IT AND TECHNOLOGY | AREAS OF WORK
TECHNOLOGY CONSULTING Introduce IT solutions and strategies designed to help clients navigate business obstacles.
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hile “tech start-up” is a common buzzword in the sector these days, venturing into any kind of business that involves introducing or implementing technology in the real world can be daunting. For this reason, businesses – especially successful ones – need consultants or industry experts who can advise them on IT strategies and solutions.
Career overview There are various ways to classify the nature and services of a technology consultancy firm, but most of them fall into one of the following five categories: • IT strategy and design: Consultants in this area match their clients’ existing technology to their business strategy in order to help them stay relevant. • IT operations and management: Here, consultants “renovate” and upgrade a client’s existing IT and business processes to improve performance. • Enterprise architecture: Where consultants help an organisation draw up an IT strategy roadmap, vision, corporate technology standards and a core technology catalogue to guide its growth in the future. • Sourcing: In this field, consultants help streamline a client’s operations by assessing and advising if a corporation should outsource its IT functions.
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STEM Career Guide 2021
• Integration: Consultants here assist clients with complex business problems via IT software solutions, whether it involves creating tailored or using commercial-off-the-shelf solutions. Employers generally start new hires out with project support and analytical roles, where they look out for information and analyse data to contribute to projects handled by their assigned team. With enough experience, though, graduates may be put in charge of a client or function – such as reviewing, designing or building a system – before being placed in a position of leadership and tasked with a major transition project. There is also the option to specialise in certain functions to become an industry expert, or reach senior management to manage others instead. As projects tend to be client-centric, it often entails being the middleman between clients and the firm, as well as building, installing and testing systems on clients’ behalves. Much time will also be spent travelling and working onsite.
Trends and developments With the present technology disruption in full swing, businesses across all industries are being transformed in the face of automation and AI. This is especially evident in the Asia Pacific region, with Singapore having pushed through the National Robotics Programme (NRP) and deployed automation technology to areas such as logistics and manufacturing, and even healthcare and construction in an effort to combat labour shortages.
Pros and cons A wide range of opportunities As work tends to be either project or client-based, there is wide exposure to many different sectors and companies, that, in turn, promises variety and plenty of learning and networking opportunities. Many also relish the many different paths available for career development, ranging from developing technical skills to becoming an expert or managing a team. Work-life balance The constant travelling goes beyond the usual nine-to-five, so it might require some compromise on lifestyle. Skills required in technology consulting
• A willingness to learn • Persuasion and presentation skills • Commercial awareness • Excellent interpersonal skills
