DOING THE BUSINESS: Donegal Daily in conjunction with the ETB will be profiling a number of individuals and businesses who have successfully graduated from one of the many training programmes ETB has to offer.
As the ETB launch their latest diverse range of courses, Donegal Daily spoke with Joanne Mc Kenna (39) from Glenfin. Joanne completed a Software Testing programme last year, and is now working in a prosperous startup company.
Joanne had spent 17 years managing restaurants in New York before returning home to Donegal two years ago.
“I wanted to do something different other than working in a restaurant, so I thought I’d do something at an IT level” Joanne told Donegal Daily.
Joanne applied to study for the Software Testing City & Guilds qualification with Donegal ETB last summer. Her only other experience in IT was an ECDL certification, but she said that the ETB course covered the fundamentals of Information Technology.
“They started at the bottom and did the basics before working their way up,” Joanne said.
“It was a really good course. It was intense, but I had it in my mind that I wanted to do it, so that’s what I did.”
“What you do in three months is what you could learn in a year in other courses.”
Over the course of three months, Joanne learned skills in software development, software testing, automated testing, SQL scripting and job-seeking skills. She had four weeks of work experience also on the programme. The 26-week course led to certification in Microsoft SQL databases, ISTQB and City & Guilds software testing, all of which are industry recognised.
Joanne did her work placement with FireCloud365 – a software company based in the CoLab in Letterkenny. FireCloud365 offers a cloud-based system for the management of statutory fire safety checks, vendor management and preventive maintenance.
Once she had qualified from the ETB, Joanne returned to FireCloud365 and worked as an intern for nine months. She is now working on the team three days a week. Next year, she hopes to have a full-time role in the company.
Joanne’s work as a software tester has brought her great opportunities in travel too, as she goes all over Ireland setting up the fire safety check software in hotels.
Looking back, Joanne did see a gender imbalance of people in her programme, as five out of the twenty students were women. She saw that everyone had the same opportunities, while having a background in IT wasn’t necessary.
“I was the only woman without a background in IT, but I felt like anybody could have done the course if you put your mind to it.”
“I didn’t have a background in maths, but if you find the right people to teach you, you will learn it.”
Studying under one main lecturer is another factor that benefits learners on the programme. “You could have other courses where there are five or six other lecturers, but our lecturer was there all the time, he knew how you were getting on and if you needed any help,” Joanne said.
From the Big Apple to the ‘Cloud’, Joanne has had a launchpad into the world of IT by doing a short course with the ETB, and would encourage others to take the leap.
“I never thought that I would be able to do it, because I was away for so long working in management. But anyone can do it.”
For further information on these programs and others contact Sarah on 074-9120542
Email for course inquiries: coursesdonegaltc@donegaletb.ie
Visit www.donegaletb.ie
Tags:
