Hayley Tibben - Software Developer

Went to Armadale Senior High

What is your role in the ICT industry?
Software Developer. I work for a company that specialises in developing software for the mining industry.

What do you love about your work?
I love that it's all about problem solving. Your mind is always working. I get to work on a variety of different projects. Every day is different and I'm always learning something new.

What is the money like?
The salary is very rewarding. Graduates in ICT get paid well compared to other industries.

How did you get to where you are today?
I completed a Bachelor of Science (Computer Science) with Honours at Curtin University of Technology. I managed to get work experience at my current company while I was still studying after hearing about the opportunity at a Careers Expo at Uni. I have been working for the same company full time since graduating.

What made you decide to work in ICT?
I was always interested in computers, but after taking some programming units in high school, I decided this is what I wanted to do. It all came down to doing something that I would enjoy every day and that was fun, exciting and challenging at the same time.

Is the ICT industry what you expected?
Mostly. There is much more scope and opportunities that I imagined in ICT.

What do you find interesting about working in ICT?
ICT is everywhere. You can choose to specialise in whatever area interests you the most. ICT is not just about sitting front of a computer all day, most of the time you are working in teams, and there is a large focus on client interaction.

Where do you see your job in ICT taking you?
It will allow me to continue working in a dynamic, challenging environment where I will continue to learn the most up to date technologies.

What advice would you give someone considering a career in ICT?
Try and identify something you would enjoy doing every day. You need to be able to continually develop and learn new things, meeting challenges along the way.

Why would you encourage others to get into the ICT industry?
There is a shortage of people skilled in ICT, therefore there are many exciting opportunities out there, and it can take you wherever you want to go.