Blockchain Skills

The Australian Computer Society (ACS) is one of the bodies supporting work on blockchain in Australia. ACS uses the Skills Framework for the Information Age (SFIA). Skills for Blockchain, Distributed Ledger Technology, and Smart Contracts, have been requested for the next version of SFIA (Version 8). But this is up to the SFIA Foundation based in the UK. The Foundation is reasonably responsive: I asked for ICT Sustainability skills to be added and got them. 

In terms of vocational skills standards for blockchain, Australia already has an Advanced Diploma of Applied Blockchain (10747NAT).  There are nine blockchain specific course modules for this:

BLKPER010 - Analyse performance of a business model deployed on a blockchain	Analyse performance of a business model deployed on a blockchain	Current
BLKSMC004 - Create trust and activate a blockchain with smart contracts	Create trust and activate a blockchain with smart contracts	Current
BLKDBM002 - Develop a blockchain business model	Develop a blockchain business model	Current
BLKERE008 - Develop a blockchain governance model for stewardship	Develop a blockchain governance model for stewardship	Current
BLKFRS003 - Develop a blockchain network functional requirements specification	Develop a blockchain network functional requirements specification	Current
BLKOBN005 - Develop a framework for operating a blockchain network	Develop a framework for operating a blockchain network	Current
BLKEBF001 - Establish a blockchain framework for decentralised peer to peer consensus and innovation	Establish a blockchain framework for decentralised peer to peer consensus and innovation	Current
BLKRFB009 - Lead recruitment strategy for blockchain projects	Lead recruitment strategy for blockchain projects	Current
BLKTBO007 - Prepare the organisation for transitioning operations to a blockchain network	Prepare the organisation for transitioning operations to a blockchain network	Current

 

Google Wants Coders Who Can Communicate

Dr Will Uther, from Google Sydney, talked to the PHD students at the Australian National University this afternoon about "Some things a PhD student needs to know before applying at Google".  One point he made was that PHDs need to practice their coding skills for Google job interviews. Also he suggested trying some of the problems in Cracking the Coding Interview: 150 Programming Questions and Solutions (Gayle Laakmann McDowell, 2011), for practice.

Soft Skills Review of Australian ICT Degrees

ACS is reported to be reviewing their ICT Profession Core Body of Knowledge (CBOK) and are particularly interested in what employers want in terms of "soft skills" of graduates. See "ICT tertiary courses under review", by David Swan (The Australian, 26 February 2015). I discussed how a university could use e-portfolios for teaching soft skills in "Proposal for Incorporating Professional Skills in the ANU Master of Computing".

ps: Dr Will Uther, from Google Sydney, is turning up here at ANU 3pm, to tell us what they really want from graduates.

What Google Wants in a Job Applicant

Yesterday, I speculated about what Google wants in an applicant for a job. But on 27 February 2015, at 3pm, Dr Will Uther, from Google Sydney, is visiting the Australian National University to tell us exactly what Google is looking for in staff.

Some things a PhD student needs to know before applying at Google

Dr Will Uther (Google Sydney)

CECS SEMINAR SERIES

DATE: 2015-02-27
TIME: 15:00:00 - 16:00:00 ...

ABSTRACT:
I interview a range of people applying for jobs at Google. There are some common mistakes that seem to be made by PhD students who are applying from Australian Universities (+ NICTA) for software engineering positions at Google. I'd like to try and point out some of what Google is looking for so that PhD students can do better in their interviews.
BIO:
Will finished his PhD at Carnegie Mellon University and then was hired back to NICTA/UNSW as a Researcher in the Machine Learning group in 2003. His research interests revolve around Artificial Intelligence: Reinforcement Learning and Robotics. He competed in the Legged League of the RoboCup robotic soccer competition - including world championships in 1998 (at CMU) and 2003 (at UNSW). He competed in the 2007 DARPA Urban Challenge self-driving vehicle competition. In 2013 he move to Google Australia where he currently works with the Google Maps APIs.

ICT Job Profiles

The Australian Computer Society (ACS) has released an "ICT Skills White Paper: Common ICT Job Profiles & Indicators of Skills Mobility" (30 December 2013). This may be of interest for those designing training and education to help someone get from one job category to another.

As an addition to its annual employment survey, last year the ACS asked respondents to select up to skills they use in their work section. The skills definitions they were provided with are from the Skills Framework for the Information Age (SFIA). The results were distilled by the ACS down to 25 ICT job descriptions, at five levels. SFIA defines seven levels of job from the lowest 1 to highest 7, but only levels 3 to 7 are reported on by ACS.

The top ten most common job categories, starting with the most common, were:

1. ICT Consultant
2. ICT Manager
3. Software Engineer
4. Database Administrator
5. Project Manager
6. Business Analyst
7. ICT Architect
8. Systems Administrator
9. Analyst Programmer
10. Developer Programmer

The paper gives a one page summary for each of the 25 jobs.

Australian Public Service Digital Information Skills Matrix for Comment

The National Archives of Australia has issued a draft of "Digital information and records management capabilities: Skills and knowledge for Australian Government employees" (October 2013), for comment. This includes a matrix showing what skills information and records management professionals need, at levels in a government agency. Levels are categorized into APS 1–4, APS 5–6, EL 1–2 and SES.

As well as records management specialists, the skills which ICT professionals need in formation management and general staff are covered briefly.

NAA might usefully compare their matrix to the Skills Framework for the Information Age, which has a matrix of skills used in Australia and internationally. SFIA has seven levels of responsibility, which is probably too many (compared with NAA's 4). In 2010 I looked at SFIA skills relevant to records management. SFIA's Level 5 (which might equate to APS El1-2), has 8 Skills relevant to records management (plus Procurement and the Quality management skills):

1. Information management 
2.  Information policy formation 
3.  Information content publishing 
4. Methods and tools 
5. Business analysis 
6. Data analysis 
7. Database/repository design 
8. Usability evaluation 

Here are the skills listed by NAA, expected of ICT employees and information and records management specialists:

Agency Chief Information Officer — SES Band 1

Champions the agency’s vision to achieve strategic goals through effective management of all business information, wherever it is held, aligning the agency with whole-of-government directions for digital transition. Seeks opportunities to achieve operational efficiencies and improve service through appropriate and effective governance, policy and procedures that reduce risk and drive improvement Resources information management, ensuring the availability of skilled, flexible workforce and efficient and appropriate technologies. Engages with the broadest range of stakeholders using a range of communication channels to build an organisational culture that values information and embraces change as a positive and desirable aspect of agency information management.

Director, Information Technology — EL2

Interprets and implements government policies and standards by developing relevant organisational policies and procedures for digital transition, seeking opportunities to integrate information governance throughout operational business processes. Develops and manages strategies, key relationships and high-level work plans including projects, budget, staffing and performance management to deliver efficient and high-quality information and records management services Drives open, flexible, two-way communication to build an agency culture that values information as a corporate asset. Identifies and mitigates business risks associated with digital information and records management, including legacy information, wherever it is stored Promotes the relevance and value of information ownership and stewardship as essential for information and records management.

Project Officer, ICT — APS5–6

Understands information and records management requirements, assisting with the development of business processes that reflect better practice, demonstrating understanding of the requirements of relevant standards and translating them into policies and procedures. Develops and/or delivers systems training and information and records management advice and skills, tailoring advice and training to meet business units’ needs. Articulates the importance of open, flexible, innovative two-way communication and actively participates in building an agency culture that values information as a corporate asset. Understands the legal and policy issues related to the agency and its information assets, including whole-of-government initiatives, and works with others to achieve good outcomes....

From: Draft of "Digital information and records management capabilities: Skills and knowledge for Australian Government employees", NAA, October 2013.

Skills for University Tutors

As part of the Vocational Certificate IV in Training and Assessment, I was required to learn how to prepare Work-based Learning Pathways. At the time I was looking at what training university tutors received, so I prepared a work-based learning pathway for an ANU computer science tutor. This was an interesting exercise in seeing what training was available from the university and if  vocational e-leaning modules could be used to supplement this. Also it was interesting to see if the vocational approach made sense in a university environment. Overall it worked reasonably well.

It would be interesting to see if the training which early career academics (ECAs) receive could be structured in such a way that they receive both a university and vocational qualification. That is the student would receive a Cert IV in Training and Assessment, plus do extra study for a Graduate Certificate in Higher Education, so they were qualified to teach in universities and TAFEs.

WORK-BASED LEARNING PATHWAY

Graduate Students Tutoring Undergraduates in Computer Science

Workplace: ANU

Name of employee/s: Graduate Students Tutoring Undergraduates in Computer Science

Learning goals:

• Run tutorial groups and workshops. Administer the course website.
• Maintain student records for the course.
• Assist with teaching in tutorials and workshops. Undertake assessment of assignments

Benchmark/units of competency

• BSBCMM401A - Make a presentation
• TAEDEL401A - Plan, organise and deliver group-based learning
• BSBEBU401A - Review and maintain a website
• TAETAS401A - Maintain training and assessment information
• TAEASS402A Assess competence
• ANU Code of Practice for Teaching and Learning, 1 Jan 2012

Instructions to facilitator: This learning pathway documents the recommended learning pathway for graduate students tutoring undergraduates.

Please note:

1. This will need tailoring for individual tutors. It is expected the graduate students have necessary technical knowledge of computer science topics and be familiar with HTML, but have limited presentation skills and little or no teaching experience.
2. Tutors will need to make a presentation and assist with a tutorial before doing so on their own.

Tutors will need “tutor” access to the Learning Management System.

Development Plan

 

Skills and knowledge to be developed	Learning activity and recommended strategy	Facilitator	Cost	Sequence/ Timeframe	Agreed Completion Dates
Run tutorial groups and workshops.	Attend introductory university on-line course on small group learning. Prepare and present to the group of tutors.	CECS Educational Development Group	3 hours	Day 1	Day 1
Administer the course website.	Read “Introduction to Wattle" (Web Access To Teaching & Learning Environments) Attend “Wattle Course Setup”  Attend ANU “Alliance” workshop.	ANU Library and Central Wattle Training	3.5 Hours	Day 2	Day 2
Maintain student records for the course.	Attend “Student Admin System Training Session"	ANU Division of Registrar & Student Services	3 Hours	Day 3	Day 3
Undertake assessment of assignments	Read “Assessment and examinations” section of ANU website Listen to “Tutors Again” podcast and undertake the exercises Undertake “Assess competence” from the Australian Flexible Learning Toolbox Coaching by experienced tutor.	ANU Academic Skills & Learning Centre	3 Hours	3 Hours	Day 4

Implications for the workplace: Face-to-face workshops may take months to schedule and so would be better if this was organized the semester before the tutor is to start work.

Assessment methods: Student to keep a journal using ANU Mahara e-portfolio system to document learning. Experienced tutor to provide feedback on this.

Support needs: Student will need to be paid 12.5 hours for the training. Experienced tutor will need to be paid to undertake the coaching (3 hours).