A Day in the Life: An Interactive Application to Introduce IT Students to the Workplace

Abstract

Students can enter IT degrees with only a general idea of available career pathways and career options. Students often select an IT degree based on intrinsic interest in IT, however their career decisions can be based on misconceptions about the industry. The 'Day in the Life' application seeks to provide industry and career knowledge to first- and second-year IT students through an informative resource detailing the daily activities of various IT professionals, with a focus upon individual video interviews and organisation-related content. Usability testing was conducted to answer the question: to what level does this site alone change students' perspectives or understanding of day-to-day work in the IT industry? While revisions are recommended, overall student feedback indicates that the application has a positive effect on student knowledge, understanding, and career confidence.