WoNdErinG wAndEreR: March 2009

There are many issues with regards to the statement “Are IT Professionals, Professionals?” What is really the basis of calling one’s profession as professional? Well, there are many questions and thoughts that encompasses the issues on what we called “IT Professional” and I am also asking myself am I an IT professional?

When I was in college, in our Ethics and Professionalism subject, this is one of basic topic we’ve taken up. We based our discussions in the book Ethics in Information Technology Book by George Reynolds. In that book, we have read and allow me to quote it right now -The United States Code of Federal Regulations [29 CFR Sec. 541.3] defines a person “employed in a professional capacity" as one who meets these four criteria:

1. One's primary duties consist of the performance of work requiring knowledge of an advanced type in a field of science or learning customarily acquired by a prolonged course of specialized intellectual instruction and study or work.

2. One's instruction, study, or work is original and creative in character in recognized fields of artistic endeavor and the result of which depends primarily on the invention, imagination, or talent of the employee.

3. One's work requires the consistent exercise of discretion and judgment on its performance.

4. One's work is predominately intellectual and varied in character and is of such character that the output produced or the result accomplished cannot be standardized in relation to a given period of time.

Also, from the WIKIPEDIA the following information is gathered:

A 'true' professional must be proficient in all criteria for the field of work they are practising professionally in. Criteria include following:

1. Academic qualifications - a doctoral or law degree - i.e., university college/institute

2. Expert and specialised knowledge in field which one is practising professionally

3. Excellent manual/practical and literary skills in relation to profession

4. High quality work in (examples): creations, products, services, presentations, consultancy, primary/other research, administrative, marketing or other work endeavours

5. A high standard of professional ethics, behaviour and work activities while carrying out one's profession (as an employee, self-employed person, career, enterprise, business, company, or partnership/associate/colleague, etc.)

Basing on the mentioned criteria, I would answer the question Am I an Information Professional? Yes I am an IT Professional. My basis?

• I am academically qualified since I finished the degree of Bachelor of Science in Information Technology and with that I have acquired knowledge that helped me in my work right now.

• I have my own specialization and expertise that helps me to create an artistic endeavor in any field of work I am into. I am practicing and developing my specialization through the academe.

• It has been always my aim to do high quality of work in the services and endeavors undertaken. With that high quality of work I am keen that I am practicing right judgment for my work’s performance.

• I am aware and practicing the ethical guidelines in the academe where I belong to. I am trying to perform the duties and responsibilities of an instructor with the awareness of what is right and wrong.

These are all folks have a nice vacation.