Living in a world increasingly prone to changes brought about by technology, the reasons for studying tech are very much apparent and self-explanatory. However, only studying tech is not enough to succeed in the industry. With the job market getting increasingly competitive, students have to up their games. Monash University, being the only Victorian university with a dedicated IT faculty, provides various resources for its tech students. Consequently, if you're a Monash student, you’re in good hands!

1.    FIT Career Workshops

Monash University's very own Career Connect often holds workshops specifically designed for IT/Comp sci students. Ranging from how to build a CV or resume to interview preparation skills, these workshops help students and graduates develop skills needed to become job ready. While some of them are online, others are in-person: flexibility is the key!

2.    Mentoring programs

Peer mentoring programs at Monash aim to help students expand and develop their social network while simultaneously sharing their own experiences. First-year tech students at Monash usually get assigned to a mentor. In turn, these students can volunteer to become mentors themselves in the future. The mentoring program also involves meet and greet sessions where students can interact with other students and mentors. 

3.    Industry experience

If you're a Monash student, you have definitely heard of the Industry-Based Learning (IBL) program. It may even be one of the reasons you actually chose to study tech here. Well, IBL is certainly Monash's flagship program; it can get extremely competitive though. As such, the faculty has other options. Students not selected for the IBL program are required to complete compulsory Industry experience units so they still get exposure to the real tech world. 

4.    Clubs and societies

Last but not the least, like every university, Monash has a bunch of student clubs and societies for students to get involved in. Whatever your passion, you can surely find a club where you fit. That said, if you're passionate about tech and commerce or either one of them, make sure you join our club — the Computing and Commerce Association (CCA) — the only club combining tech and business in Victoria!

Speaking of clubs, we have compiled three student confessions from our very own CCA Committee Members about studying tech at Monash:

Arnie Verma, Treasurer:

IT has always been an interest of mine and through recent years I have learned just how valuable and necessary IT skills are in both everyday life and in the industry. The double degree paired with an IBL placement gives Monash an incredibly big competitive advantage over other universities located in Victoria. These factors plus the massive campus and the brilliant social network made it incredibly difficult for me to even consider studying IT at any other university. One advice I would give to fellow tech students is to stay curious. It’s something I’ve strived to do in the last 2 years of my degree. It’s very easy to complete your studies without staying curious but I urge every student to stay curious. Not only is tech an ever-growing field that requires constant learning, but it is also a field that rewards the curious.

Lavanya Bhadauria, Secretary:

I chose IT because I saw a lot of potential for learning and growth in the field. Tech is always changing and I wanted to be part of an evolving industry that would continue to challenge and thus excite me even as I grew older. Yet, tech continues to be male-dominated, both in the classrooms and outside of them. This is a known fact and it unfortunately presents its struggles to the non-male minority. At uni, I often find myself in tutorials or workshops with just one table of females, and all others filled with males. However, we are seeing some progress, albeit not a lot, but it’s enough to incite hope for a more balanced industry in the future. One way I think we can help with this is by creating safe spaces for women entering this industry. An example of this could be having more events like CCA’s Women in Tech.

David Ji, IT Director:

I watched this one K-Drama called Startup - it's basically about these 3 guys trying to build a tech start up using artificial intelligence and deep learning. The main character is mad sexy and smart so I'm trying to be like him. In terms of why I chose Monash, the double degrees were pretty attractive to me - I think that's a popular reason why many people come to Monash. When we had to put together course preferences during Year 12, I wasn't really sure whether I wanted to fully commit to Commerce or Computer Science so I thought why not just pick both? However, after my first semester, I realised that I'm leaning more towards the Computer Science side - so I want to divert all of my attention to coding now (and unleash my inner Nam Dosan). One advice I have is that if you want to excel in programming, you should basically live in your IDE lmfao. Not spending enough time programming has been a huge regret of mine, so if I could go back in time to the beginning of the year and code more - I definitely would. Oh also, ask lots of questions to your TAs and lecturers - it might be a bit of a cbs, but they're your best resource in terms of learning.