12 Tips to kick start your ICT career at CTU

So you want to be an ICT professional? Use these tips to get started.

1. Determine your personal interests and set a career goal
If you are still in school:

Do enough research about the different careers you are interested in (see CTU and IT Careers).
Decide which career will suit you best.
Determine what you need to do to become the specific professional you choose (i.e. study and workplace experience).
Choose the right subjects needed for your tertiary studies (see Subject choices and your future)

If you are a career changer:

Determine why you want to change your career.
Do enough research about the career you are interested in.
Determine what you need to do to become the specific professional you choose (i.e. study and workplace experience).

2. Studying at CTU

Reasons why you should choose CTU:

Accredited: National qualifications approved and accredited by SAQA and MICT SETA.
HRD in IT: Excellent earning potential for IT graduates. A high percentage of our graduates are employed in the IT industry.
The demand for CTU graduates is high.
Occupation focussed: Our programmes are in demand, relevant, updated regularly and occupation focussed.
Recruits @ CTU: Not only are we geared towards looking after our applicants, we also proactively work in partnership with our valued clients in order for them to appoint prime talent.
Facilitator-led training.
Small classes (each learner with his/her own computer).
Study full time or part time.
Life Long Learning: Work after one year, study for a second year or up skill part time.
International Certifications: Increase employment opportunities anywhere in South Africa or in the world.
Workplace Experience: We work closely with corporate companies to provide workplace experience to our learners, when and where available.
Student loans available (leading banks and other organisations).
Training Programme Approval by the SA Institute of Draughting – Computer Aided Drawing Office Practice.
Student Life @ CTU: Various campus activities & social responsibility projects are held during the year by the campus SRC.
Bursaries: See our website for more information.

3. Go online

Sign up for CTU’s newsletter for up and coming news and events. Join our online communities by connecting on LinkedIn, following us on Twitter, liking our Facebook pages, viewing our videos and reading our blog. We will keep you posted on all the latest IT and design news, CTU programmes, certifications, job vacancies and other interesting information.

4. Know the different job opportunities

You need to know what you can do after your studies at CTU.

Here are some of the suggested job opportunities for our full time programmes:

ICT

Network Professional CISCO career paths: Network Engineer, Software Engineer, Network Associate, Network Professional, Sales Engineer, Hardware Engineer, Telecoms Engineer, Security Engineer, Storage Engineer, and Solution Specialist.
IT Technical Support career paths: Computer Technician, Network Technician, Support Technician, IT Helpdesk Agent, IT Sales, Desktop Technician, and Entrepreneur.
IT System Support: MCITP & Specialisation career paths: Systems Administrator, Database Administrator, Network Manager, Enterprise Administrator, Network Administrator, Network Technician, Support Technician, Network Manager, Project Manager, Network Analyst, IT Engineer, and Entrepreneur.
IT Systems Developer: MCPD & Specialisation career paths: Software Developer, Database Developer, Junior Programmer, Analyst Programmer, Software Tester, IT Consultant, Entrepreneur, .Net Web Developer, Software Developer, Business Intelligence Developer, Project Leader, Software Analyst, and IT Manager.

Design

Graphic Design I & II career paths: Graphic Designer, Graphic Artist, Brand Designer, Production Artist, Social Media Administrator, Web Designer, Flash Designer, and Web Artist.
Web Development I & II career paths: Web Artist, Web Designer, Webmaster, Web Developer, Flash Designer, and Entrepreneur.
Computer Aided Draughting and Design career paths: CAD Operator, Apprentice Draughtsman, Technical Illustrator and, 3D Designer.

Business

Office Administration Executive career paths: Office Assistant, Office Administrator, Accounts Clerk, Junior Secretary, Junior Bookkeeper, Personal Assistant, and Pastel Clerk.
Project Management career paths: Project Manager Assistant, Project Manager, Event Planner and Team Leader.

CTU Recruits will also keep you up to date with the latest job vacancies on their website, Facebook Page, LinkedIn group and Twitter.

5. Time to learn & build skills foundation

It is necessary to acquire the right skills to become an ICT professional. You can decide if you want to study full time at a CTU Career Campus or part time at a CTU Corporate Training Centre. CTU’s certifications and accreditations include: Microsoft, CISCO, MICT SETA, Department of Education, CIW, CompTIA, Adobe, SAID, Autodesk, Pearson Vue, Pastel Accounting and Prometric.

6. Be educated, gain experience and get certified

To be considered for an IT position at any company, you will need to have the right combination of education, experience and certification/s. Companies would rather hire someone with a certification, because it gives you recognition. It is a means to stand out in your field with a set of qualifications that demonstrate your commitment to staying current with the very latest technological advances. Also, a company will likely choose a certified professional than a professional without the right certifications.

A certification will open the door to a new career since it is proof that you are skilled in a specific area. If you study full time at CTU, you will get a national qualification and an international certification.

7. Create a resume, start networking and build an online presence

A resume is a reflection of who you are, what you can do and how you can be of use to a hiring company. Make sure it is concise and up to date, and that your qualifications and certifications can easily be seen. Send your CV to CTU Recruits, so that you can be on considered if there is a new vacancy. We also offer interview and CV tips to job seekers.

The next step will be to network. Build relationships with everyone you meet because knowing the right people will likely help you to get where you want to be.

Build an online presence by updating your Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter profiles. Be careful to only make the stuff public that you want current and future employers to see. Also, start following blogs about your career interests, like relevant Facebook pages, follow influencers on Twitter, and connect to the right people on Linked In.

8. Get access to the right technology

It is important to have access to the right technology, operating systems and software. By having access to right technology, you will be able to get the needed practice and hands-on training. At CTU, our programmes and the technology we use are updated regularly.

9. Speak to a career adviser

If you are a school leaver, you can make an appointment with a CTU career consultant at your nearest campus. We would like to discuss your needs, various programme options and assist you to make an informed career choice. After your studies, corporate training or upskilling, you can send your CV to our Recruits department to be considered for future ICT vacancies. Make sure you also visit our Recruits website to get more information about compiling a CV and preparing for interviews.

10. Workplace Experience Programme

In our Career division we have a Workplace Experience Programme which includes fieldtrips and corporate visits. This allows the students the opportunity to experience the workplace environment of their specific study field.

Our Corporate division also offer learnerships that is a workplace education and a training programme comprising of structured practical workplace experience and structured theoretical training.

11. Join a professional society

By certifying yourself at CTU, you will be ‘connected’ with Microsoft, CompTIA, CISCO, Adobe, and many more. By studying Computer Aided Draughting and Design you will get the chance to be registered with SAID (South African Institute of Draughting). Connecting to CTU Training Solutions on LinkedIn is a very effective reference and connects you with future employers and others in your chosen industry.

12. Get a job

Visit online job directories, read newspapers and keep your ear on the ground for the perfect job opportunity. Improve your interview skills by reading up on common interview questions and practising a lot. Do not forget about CTU Recruits’ website and Facebook page, as we have the latest vacancies and interview preparation tips listed there. Improve your soft skills. You will need people skills in the workplace environment. Also, find a mentor to help you find your feet in the company.

You are welcome to contact us for more information at 0861 100 395

Find us online:

Blog: ctutrainingsolutionschatz.blogspot.com

Twitter: CTU_Chatz

YouTube: 1987ctu

Career Division

Website: www.ctucareer.co.za

Facebook: CTU Career Chatz

Corporate Division

Website: www.ctucorp.co.za

Facebook: CTU Corporate Chatz

LinkedIn: CTU Training Solutions