Why a career in IT is about so much more than technology
Shona Leavey, Head of IT Services at Agilisys Guernsey, and Anna Petts, Agilisys’ Head of Learning, tell us more about what could be in ‘IT’ for you.
Shona, can you tell us about how Agilisys is working with the States of Guernsey?
Shona Leavey, Head of IT Services: Agilisys is working together with the States to deliver SMART Guernsey - a major IT and digital transformation programme to provide resilient, secure, and sustainable public services.
The work we do is all about using technology to support new ways of working, which in turn can help improve how public services are delivered. It’s about making it easier for public servants to do their jobs – and improving the experiences of islanders interacting with government.
Over the past 18 months, we’ve seen the immense value of leveraging technology to enable and underpin the States’ response to COVID-19. From the March 2020 lockdown, we’ve supported public servants to pivot overnight, working and delivering services remotely – as well as the first ever virtual sitting of the States of Deliberation, Track & Trace, and the Bailiwick Vaccination Programme.
But it’s people that make public services work – technology is simply an enabler, albeit a vital one.
What makes investing in learning and skills so important for your team?
Successful projects need diverse teams and capabilities. Communication and ‘people’ skills are must haves for any modern IT programme. Being able to listen, solve problems, and support your customers and your team are all key skills to ensure that we deliver the outcomes that everyone wants to achieve for our IT services.
We’ve learnt that we need to adopt a holistic approach to IT – one that blends people, business change and IT skills to achieve the positive outcomes we all want for our communities.
That’s why investing in a learning culture is so important to us. Developing our people, enabling their personal and professional growth, and empowering our team to make a difference for the community – that’s what makes our work exciting, challenging and rewarding.
Anna, can you tell us more about the Learning & Development programme at Agilisys?
Anna Petts, Head of Learning and Organisational Development: Our Learning & Development programme focuses on upskilling our team with not only technical accreditations, but also soft skill learnings.
Some examples of the technical training undertaken include ITIL 4 Foundation, PRINCE2, and the BCS Professional Certificate in Agile Business Analysis. Colleagues will also be taking further courses in VMWare, Windows PowerShell, Microsoft Exchange Server, Microsoft Azure… and much more.
But we also look beyond technological certifications, recognising the importance of communication skills as well as developing people, project, and change management capabilities for everyone.
Over 80% of colleagues have already completed training programmes relevant to their roles and in support of their career progression. We believe that our people are our greatest strength. At Agilisys, we’re committed to investing in learning and development. We’re passionate about creating opportunities for everyone – investing in our people to build the skillsets and expertise they need to achieve their potential.
From new job seekers to people further along in their careers, we provide progression and development opportunities in new and emerging technology. And we’re proud to work alongside the States of Guernsey to create a lasting legacy of opportunity for all islanders.
Do you want to join a culture where your diverse and extraordinary talents will be recognised? Are you eager to grow your career and discover your potential through our Learning & Development programmes? Then find out more about opportunities within our local team: agilisys.gg/careers