Skills for Career

Joe Schmetzer,
Head of Software Engineering,
Applied AI at Penten

Greetings from the Australian National University where Joe Schmetzer , Head of Software Engineering, Applied AI at Penten is talking to ANU Techlauncher students about "Skills for a Tech Career". Beforehand I introduced a small assessed task for students, which is to find a job or other opportunity and explain why they have the skills and knowledge for it.

This morning I was interviewed by Kristina Hoeppner for her Portfolio Podcast series "Create. Share. Engage". I explained that for Techlauncher we have disguised the capstone e-portfolio reflection exercise as a job application. Joe is now taking students through what he likes to see from applicants. He has students do a short coding exercise, which is not unusual for a technical job but a "cultural interview" is. After the code test the Penten Head of Operations asks the applicant why they are there and they have an idea of what the company they are applying to. This is something STEM graduates tend to have difficulty with. It helps if students have done some sort of practical project. Joe then talked about the Trident Career Model. 

Later the ANU Careers and Employability staff took students through a series of careers exercises. The RIASEC categorised me as being Realistic, Artistic & Investigative, suggesting I could be a Landscape Architect. As it happens I did an introductory design course for architects and industrial designers.