The IT industry is booming, and now is the best time to make the switch by pursuing a degree in the field
The Singapore campus of James Cook University now offers a new degree in Cybersecurity, as well as a Bachelor of Science with Majors in Data Science and Internet of Things, in addition to other well-established degree programmes in IT
In the wake of Covid-19's widespread disruptions, one industry is leading the way to reshape post-pandemic life - information technology (IT). It has helped many to survive, thrive and evolve despite the challenges.
Joining the movers and shakers of the industry by enrolling in a well-known university such as James Cook University (JCU) is a wise choice for those wanting to participate in the technological revolution.
JCU's Singapore campus Academic Head of Science and Technology, Associate Professor Roberto Dillon, elaborates on the university's IT degree offerings.
Q: Why is now the best time to switch to the IT industry? A: IT is now in high demand due to e-commerce dominating the business world, especially over the past two years. Tech giants have taken the place of many consumer brands in global rankings.
Technology is ripe with opportunities for experienced professionals in fields such as sales, business development and customer service and experience.
As more employees work from home and digitise, more technical and support staff are also needed to maintain business continuity in various industries.
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Q: How will JCU's IT programmes prepare students for a world after the pandemic? A: At JCU, we have embraced new approaches to teaching and learning, including blended learning and online learning, while revising assessment strategies to help our students become accustomed to these new ways of learning and conducting our jobs.
Communication in a remote setting is a fundamental skill today, along with time management and the ability to remain self-motivated in a familiar but new environment.
Even when the pandemic is finally over, these skills will remain relevant. No modern IT professional can be successful without them.
I am very glad we are able to train our students in these skills as well as the more technical ones required by the industry!
Q: What are some of JCU's extensive IT degree offerings? A: We offer well-established bachelor's and master's degrees. The latter includes majors in Business Informatics, Computing, and Interactive Technologies and Game Design.
Additionally, we have a new degree programme in Cybersecurity as well as a Bachelor of Science with Majors in Data Science and Internet of Things.
Our degrees are designed in consultation with the industry, and our bachelor's and master's degrees in IT are accredited by the Australian Computer Society (ACS).
Q: What makes JCU's IT programmes unique? A: We offer degrees in both traditional and emerging fields, and they are updated constantly to reflect the latest industry trends. Each of our programmes is common across all of our campuses, so updating the curriculum is a constant process we work on together with our colleagues in JCU Australia.
A number of exciting updates are in the works for our IT programmes in 2022 and 2023.
To give our students a well-rounded education and a better understanding of what matters in the industry, our different degrees cover all relevant theory, and offer many hands-on opportunities. Students also learn the latest techniques and trends from experts in the industry.
Specific programmes, such as the Bachelor of Science, offer a variety of electives, giving students plenty of options to study what interests them most. While others, like Cybersecurity, follow carefully designed paths to prepare students to succeed in one of the most critical and challenging fields today.
It is worth noting that the latter degree was co-designed with the cybersecurity arm of KPMG, a global firm providing audit, tax, and advisory services to multinational companies, governments, and non-profits. In addition, we recently signed a memorandum of understanding with ISACA, a professional body focused on IT governance. This will allow our students to learn not only from our lecturers but the best professionals in the field as well, and gain even more exposure to the industry.
Since we are a global university with campuses in different countries, our students also have the opportunity to pursue their higher education in multiple locations and have an international experience without disrupting their academics.
Q: Could you tell us more about JCU's new part-time IT programmes and the people they are designed for? A: Currently, JCU offers part-time courses specifically designed for IT professionals who want to upgrade to a technical IT degree. Sales, business development and e-commerce professionals may also enrol if they want to make a career change to work in the booming digital space, e-commerce, or gaming industry.
The available part-time degrees are:
- Diploma of Higher Education (Majoring in Information Technology)
- Bachelor of Cybersecurity
- Bachelor of Information Technology
- Bachelor of Science (Majoring in Data Science)
- Bachelor of Science (Majoring in Internet of Things)
- Master of Information Technology (Majoring in Business Informatics)
- Master of Information Technology (Majoring in Interactive Technologies and Game Design)
Click here to find out the right JCU part-time degree programme in Singapore for you.
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