Try the IT Experience
Many IT career employers won’t hire you without experience. And you can’t get experience without a job. What’s the solution? Check these ways to increase your IT employability:
Specialized summer camps/schools
Learn firsthand about IT careers. Scholarships may be available for talented young people to attend these specific programs.
Look at a national program like SHAD International. They excel in the advancement of the scientific and technological capabilities of youth, integrated with the development of their entrepreneurial spirit. Or, Actua, a national, not-for-profit organization and registered charity with a mandate to increase the scientific and technical literacy of young Canadians. Both these programs have summer camps and specialized programs.
Computer club
Join at your school to network with students with similar interests or look in your area for community computer clubs.
Volunteering
Volunteer some time at community service organizations, charities, schools, hospitals, childcare centres or nursing homes. This helps you learn about work, and provides real-world experience. And many of these institutions use computers and IT in their everyday functions.
When you do volunteer, maximize the result you get out of the experience. The best way may be to do a self-evaluation of the experience. Read more...
Internships/Co-ops
Work placements are often available through your high school. Most allow students to earn a school credit and some may also be paid. You may be able to find a position that involves the use of computers and IT. Read more...
Job Shadowing
Ask someone who works in the IT industry if you could follow them around for a day. It allows you to observe and ask questions and is a great way to find out what goes into a specific job.
Interview an IT worker
Interview someone who has an IT job that you are interested in. They can provide you with practical and hard-to-obtain advice about how they got to that position.
Networking
Build your own network of friends and family members who know your career interests and are willing to keep an eye out for you. Networking is one of the best ways people learn about job opportunities. Read more…
Part-time work
Working can help you test your career interests. You can also get a part-time job through Temporary help agencies that offer short-term or temporary job assignments, based on your skills. Keyboarding skills are an asset that can help you get inside companies in your area. Read more...
Also, plan to attend specialized IT training at a post-secondary school. Check out Uni-Search-ITy. Or you may be interested in focusing on IT in high school with a program like the Focus on Information Technology (FIT) Program (available in select high schools across Canada).