career opportunities, the latest technologies and personal career paths with engaging industry speakers. In the breaks, students visit the exhibitor stands to speak with tech education and industry representatives. In 2020, the BDIs went virtual, with presentations from companies like Adobe, TechnologyOne, The Australian Space Agency, Microsoft, Wisetech Global, Animal Logic and Youi. Check out these short videos on the ACSF YouTube Channel. In 2022, there were ten BDIs across Australia.

For students who want a career in tech, the BiG Day In is an essential event to attend. The BDI will inspire and educate, as emerging and established tech leaders tell their pathways story and unpack a day in the life of a tech worker. In 2023, the BiG Day In will visit Brisbane, Sunshine Coast, Gold Coast, Sydney, Perth, Darwin, Canberra, Newcastle, Port Macquarie, Adelaide and Melbourne. The Brisbane event, held at the University of Queensland on Tuesday, 30 May 2023, will be livestreamed for free across Australia. Parents, Careers Advisors, Teachers and Students can register for the livestream via https://www.thebigdayin.com.au/brisbane2023. You can access the 2022 livestream recording via the BiG Day In Brisbane 2022 YouTube playlist.

In Demand Skills – The Digital Pulse

The Australian Computer Society's (ACS) Digital Pulse is compiled annually by Deloitte Access Economics. It has been commissioned for the past eight years to get a snapshot of the Australian technology industry; workforce data, IT trends, and the state of the technology industry in Australia. The information has been used by Government and Industry leaders to 'inform public policy work and help governments and Australian industry direct resources towards the most productive areas.' The ACS is a not-for-profit, membership-based organisation formed in 1966, with over 40,000 members. As the professional association for the ICT sector, ACS delivers the Digital Pulse for free as a key initiative to increasing the pipeline of workers into the tech industry.

The requirement for developed digital skills in the workforces is growing. Research found that '87% of jobs in Australia required digital skills. With more occupations today demanding digital skills, investment in ICT education will be critical to preparing Australia’s future labour force. Beyond setting up students with the skills they will need when they join the workforce, ICT education has also been linked to improved academic performance, and responsible use of digital technologies as well as ensuring students can access digital services and participate in an increasingly digitalised world.' (Page 31) Going forward, digital skills in general will be in high demand and specific tech skills (software engineering, programming, etc) essential to enable our economy to grow and compete on a world stage.

Pathways – Self-Learning with Free Courses

There are three main pathways into training for an amazing tech career: self-taught, University and Vocational Education and Training (VET). Learning new tech skills, specifically coding and Cyber Security, can be done by any student through a number of free and paid options. This is a great way to improve school subjects scores, prepare for post-secondary study and training and build a portfolio of achievement. Students can even undertake training and certification for products that are valued by employers to help them secure internships or a pathway to a graduate position. For example, after completing the FREE 'Cybersecurity Fundamentals' courses, a student can move onto other courses that are based on specific Cyber Security products from Palo Alto Networks or other providers.

Fran Allen is the first woman to win the A.M. Turing Award, equivalent to the Noble Prize for computer science. Fran had an amazing 45-year career at IBM and had a critical impact on the development of high-performance computers. Whilst Fran was good at Mathematics, she taught herself to program in order to teach the first high-level programming language, FORTRAN. A career in tech can be technical (like Fran's career) or focus on collaborating with humans (sales, service, support, training, etc) so there is something for everyone. If you want to access free, open source training courses to become a software developer or programmer, check out Khan Academy, Coursera: Introduction to Programming, or Zenva Academy Free Courses.

Cert III in Information Technology

The Certificate III in Information Technology (ICT30120) qualification will provide general skills and knowledge to start a career in IT. A student can complete this course whilst at high school and will become competent in a range of foundational information and communications technology (ICT) technical functions. There are six core or compulsory units and six elective units that focus on Animation, Basic Cloud Computing, Basic Cyber Security Awareness, Digital Media, Generalist IT Support, IT Work Ready Skills, Networking, Programming, Systems and Web Development.

With a Cert III in IT, a student can choose the best path for a career. It is possible to do a traineeship whilst still at school (depending on access to an RTO that can provide this opportunity). After completing the course, an entry level support role for information technology activities in the workplace (technical support, network administration, software applications and web technologies) is possible. Another path could be a VET course like a Cert IV in Information Technology with an RTO or a tertiary course like the Bachelor of IT at Uni. Why not combine training and working and start a Cert IV in IT traineeship where you can 'earn and learn'? Ask your Careers Advisor for help with finding the best pathway for you into a tech career!

In-Demand Skills: Python

Python is one of the world’s most popular, general-purpose programming languages. It was initially designed by Guido van Rossum in 1991 and the name was inspired by the BBC TV Show ‘Monty Python’s Flying Circus’! It’s also the perfect language for kids taking their first steps into coding. It’s easy to learn and will grow with the learner. Python is consistently in the top programming languages listed as a requirement in programming job ads.

Python is used for everything from self-driving cars to special-effects for blockbuster movies. Popular uses for Python include script writing and automation, back-end development, data science and machine learning, Internet of Things (IoT), Artificial Intelligence and App development. In fact, Meta noted, 'For data science, ML applications, and Instagram, Python continues to be the language of choice'.

Check out some free resources that will get learners started with Python: Learn Python basics with Zenva’s free course and Microsoft’s Python tutorial.

Author: Pablo Farias, Founder and CEO of online learning platform Zenva