Graduate Careers

Cindy Tong, 27

Qualifications: Bachelor of IT (Hons), Master of IT, Queensland Institute of Technology

Position: Database Administrator — Corporate Administration Agency, Department of Education, Training and the Arts (QLD)

I am part of the technical IT team and I am responsible for our corporate applications infrastructure and the underlying databases. Working for a shared services provider, my job is to ensure that applications are available to our clients, and that the data held in our databases are secure.

Working with a wide range of technologies, being challenged, and solving different problems every day. There's always something new to learn.

What do you dislike?
I wouldn't say I dislike any aspect of the my job because then I wouldn't be doing it. The only inconvenience I find is that sometimes system maintenance has to be done out of business hours to ensure our clients are not affected. That can mean staying back on a Friday night or working over the weekend.

Are jobs in the IT industry easy/difficult to come by?
There are a number of careers in the industry requiring an equally diverse range of skills and experiences. Knowing one's strengths and weaknesses is key to getting a job.

Why did you choose the IT industry?
I became interested in IT during high school when I learnt about the changes IT has made to society and how it has really made life so much easier compared to the manual alternatives. With IT being incorporated into almost every aspect of every industry and sector I know that there will always be jobs in the industry.

The IT industry is currently suffering a skills shortage — what do you think are some common misconceptions about the industry?
I think the general public are very unclear about what the professionals in the IT industry do. IT is as much about people, business and processes as the computer hardware itself. It is unfortunate that many people only relate to IT as their help desk and the workstation that they work with.

What are your long-term career goals?
One thing about the industry that fascinates me is the variety of roles and how they relate to each other. I would like to take the time to explore the different facets of IT. Having been involved in the operations side in my career, I would like to gain more experience in projects, and later on make strategic decisions about how IT can be used to benefit an organisation.

Back to top

Yohan Ramasundara, 29

Qualifications: Bachelor of IT, University of Canberra

Position: Assistant Director Audit, Evaluation and Governance — IP Australia

What does your job involve?

I lead a range of corporate governance services, providing high level independent advice and leadership in the areas of audit, evaluation, insurance, risk management, complex business processes and system issues.

What do you like about your job?
Task variety, it's a different challenge every day. Also you're always looking at ways to improve business and system functionality to make them more efficient and effective. I deal with a lot of different stakeholders and I really enjoy that people aspect of my job.

Are jobs in the IT industry difficult to come by?
Not at all. At the moment the IT job market is very good for anyone planning to get into it.

Was it always your goal to enter the IT industry?
I always wanted to get into the IT industry because IT is everywhere. IT cuts across all industries and provides skills accepted almost anywhere in the world.

What are some common misconceptions about the IT industry?
I think the biggest misconception is that some people think IT is geeky, that it limits you to a back room and organisations see IT as a cost.

But the reality is the IT industry provides infinite opportunities and is in the forefront of innovation. IT is an enabler of changes and...is the heart of most businesses. IT enables organisations to create value which will increase the bottom line and organisations now see IT as an investment.

Back to top