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Preparing Girls for IT Jobs

Preparing Girls for IT Jobs. Barbara B. Lockee School of Education Virginia Tech. NSF Funded GSE/EXT Project (0832913). What the Future Holds. During the next 10 years… IT jobs will hold 5 of the top 30 in fastest growing positions Network systems Software application engineers

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Preparing Girls for IT Jobs

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  1. Preparing Girls for IT Jobs Barbara B. Lockee School of Education Virginia Tech NSF Funded GSE/EXT Project (0832913)

  2. What the Future Holds • During the next 10 years… • IT jobs will hold 5 of the top 30 in fastest growing positions • Network systems • Software application engineers • System analysts • Database administrators • Software developers for operating systems • Over 50% of the current IT workforce will retire • Over 1 million jobs will become available nationally

  3. When you think of IT jobs… …what adjectives do you think of?

  4. A Spectrum of Possibilities Healthcare Information Systems Multimedia Designer Network Adminstrator User Support Services Animator Instructional Technologist Graphic Artist Database Programmer

  5. Who is an IT Worker? • Anyone who… • Designs, installs, maintains, upgrades, or supports IT hardware • Designs, authors, adapts, tests, implements, maintains, or supports software or databases • Installs, configures, supports, maintains “back-office” systems and applications for those who use such systems for business operations

  6. Who is an IT Worker? • Or… • Creates computer-based solutions for clients • Writes software for existing systems • Develops design tools, simulations, or enterprise systems for the delivery of electronic content • Tests, documentation development, or quality control • Directly manages IT workers

  7. IT Everywhere • IT companies are everywhere • IT jobs come in all shapes and sizes • IT jobs are everywhere • Healthcare • Government • Education • Banking • IT jobs can come to you • IT skills are essential in non-IT jobs

  8. Broader Definitions Are More Inclusive • IT workers are found in all sectors, not just IT organizations • IT workers have a wide variety of educational backgrounds. Four-year degrees in information technology or computer science are not mandatory • IT workers have varied job responsibilities, many of which relate to problem solving

  9. It’s Important to be FIT! • All IT jobs require a combination of knowledge • Foundational concepts • Contemporary skills • Intellectual capabilities

  10. Foundational Concepts • Foundational knowledge and skills related to how technology “works” • What you might learn in courses or books • Applies across different technologies of the same type • Some examples • How computers work • How networks operate • Digital representation of information • Modeling • Programming

  11. Contemporary Skills • Ability to use current, specific technology to accomplish a given task • Skills change constantly because products change constantly • Examples • Setting up a PC • Web programming • Using graphics software • Setting up a wireless network • Using the Internet to find information • Using a database to provide or access information

  12. Intellectual Skills • Ability to use IT across different, complex situations • Understanding consequences of doing so • Some examples • Design and test solutions to problems • Organize and navigate information • Collaborate • Anticipate problems • Think about IT abstractly

  13. How can we categorize IT jobs? Creators • Those who imagine, design, build, and test technology products and processes Maintainers • Those who install, upgrade, troubleshoot computer hardware and software Supporters • Those who work in non-technical roles vital to IT field, such as sales, training, finance, and law. Management • Those who oversee IT personnel and are responsible for decision-making related to IT resources and strategies

  14. Creators

  15. Maintainers

  16. Supporters

  17. Management

  18. Education @ Home • Many opportunities to obtain educational and vocational requirements in your state • High Schools • Community and Technical Colleges • Colleges & Universities • Flexible learning opportunities through distance education

  19. Where do we go from here? What strategies and resources can we use to increase girls’ knowledge, skills, & attitude regarding IT careers? Increase awareness of IT careers through increasing interactions with IT professionals Increase knowledge of foundational concepts, contemporary skills, and comfort with IT through increasing opportunities to use IT formally and informally

  20. Contact Information For any additional information regarding: • IT skills & knowledge • IT job categories & examples • Education and training programs Barbara Lockee lockeebb@vt.edu (540)231-9193 NSF Funded GSE/EXT Project (0832913)

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