Ina Teves, Organizational Development Consultant

Ina Teves is an organizational development consultant with a change management firm dedicated to making a difference wherever it goes by journeying with the client through the entire process of organizational transformation. Email your questions to ina.b.teves@gmail.com.

Out of the Loop

Dear Ms. Ina,

Good day!

I am a graduate of Bachelor in Computer Science, I had 6 months experience in an IT consulting company;y however my present work is not in line with programming or any IT related function.

I want to be in the IT field again but since I have been out of the industry for three years, I understand that upgrading my skills would be necessary. Enrolling in UP Open University for Diploma in Computer Science is one of my options and I am also considering taking special technical courses.

In addition, I am also in doubt if I would be able to make it since I am already 26 years old.

In view of the above situations, may I seek your kind advice on which alternative is most favorable and practical for my professional growth?

Thank you for your time reading this.

Best regards.

Samantha

Dear Samantha:

You’re right.  Three years is a long time to be away in the IT industry.  This, plus the short stint you had with an IT consulting firm, will pose a big challenge to going back to IT.  You are correct again when you say that you need to upgrade your skills.

Enrolling in a diploma course might not do you much good; as by the time you finish that there will be more new developments.  Focus on a specific area of IT that you want to get into. You might want to take advantage of the increasing demand for jobs related to web development and networking technologies.

For web development, you might want to specialize in open source tools like Linux, Php and My SQL.  There is a huge demand for programmers with skills in these technologies.  You can even freelance and take on projects as an independent consultant, and not have to work in a nine-to-five job. 

The other area you might want to look at is networking technologies.   There is a huge demand, for example, for certified Cisco Engineers here and overseas.  The good thing about the Cisco certification is its worldwide recognition.  Once you pass the exams, you are given a unique number that can be used worldwide.  A Cisco Certified Networking Associate (CCNA), the lowest level certification, can automatically fetch Php 50k monthly, at a minimum.

Now, it is very easy to get Cisco-related classes.  There are around 200 schools and universities offering the Cisco courses in the country today like AMA, UP, Mapua, to name a few.

You have the right attitude – you are able to see exactly where you are now and are driven to do something about it. The most important thing to remember is to continuously improve your expertise in your chosen field.  This is the Age of Knowledge (as opposed to the Industrial Age, or Stone Age, if you like), and he who has plenty of it and knows what to do with it will be amply rewarded.