Question: What should I do with my life to build a career in international ICT development?

k8t — Thu, 09 Feb 2006 04:01:31 -0800

Career help needed - both short term and long term for an individual with a mixed background: international relations, IT support, and education that wants to get into international ICT content/project development. Two part question.

PART 1 SHORT TERM:
I am current in an M.A. program and need something to fill my summertime with. Important factor: I have a dissertation to write during the summer, although I could possibly work on a lot of it before the summer starts. I also would like to make some money.

Two options: 1) I got a job offer to be the director of a kids' summer computer camp. It would be stressful and not allow me to work on my dissertation that much, but it pays well and the opportunity to manage a large group of people would be good for me and look good on my resume. It would also probably be interesting and fun, although hard work.

2) I also applied for a fellowship for a foreign language study program in the U.S. I'd not only learn a language, but I'd have tons time to work on my dissertation. I don't NEED to learn this language, but it is the language that would be useful to know for my region of specialty. But I'd make no money during that time.

I need to decide which to choose ASAP. What would you do?

PART 2 LONG TERM:
I have a totally weird academic and work background. I'm going to be completing an M.A. in international studies and development in June and need to find work in the U.S.

What I LIKE to do is help people around the world use technology to better themselves and their countries. I don't want to do the physical networking, rather I'm more interested in creating projects, designing curriculum and content. I'm involved in a ton of volunteer projects related to this goal and I have worked in the field. I really would like to continue to pursue this formally, but need to take the right steps, education and career wise.

I think that there are no international ICT for development jobs in Southern California, where I'm going to be for the next few years. Sowhat I think may be practical to do to ensure that I have an income source soon (and health insurance - although I could always get that through my domestic partner) is to go back to school to get a more practical degree. But if any MeFites have ideas for jobs, that would be great too.

This is what I have done to give myself options for the fall of '06:

- Signed up to take the California teaching certification exams this summer. At least if I got desperate for money, I could substitute teach.

- Applied to two different California M.A. in teaching programs that also include certification. The curriculum writing side of it, I think, would help me pursue a career in international ICT development, as a lot of that work is education-related.

- Applied to an online M.A. in online teaching and faciliation, in case I get a job I can take this course online for future prospects or do it while doing the M.A. in teaching.

- Applied to a bunch of jobs related to international development, with my fingers crossed.

- Signed up to take the foreign service exam, just for the heck of it, as I think it looks good on a resume and would be a bonus point when applying for international development jobs. Plus it is free and the reading list for it mirrors my reading list for my M.A. program.

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What can I do to properly pursue my goal of working in international ICT development while residing in Southern California? PS, here's my resume. Please don't stalk me, but I think that it'll help explain my background. (Any advice on my resume would be helpful too. I know that's 3 questions, but today IS my birthday.)

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Question: What should I do with my life to build a career in international ICT development?