Moving IT beyond IT

"Excellent problem solving skills, critical thinker, comfortable with modern operating systems and applications, a strong understanding of the campus' technical infrastructure, knowledge of the campus business models, excellent customer service skills..." Does this sound like a job description for a help desk employee? An IT project manager? How about a Campus Life administrator or a manager of Customer Service in the Facilities department? The job skills developed in the central IT organization are quickly becoming the cornerstone of every job description on campus. Can you imagine if your Campus Life administrator had the same understanding of the technology tools available as your best help desk employee? Would processes and organizational challenges be handled differently if technology were a tool and not an impediment? As you look to advance your career, consider the skill set you have developed in the central IT organization. Do you think it would benefit the university if you took that knowledge to another department? You bet.Information technology is the foundation on which our universities and colleges are building. Your IT knowledge, plus the problem solving skills that are inherent in any help desk environment, positions you to add immediate and critical value to many other areas on campus. This paper addresses the benefits of transitioning IT beyond the central IT organization - and how your career can continue to grow - as IT moves into every facet of our institutions.