More than 80 community college students interested in exploring academic pathways and career options in the information technology (IT) field gathered on Jan. 28 at Northern Virginia Community College’s Woodbridge Campus (NOVA) for an event that was jointly-sponsored by GW and NOVA-Woodbridge. Students from NOVA and Germanna Community College were able to network with faculty from GW/NOVA and representatives from industry, in addition to speaking with NOVA and GW admissions and financial aid departments.
The event comprised of three panels and a few interactive networking breakout sessions. Faculty and staff from GW and NOVA-Woodbridge, along with industry partners from International Monetary Fund (IMF), Institute for Defense Analysis and United States Naval Criminal Investigative Services presented information on the skills and qualifications required for students to be successful in the IT field.
GW provided information on three programs available for transfer students, including the bachelor’s degree completion program in Cybersecurity, the bachelor's degree program in Integrated Information, Science, and Technology and the online Police and Security Studies bachelor’s degree program.
During the Faculty Panel, representatives from NOVA and Germanna community colleges and GW, discussed the transfer pathways to four-year institutions and course work selection, the ever-changing IT industry, skills needed to be successful, and the importance of students finishing their associate’s degrees before transfer.
The Industry Partner Panelists advised students to challenge themselves in school and at work in order to have a long career trajectory. Panelists also discussed how education can give students a great base to build a career off of, by providing them with problem solving skills and soft skills such as teamwork and collaboration. Speakers mentioned several trends in the tech industry, such as data storage and protection, creation of end user experience, and innovations in education mediums such as game-based learning. They emphasized that in the hiring process, students can set themselves apart by demonstrating passion, creativity, communication, analytical skills and interest in the employer.
The Career Readiness Panel included advice from GW’s Melissa Feuer, Assistant Dean of Students in the College of Professional Studies, and Michael Lairosa, from the NCIS Office of EEO. They covered the process of starting a job search, including conducting informational interviews and thinking about the skills students already have. They emphasized that students applying for a job should use their resume to demonstrate why they are a good fit for a position, and not provide a whole biography. They recommended different tactics when applying for federal jobs, including a resume using the STAR system (Situation, Task, Action, Results) and using LinkedIn as a great tool to find people and network.
Students had a plethora of information and networking opportunities available during the event. They left well-equipped to plan the next steps in their education and future tech industry employment.