Addressing a lack of diversity in ICT
When Tayla commenced her Information Technology (IT) degree with QUT Online, and received one of QUT’s diversity scholarships, she found herself at the forefront of meaningful and much-needed reform in the industry.
A recent study by IT Professional Australia found that in 2018 and 2019, only 29% of Australia’s ICT workforce were women, and women only comprised 1.1% of Tech CEOs.
QUT Online’s Diversity Scholarship is all about creating more opportunities for students from diverse backgrounds, including women, so they can launch careers in the traditionally male-dominated ICT sector.
Aligning your career with your professional interests
With an established career already in the digital marketing and digital communications
sector, Tayla had the opportunity to work closely with the digital development team at her work. In doing so she was able to first discover, and then cultivate, a desire to work with a range of technologies.
Acquiring coding skills in her role, Tayla saw in herself the motivation to further develop her software development skills, so she would be able to upskill into a more technical role.
“IT is an everchanging and exciting field to study and I wanted to be educated in the latest practices available and learn the foundations of computer science.”
The only question was how to go about realising this next career step.
A dynamic way to study
Tayla knew exactly what she was looking for when she discovered QUT Online’s Graduate Certificate in Information Technology, which was a perfect match for her interests and desired career progression.
“I chose to study at a postgraduate level online due to flexibility. Studying online has given the ability to live on the Sunshine Coast without the commute to Brisbane, giving me more time to focus on study and work part-time. I love the option to study on the beach!”
Best of all, the course itself had a unique online structure, commencing with a series of micro units – condensed and dynamic units completed in five weeks – that in combination encapsulate foundational IT knowledge and skills on specialised topics.
“Micro units were perfect for my desire to learn a range of foundational IT skills. I wanted to learn a range of skills including object-oriented programming, web development and information systems.”
The right decision
It turned out to be a fortuitous decision, as the global COVID-19 situation has since forced many of us to work and study from home, which has implications for Tayla’s chosen career path.
“I believe the importance of IT and cybersecurity is even more prevalent now that our workforces and schools are moving online.”
What’s next?
While it is a difficult time for many of us, Tayla has managed to use the time to reconfigure her career direction, and is currently looking forward to finishing her course, which will open pathways into working as a web developer.
And, eventually, she hopes to use her newfound skills to open her own e-commerce business, using everything she’s learned in IT and digital marketing, blazing a path forward in a world that is increasingly digital.
Online postgraduate study is a great option for the way it removes the obstacles we generally associate with returning to study mid-career. Study online while you continue to work, without sacrificing your lifestyle. QUT Online offers a range of postgraduate courses, including a diverse number of courses in the field of IT, Planning and Engineering.
