ICT is the ,backbone of any organization today from task automation to process management. Despite how brilliant the computer systems seem to get, the role of ICT specialists can never be underestimated as there is a great need to constantly provide support for these Systems. We caught up with Annet Nanungi who is an ICT Specialist and this is what she shared with us

Who is Annet Nanungi ? 

I am a God-fearing person, daring and self-motivated. I follow rules to the tiniest details, in my world things must be done in the right way, no short cuts.

Describe your typical day ?

I wake up at 4:00am to do my morning devotion, dedicate the day and commit my work to God. I usually get to work between 6:30am and 7:00am. I then start organizing myself for the day, so I reply my mail. Prioritize the days activities, check out pending tasks, e.t.c. By 8:00am I am ready to start working. I leave work at 5pm. I don't hang out alot, so most times I head home unless I have a meeting to attend or any other deals which need my attention.

How did you get your current job ?

When I finished school, I had a dream job in mind, and this included a list of expectations. My first job lacked a few of this prospect, hence I continued applying for several opportunities. I found the advert in papers and I applied, after a month I was called for the first interview,a week later, I went for another interview and the rest is history. I must mention that I had gone for many interviews before and I had failed several times. I refused to give up, and God opened a great door for me. The job market is terrible in Uganda but graduates ought to be persistent in their search. I guess those many interviews prepared me for this particular interview which I passed.

What are your main tasks and responsibilities at work?

1)  I oversee maintenance, installation and support of computer software hardware and peripherals
2)  Write Standard Operating Procedures for Network Management
3) Oversee maintenance of ICT asset tracking and inventory management

What particular skills do you bring to your workplace ?

1) Software and Hardware maintenance skills
2) Networking skills 
3) Technical writing skills 
4) Organizational skills

What are your main challenges ?

Implementing changes where end users are involved. There are times when you want to provide technical solutions to help users execute their duties with ease, only to learn that they are resistant to these changes because they don't want to go through the hustle of learning new things. That's quite demoralizing since it takes time to come up with these solutions.

What's cool about your job ?

Innovation. We (as a team) are always thinking about ways to integrate technology into tasks to help cut costs and make employee/organizational tasks easier.

What's not cool about your job ?

Reading, I understand knowledge is power but this comes with the cost of investing lots of time to ensure that you are up to date with the latest tech trends. Not only learning about the trends but also understanding how to implement them. Therefore it sometimes feels like school.

Which key people influenced your career direction ?

It is interesting to note that I don't know the people who first got me crazy about Electrical, Telecom and Computer Engineering. In 2006, I attended an exhibition where I met a bunch of engineers, who had designed a security system that would send SMS to the car owner's phone in case it was tempered with.

This never left me the same, I knew I wanted to do things like this. I thank God that I reached this exact level. My family also invested so much in me that I had to give everything I did the best shot such that I succeed in my career. They supported me financially, physically, emotionally, e.t.c, at every level of my career. I am so amazed that they are still there to this day. Yah! I haven't arrived yet.

Last but not least, God always guided my footsteps throughout the course of my career. Psalm 37:23

What subjects did you take in school and how have they influenced your career path ?

In O'level, I opted to do Electricity and Electronics, a subject that had interesting practical sessions. This increased my love for technology. In HSc, I did PCM/E. The Physics and Mathematics got me into Engineering School. They provided a foundation for many course units I undertook throughout the course of my undergraduate studies.

What is your dream job?

My current job. It challenges me to become a better ICT expert, I learn on a daily basis.

What are the most important personal characteristics required for the job?

Team work ethics and Competent Communication skills

What advise would you give someone considering this job?

They should get acquainted with Information and Communication Technology. Use every opportunity to learn as much as possible.

What kind of work experience would provide a good background for this position?

Strong understanding of installation, configuration and troubleshooting processes of software, networking and accessory equipment.

What trends are you seeing in your career field ? 

Bring Your Own Device(BYOD); this is likely to be trendy in the future. BYOD will allow employees in organization to carry their own devices to work instead of using the company's gadgets.
Cloud Computing is also starting to gain popularity in the IT world because it allows cutting of costs while increasing flexibility

Any Concluding remarks ? 

I am humbled to share my story with you. You may forget everything I have said in this interview but please remember this one thing: Whatever you put your mind to, you can achieve it, God being your helper. Hopefully I have inspired someone.