IT Career Pathways

Overview
As an IT, Information Systems or Spatial Information professional, you can apply your expertise in many industries.
Contexts include design, development, implementation and management of applications and systems, programming,
analysis, data visualization, geomatics, global positioning and spatial data infrastructure.

Specialisations
A Master of Information Technology
degree will provide you with a technical
focus. You will be able to develop and
implement IT solutions to problems
and challenges in a wide variety of
organisations.
As a Master of Information Systems
graduate, your focus will be on systems
management. You will be able to work as a
practitioner or consultant in digital business,
supporting, managing and changing business
processes through your knowledge of
information and communications technology
and information systems.
Your Master of Spatial Information Science
qualification will enable you to specialise
in a variety of areas including economics,
psychology, social science, computer
science, planning, civil engineering or
geomatics.

Tommy Li works for Pro Medicus Ltd, leading

provider of IT solutions and services to the private
healthcare industry. He is responsible for developing,
enhancing and maintaining the companys software
product, the radiology information system, which is
used by healthcare practices to manage radiological
records and data.

TOMMY LI
Software Developer,
Pro Medicus
Study Area: IT

Prior to joining Pro Medicus, Tommy undertook a

Master of Information Technology part-time with the
Melbourne School of Engineering and worked on a
website project for electricity provider, Red Energy:
I definitely recommend undertaking study while
working. Being able to learn other ways of solving
the same problem is great. In IT, 5-10 years is like a
generation! I dont believe it can continue to be how
it was in my parents era, where you could finish your
certification and then sit in a job until you retire.

Information Technology, Information Systems, Spatial Information Science 1

Engineering Pathways (IT)

Learn to
develop
algorithms
and software.
Available in
Bachelor of
Science

Breadth

Geomatics

Informatics

Diploma in Informatics

Breadth tracks

Capture, analyse
and apply spatial
information in
natural, built
and social
environments.

Use IT to
capture and
make sense of
information and
data in areas
ranging from
biology to social
networking.

Complement your major studies

with a range of data manipulation
and presentation techniques.
Study eight informatics subjects
alongside your degree and
graduate with a bachelors degree
and a diploma in 3.5 years.

Enhance your major with a

3-6 subject sequence in:
Computer Science
Information and the Web
IT in Organisations
Logic, Meaning, and
Computation
Working with Information.

Available
in Bachelor
of Science,
Environments

Graduate
Coursework

Available in
Bachelor of
Science

Available in Bachelor of Arts,

Biomedicine, Commerce,
Environments, Music, Science*
*Not available to students doing the
Computing and Software Systems or
Informatics majors.

Master of Engineering
Geomatics
Software
Mechatronics
Master of Information
Systems

Master of Information
Technology
Computing
Distributed
Health
Spatial

Business analyst
Software engineer
Data/Information Architect
Web developer/programmer
Project manager
IT consultant/manager
Health information manager
Bioinformatics manager
Network analyst

*IT in Organisations only

Master of Science
Bioinformatics
Computer Science
Master of Spatial Information
Science

Research Higher Degrees

Employment

Available in Bachelor of Arts,

Biomedicine*, Commerce,
Environments, Music, Science*

Systems designer
Change and transition manager
IT security auditor
Mobile services developer
Mapping officer
GIS Consultant
Spatial data market developer

Master of Philosophy (MPhil)

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

2-4 YEARS

Computing
and Software
Systems

Diploma

2 YEARS

Majors

3 YEARS

Undergraduate Study

And many many more...

Career Planning
For university students, career planning is about choosing a career path related to your field of study and preparing for
employment. While engineering can lead to specific occupations it can also give you the foundation for a variety of career paths.
Choosing an occupation, getting that first graduate job, and growing
in your job will require planning, self awareness, flexibility and a
forward-looking attitude to help manage the personal transitions,
as well as the technological and economic changes of the future.
With so many factors to consider an effective employment plan will
include strategies for enhancing career awareness & self awareness,
and can be done in a 4-Step process, starting with:
1. Doing some self-assessment to clarify interests and strengths
2. Gathering information and exploring careers that appeal to you
and match your interests, abilities and values using myFuture

2 Information Technology, Information Systems, Spatial Information Science

(accessible to the public) or Adult Directions (via Online Career

Tools for current University of Melbourne students)
3. Learning about the job market by investigating Work Experience
opportunities, browsing company/industry websites and talking
to lots of people in your field of interest using the informational
interviewing technique
4. Developing job search skills preparing your job applications and
preparing for interviews using the Online Career Tools or booking
a Career Consultation through Careers Online (both services
available to current University of Melbourne students).

Employment
Sectors and Industries

Aerospace
Architecture
Construction
Consulting
Electronics
Energy and Commodities
Entertainment
Financial Services
Games
Government Departments, Agencies
and Municipal Authorities
Health
Industrial
Infrastructure
Land and Resources
Manufacturing
Minerals and Energy
Mining
Property
Research and Development
Technology Research and Development
Telecommunications
Tertiary Education
Transport
Urban Planning

Employers
A sample of employers who actively recruit
our IT, Information Systems and Spatial
Information Science graduates includes:
Accenture
AMP
Australian Bureau
of Statistics (ABS)

Geoscience
Australia
GHD
IBM Australia

Australian Building
Codes Board

Intergraph
Australia

Defence Science
and Technology
Organisation
(DSTO)

Logica

Department of
Sustainability
and Environment
Victoria

Microsoft
Oberthur
Technologies
Office of the
Surveyor General
Victoria

Deloitte Australia

OzMinerals

Department
of Broadband,
Communications
and the Digital
Economy

Pro Medicus Ltd

Ericsson Australia

Vicroads

Geomatic
Technologies

Woodside Energy

Red Energy
Santos

Prior to working for Accenture, Ajayraj

completed an internship there, which
focused on systems integration consulting:

Analyst, Accenture
Study Area: Information
Systems

It is also important to attend events like

the Graduate Careers Fair in Semester 1
and student-run Industry Nights to become
familiar with who the key employers are and
the dates of their recruiting campaigns.

Resources
The Careers and Jobs Guide on the
Library website has been developed for
current University of Melbourne students
in conjunction with Careers & Employment.
This guide will help you find quality library
resources to help with:
Career planning
Researching industries
Researching employers
Employability skills
Job hunting
Resumes and job applications
Interview preparation

Shell

Ajayraj is an Analyst at Accenture, a

global management consulting, technology
services and outsourcing company.
His responsibilities include liaising with
stakeholders on system requirements,
integration testing, designing technical
documentation and daily problem-solving.

AJAYRAJ CHAWLA

For a more extensive listing including current

employment opportunities, University of
Melbourne students can visit Careers
Online, our online jobs portal.

My internship was highly relevant to my

course and involved understanding how
systems operate in enhancing business
processes. I learnt about the consulting
environment and applied some of the
theoretical concepts taught [in my
course].

Ajayraj enrolled in the Master of Information

Systems after completing his Bachelor of
Business Administration in India and three
years employment in the Indian banking
and financial services industry:
Studying at Melbourne equipped me with
a world-class outlook on education and
industry.
He was also active in extra-curricular
activities, founding InKind IT, a volunteer
group that harnesses the potential of
talented graduates to aid not-for-profit
organisations with information technology
solutions and help them accomplish their
objectives.

Information Technology, Information Systems, Spatial Information Science 3

Types of employment
Work Experience
There are many forms of work experience.
With the introduction of the Fair Work
Act 2009, all work experience must be
paid unless the placement forms part of
a university course. For IT students, work
experience could take the form of an industrybased final year project, an unpaid internship
subject, or a paid placement (such as those
listed below). Voluntary work for not-for profit
agencies is another way of gaining valuable
work experience but these placements must
adhere to the Vocational Placements
& Student Volunteering Policy.
Vacation Programs

Are degree-related, structured paid work

placements usually undertaken by students
at the end of their penultimate year of
study. These can often lead to a graduate
position, so competition for placements
is intense. Winter vacation programs are
available from time to time.
Internships

Internships are supervised, paid work

placements arranged between the employer
and student, sometimes brokered by the
university. Ranging from a few weeks
part-time to multiple semesters full-time,

internships occur in a field relevant to the

students qualification. Application opening
and closing dates for internships are varied.
Spatial Info Science students can elect to
undertake the Geomatics internship subject
which has a regular subject load of 150
hours. This is an unpaid internship that can
be completed in either first or second year.
Students can register their interest via the
Internship Coordinator. MIT students can
also undertake a 25 point internship subject
from 2013.
Co-operative Programs

Enable students to alternate study

terms with paid work and offer hands-on
experience contributing to a real project,
skills development and a chance to network
with professionals in the field. Application
opening and closing dates for co-operative
programs are varied.
Cadetships

Employed positions offered to students

or graduates, designed to provide specific
training or mentoring. Cadetships can be
full- or part-time and vary from formalised,
structured schemes to informal arrangements
between an individual and an organisation.
Application opening and closing dates are
varied.

Graduate Employment Programs

Include substantial training, development
and support. Some programs include
rotations through various departments
within the organisation. Usually offered
by large organisations and government
departments, an increasing number of smaller
organisations are now offering graduate
employment programs. Many organisations
offer a number of programs some for
specific or technical roles, and others which
are broader based. Graduate programs vary
in length, from 1-3 years. Competition is
strong and final year students must apply
in March or April for commencement in
January or February of the following year.
Opportunities to get exposure to
Industry through the Melbourne
School of Engineering:
Connect with industry through the
curriculum, via:
student projects that are partnered with
industry
guest lectures led by industry leaders
site visits hosted by key organisations
career mentoring programs

Career Progression (trajectories) Information Technology, Information Systems, Spatial Information Science
Graduate

3-5 years experience

10 years

App Developer IOS/Android/Phone

Category Manager IT Infrastructure

Coordinator Spatial Information Systems
GIS Analyst/Developer
Geospatial Specialist
GIS Specialist
Geospatial Enterprise Engineer
Information Systems Consultant
Information Systems Support Officer
Information Systems & Web Developer
Information Technology Systems Specialist
Infrastructure Specialist Information
Technology
Spatial Information Systems Officer
Surveyor
Systems Integrator
Technical Information Systems Consultant

Business Analyst GIS Solution

Design

Database Developer
Geospatial Officer
Geographic Information Systems
(GIS) Officer
Graduate Geospatial Analyst
Graduate Information Systems Officer
Information and Communications
Technology Officer
Information Technology Officer
Information Technology Technician
Network Programmer
Software Developer
Spatial Information Systems Officer
Web Developer

4 Information Technology, Information Systems, Spatial Information Science

Director of Information Technology

Geoscientific Principal Advisor
GIS Project Manager
Information Systems Manager
Manager Business Information
Systems
Manager Gaming Information
Systems
Manager Information Technology
Manager IT & Information Systems
Principal Consultant IT
Strategy Director IT
Technology Director IT
Technical Lead GIS

Careers in Research

Salary Information

If you are passionate about a certain field

and would like to advance your research
skills, enrolling in a research higher degree
(RHD) may be a great option for you. RHDs
enhance your ability to problem solve, think
autonomously and creatively, and analyse.
Careers in research are diverse and may
include: academic positions at universities;
policy-making or research positions at public
sector organisations; private sector research
and development projects; and self-employed
consulting positions on technical or policy
issues in your area of expertise.

The MyCareer website* provides data on

the average minimum/maximum salary
ranges for Business/Systems Analysts:
Average min:
$50,000

Alternative Careers
An engineering degree offers you excellent
technical and design expertise, but also
equips you with the foundations for a
diverse range of positions. Over a third of
our graduates choose to move into nontraditional engineering roles, including:
Management consulting
Finance, economics and banking
Marketing and communications
Business analysis
Project management
Technical writing
Government, policy and intellectual
property management.
For current University of Melbourne students,
Careers Online advertises numerous
generalist graduate jobs during the peak
recruitment season (March-April of your final
year). You will often find that many state and
federal government departments and defence
agencies will actively recruit for engineers
as they value their high-end problem-solving
and analytical abilities.

Average max:

$217,360

Average:

$104,530

And for Other IT & Telecommunications:

Average min:

$45,000

Average max:

$190,000

Average:

$95,259

Refer website for further information

on salaries in this industry.
* MyCareer job listings inclusive of wage from the
last 90 days and updated weekly. Figures may
incorporate total pkg. If there is insufficient data to
show reliable max, min, avg then none are shown.

The following information represents gross

mean base salaries for spatial information
professionals at various levels in their
careers.*

Graduate Attributes
for Employment
As a graduate of these programs you
will have:
Opportunities to interact with industry
professionals through guest lectures, field
and project work
A sound fundamental understanding of
the technical skills and scientific principles
of Information Technology, Information
Systems or Spatial Information Science and
their application to complex, open-ended
tasks and problems
Generic skills, including management,
communication, problem-solving and
design and innovation
The educational and professional standards
of the accrediting bodies for these courses
(MIT and MIS: The Australian Computer
Society; MSI: EUR-ACE, Royal Institution
of Chartered Surveyors)

Graduates:

$58,000

Understanding of professional and ethical

responsibilities and commitment to them

3-5 Years:

$85,000

General knowledge

Above 5 Years:

$120,000

Understanding of the business environment

Above 10 Years: $165,000

* Figures sourced from a Melbourne-based
engineering recruitment agency as at May 2012.

Job Outlook
The spatial information industry is growing
worldwide at between 10 and 15% per
annum. This applies also to Australia,
where the industry has been suffering
from skilled spatial labour shortages that
have increasingly necessitated off-shore
recruitment. There is a serious lack of new
graduates, and evidence that up-skilling of the
existing workforce is required.

Ability to communicate effectively, with the

engineering team and the community at
large
Ability to function effectively as an
individual and in multidisciplinary and
multicultural teams, as a team leader
or manager as well as an effective team
member
Ability to manage information and
documentation
Capacity for lifelong learning and
professional development.

According to the Australian Governments

Job Outlook website*:
Job Prospects for IT Professionals are
good.
Employment for IT Professionals to 20152016 is expected to grow strongly.
The internet vacancy level for IT
Professionals is very high.
The mix of industries employing IT
Professionals is favourable for employment
growth prospects.
* The Data on Job Outlook is updated on a yearly
basis and is compiled from national statistics which
may not reflect either regional variations or more
recent changes in employment conditions.

Information Technology, Information Systems, Spatial Information Science 5

Wilfred Waters works with leading

engineering, architecture and environmental
consulting company, GHD, taking leave
recently for a voluntary work placement with
Engineers Without Borders Australia. He
is now working in Phnom Penh, Cambodia,
as a GIS and data management advisor for
Sahmakum Teang Tnaut (STT), a local nongovernment organisation:
Working as an advocate for the urban poor
in Phnom Penh has opened up a whole new
perspective on ways to apply spatial science,
and I have met many inspiring people
doing exciting things. I am assisting the
research, advocacy and mapping teams of
STT to increase their mapping, data storage
and analysis skills. Through my role I am
creating standards for data handling and
map production which will make STT more
efficient.

WILFRED WATERS
Spatial Analyst, GHD
Study Area: Geographic
Information Systems*

During his candidature, Wilfred completed

vacation work with the Department of
Primary Industries, where he worked on
scenarios involving spatial visualisation of
climate change.
Graduating from Melbourne gave me
the confidence to apply for a top graduate
position at GHD so I could tackle the wide
range of spatial problems their team solves
on a daily basis. Another highlight since
graduating was submitting my first scientific
publication. In doing that, I can now say Ive
ticked off one of my lifes goals.
*equivalent to Spatial Information Systems

Useful Links
Job Search Sites

Licensing and registration

International Students/Graduates

Careers Online

There is no formal system of regulation for

information technology and information
systems professionals in Australia. The
Australian Computer Society has a system
of certification. Refer to their Certification
Page for information about and benefits of
certification.

Working in Victoria

Destination Spatial
Grad Connection
IT Jobs
Job Search Australia
Mining Careers

Overseas Qualifications
Assessment Team (OSQA)
Australian Computer Society
Surveying and Spatial Sciences Institute
(SSSi)

MyCareer
Seek Geospatial
Seek Information Technology
Seek Information Systems

Jesslyn Ham is a Software Engineer for Oberthur

Technologies, a world leader in security based on smart
card technology. With operations in over 40 different
countries, Jesslyn is based in the companys Jakarta
office, where she is involved in developing smart card
technology to improve mobile phone security:

Recruiters
Recruitment and Consulting Services
Associations Member Index
Seek recruiter search

Professional Associations
Australian Computer Society
Australian Information Industry
Association
Consult Australia
Spatial Information Business
Association
Surveying and Spatial Sciences
Institute (SSSi)

IT Pathways. Authorised by the Industry

Relations Manager, Melbourne School
of Engineering. Published by The
Melbourne School of Engineering,
July 2012.

JESSLYN HAM
Software Engineer,
Oberthur
Technologies
Study Area:
Software
Engineering

Copyright: Copyright University of

Melbourne 2012. Copyright in this
publication is owned by the University
and no part of it may be reproduced
without the permission of the
University.

Our team is responsible for developing a personalised a

mobile card profile to meet with the clients requirements.
We are exposed to a programming language that is not
taught in university, which is exciting. Its also great to
work in a strong team that delivers a quality product.
Jesslyn values the technical expertise she developed
during her studies and recalls the great friendships she
formed:
Melbourne University has equipped me with experience
and skills to apply to the professional world. I learned
to work systematically and think at a higher level. I also
cherish the friendships I made.

CRICOS provider code 00116K.

Disclaimer: The University has used its
best endeavours to ensure that material
contained in this publication was correct
at the time of printing. The University
gives no warranty and accepts no

responsibility for the accuracy or

completeness of information and the
University reserves the right to make
changes without notice at any time at
its absolute discretion.