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Information Technology Educator

Information technology (IT) educators provide instruction and are involved in the planning, administration and coordination of training.

TASKS

IT educators may perform the following tasks:

develop course and instructional material, including visual aids, student handouts, training exercises and reference material
plan, design and coordinate training programmes
assess and analyse training needs
conduct teaching sessions or lectures
assess students in various settings
maintain student and client records
evaluate learning effectiveness
prepare reports for management on training budgets and outcomes
work with experts in the areas where IT is being applied
talk to developers and suppliers of new IT products and teaching methods to maintain personal knowledge and skill

PERSONAL REQUIREMENTS

good communication skills
able to explain complex concepts clearly
willing to maintain and update own knowledge of IT content
good organisational skills
tactful, mature and able to act with initiative
patient when dealing with people of differing abilities and backgrounds
able to work as part of a team
good at mathematics and computing

Interest Area

SPECIALISATIONS

IT Lecturer - teaches information technology skills and theory in a tertiary education setting.

IT Training Consultant - may conduct employee training as part of new or modified systems implementation, as well as general IT skills training to achieve basic competence in areas such as word processing, online communication techniques or spreadsheet development.

IT Technical Writer - is involved in the creation and development of materials to support new IT installations or software modifications. Products may take the form of instruction manuals using print or other media. There is increasing demand for the development of online help systems and multimedia tools such as Hypertext Markup Language (HTML).

EDUCATION & TRAINING

To become an IT educator you usually have to complete a degree in information technology, information systems, computing or computer science. To get into these courses you usually need to gain your HSC/ACT Year 12. Prerequisite subjects, or assumed knowledge, in one or more of English and mathematics are normally required.

A number of universities in Australia offer degrees in these areas.

Universities have different prerequisites and some have flexible entry requirements or offer external study. Contact Open Universities Australia or the universities you are interested in for more information as requirements may change.

Additional Information

Membership of the Australian Computer Society is available to those who hold, or are working towards, suitable qualifications. There is a range of membership types available, allowing progression through the various levels as a member's career develops.

EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES

IT educators and trainers are employed by computer hardware and software suppliers, specialist training organisations and various education sectors. They are often part of the training staff within large enterprises. Information technology education and training covers primary and secondary teaching, as well as the Vocational education and training (VOC), higher education and adult education sectors. With experience and sufficient start-up money, there are opportunities for self-employment.