Career Action Plan

1. Be self-aware

What actions can you take to really understand your interests, values, skills, personality and strengths? 

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Achieving consistent improvement in self-awareness requires the integration of a diverse set of strategies, each playing a crucial role in fostering a depth of understanding within ourselves. I have always taken an interest in learning technical skills throughout my learning journey while gaining specialist knowledge from university while majoring in Information Technology (IT), I have gained knowledge and understanding of programming language such as Java, Python and SQL), I have also gained insight into computer networking, database management and an introduction to cybersecurity. Through the IT course, I have also acquired experienced from units of study that focus on strong problem-solving abilities. This also entailed focus and attention in detail skills while learning and gaining knowledge from information in coding and system design. In addition to this, Information Technology is a rapidly changing area, it has been instrumental in shaping my personal abilities in being adaptable and willing to learn new technology and methodologies. I have always worked in the education sector; I aim to gain more knowledge and skills to specialize in a key area to enable me to gain employment in the future. This may include systems administration, cybersecurity, and IT support. For my values and work environment preferences my primary focus is learning that will lead to a career path and advancement through hands-on experience, online courses, books and mentorship together with building up communication and collaboration skills to work in a team and engage with clients.

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2. Explore your options

What do you need to research to be clear about your options? What could you do to learn more about career options in your areas of interest? 

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To uncover a broader range of opportunities within my chosen career, it is essential to explore various avenues and strategies beyond my current scope. There are various types of careers with Information Technology. To start on the journey of this career pathway there is a necessity to seek roles in IT support and help desk service as these positions act as positive entry points in stepping in to the career in IT industries which could later lead to network administration, system administration and IT management in which additional skills of problem solving, customer service and knowledge of operating systems may be gained A further career pathway that would be of interest is project management in IT. This connects with the roles of business analyst and product manager which requires the soft skills of stakeholder management and project management methodologies. These are industries that hold potential to expand learning within specialist areas such as the healthcare industry in which knowledge is gained to build systems, manage patient data and improving healthcare accessibility. The other option would be retail and E-commerce with the skills needed of helping the business in building and managing their online stores, analysing customer data and possible website development roles. The education industry could also be another option to develop much needed skills developing educational software, e-learning platforms and managing IT infrastructure in schools. Through my future internship, I intend to gain more hands-on experience by shadowing professionals and observing first – hand understanding of different roles. This would be a valuable networking opportunity, and by reaching out to professionals in different IT fields to learn more of their career experiences and skills I would gain invaluable knowledge and confidence to apply for various roles.

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3. Gain experience and insight

What actions could you take to help you learn more about your industry or find opportunities to develop your skills or find work experience opportunities? 

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To enhance my industry knowledge and gain valuable experience it is crucial to adopt a comprehensive approach that includes continuous education, strategic networking, and immersive practical engagements. Internships would provide this experience as this is one of the most direct ways of gaining real work experience in this industry. In addition to this are the opportunities of working in real projects, learning industry practices and building professional connections. Doing volunteering work in a non-profit organization, community group and schools could be another avenue to gain experience while contributing to meaningful causes and assisting in building my network connections. Continuing to learn has always been my philosophy, and continuous acquisition of knowledge and skills may be gained through professional development opportunities such as certificates and online courses. The actionable steps that I would set in place would be maintaining my e-portfolio to showcase my work skills, having a strong resume, keeping record of every experience, project and courses completed and attended for professional events.

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4. Evidence your skills (knowledge, skills and attributes)

What action can you take to find out more about what skills you might need to develop in your future career? How might you document/record these?

 

To identify and thoroughly document the essential skills necessary for a future career, it is crucial to engage in a deep industry standard, arising trends, and individual skills.  This would be maintained through continuing to build and update my e-portfolio regularly with new skills and experiences. In addition to developing and my LinkedIn profile to share ongoing qualification and achievements such as certificates to increase my profile integrity for employers, clients and collaborators. I will also aim to engage in participating in technical forums, platforms, and communities to continuously increase my abilities.

 

5. Develop networks

List three things you could do to start building your professional networks. 

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Building professional networks necessitates a broad and diverse strategy. As my short- and long-term goals I would be aiming to attend and participate in industry events to build the network connection. This would necessitate engaging and connecting with people on LinkedIn by sending personalized connection requests. Building and maintaining a strong professional network in IT can greatly benefit my career as it will open doors to new opportunities and assist in staying connected within a constantly changing field like IT.

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