Professionally speaking: Reflecting on a professionalism-first approach

In the fast-paced world of the Information Technology industry, employers seek capabilities-driven graduates who possess a set of skills beyond their technical expertise. For students on the Unitec Bachelor of Computing Systems (BCS) programme these capabilities are encapsulated in a set of professional skills that, along with their technical skills, include the ability to be interpersonally effective; capable of an analytical, critical and reflective response to problem solving; proficient in conducting research into a given subject; capable of change and adapting quickly to change as well as being committed to continuous learning. This paper reports on a compulsory first semester course entitled ‘Professional Skills for IT Practitioners’ and offers an insight into four semesters of teaching where these capabilities are formally taught. The rationale behind the development of this course and pedagogical approaches to the learning activities are explained and aligned to a desirable graduate profile where the learner is being guided to develop a reflective approach to their acquisition of knowledge and ability to reason.