Career Links Vol. 5 No. 2, March 2007
Making the Connection to a New Career:
An Interview with Mazen Akkam, Career Program Facilitator and Professor,
Information Technology Program
Interviewed by Tracie Grisolano
Career Information Specialist
Career Services Center
With its emphasis on providing up-to-date technical skills and
knowledge, JCCC’s information technology (IT) program prepares students
for a variety of positions in the computer networking field. The
hands-on curriculum allows students to develop the problem-solving skills
necessary to succeed in network administration as well as the emerging
areas of network security, wireless technology, and voice over internet
protocol. Because so many companies and organizations rely on effective
and efficient computer networks to conduct business, IT professionals can
be found in virtually all employment environments. Telecommunications
companies and internet services providers, in particular, seek to hire IT
graduates.
The JCCC information technology program offers three certificate programs,
which parallel industrial certifications, and an associate’s degree.
Overseeing these programs is Mazen Akkam, full-time instructor and career
program facilitator. For more information about the information
technology program, contact Professor Akkam by email at makkam@jccc.edu or
by phone at (913) 469-8500, ext. 3348. The information technology
program’s Web site at http://www.jcc.net/home/depts/1278 is also a helpful
source.
Career Services Center:
Can you tell me a little bit about JCCC’s information technology program?
How is it different from the other computer programs on campus?
Mazen Akkam: Our primary focus in information technology is on
building computer networks—in other words, connecting computers—to make
information available to users, regulating access to that information, and
moving it from one place to another. Information technology does not deal
with manipulating information: programming, databases, applications. We
leave that to information systems. In the information technology program,
most of our courses focus on building the network from the ground up. We
teach students how to set up the network, how to add users to the network,
how to regulate access to it, how to protect it, and how to optimize it.
Our program is built to parallel industrial certifications that are very
popular in computer networking, such as the Microsoft certification, the
Unix certification, and the Cisco certification.
CSC: What advice would you give to students who are interested in
computers but aren’t sure which computer career path they want to pursue?
MA: First, talk to instructors and the career program facilitators
of programs you are considering. Second, invest in taking one course that
will answer the questions you have about the field and let you know if
that is a good career path for you or not. IT 200 is a class we have for
that purpose—to allow people to explore the field and see if it is right
for them. Be active and do research.
CSC: What certificate and degree options are available to students
in the information technology program?
MA: As I mentioned earlier, we designed the program to parallel
popular industrial certifications. Those certifications bring in
students interested in getting something to provide to an employer as
proof of their skills. In order to address the skills and knowledge
required by those industrial certifications, we have designed three
certificates—a Microsoft based certificate, a Unix based certificate, and
a Cisco based certificate. Those certificates range from thirteen to
twenty-eight credit hours. In addition to the certificates, we have an
associate’s degree program that consists of sixty-four credit hours.
Students normally start by completing the certificates, which overlap with
the degree. As students complete courses toward the certificates, they are
also accumulating credits that count toward the degree program. Those
certificates have proven very important in marketing the IT program: we
market the program by providing these various courses that prepare
students to go out and achieve industrial certifications.
CSC: Upon completion of the Windows certificate program at JCCC,
for example, will a student also be awarded the Windows industrial
certification? Or will the student need to take a separate exam to
receive the industrial certification?
MA: That’s a good question. Although we parallel the program to
industrial certifications, we do not teach only to the test. What we want
to teach here is the actual concept; we want to go beyond what the test
requires. Our courses are designed to provide students with a
comprehensive experience, let’s say into the Windows environment where
they learn about how to set up and administer a Microsoft Windows network.
Students will receive a certificate from Johnson County Community College
by completing our courses. We also encourage them to go out and complete
the industrial examinations that are controlled by the companies who
produce the software, like Microsoft. We provide access to an exam site
here at the college for students to complete those exams, but we do not
control those exams. Students who are interested in receiving industrial
certification in addition to the Johnson County Community College
certification must take those exams.
CSC: How long does it usually take for students to complete the
various certificates and the associate’s degree?
MA: If you are a full-time student, you can typically complete one
of the certificates in two or three semesters. Full-time students will
complete the degree, which is sixty-four credit hours, in four semesters.
We find that the majority of our students are currently working while
taking classes here to upgrade their skills in order to improve their
jobs. Because many students are taking classes on a part-time basis, it
takes them longer to complete a certificate or a degree. But for
full-time students, it will take two or three semesters to complete a
certificate and maybe a couple of years to complete a degree.
CSC: How many students are currently enrolled in the various IT
programs?
MA: This is a tough question. I don’t know the exact statistics,
but I estimate we have approximately 200 to 250 students currently in the
program. We offer about twenty-five courses for these students, so they’re
spread over these various courses.
CSC: That’s quite a few students.
MA: Yes, it’s a large program, and our enrollment has decreased
recently. We used to have even more students, but the cycle in IT has
gone down in the last couple of years, and that affected our enrollment.
Now our enrollment is starting to increase again.
CSC: I saw in your course listings that there is an internship
course in the IT program, but it’s not a required course. Can you talk a
little bit about the internship? How important is it for students to
participate in an internship, particularly for those who are changing
careers or don’t have experience in the IT field?
MA: Internships are excellent ways for students to gain valuable
hands-on experience. We have designed the whole program to be hands-on,
so all of or our courses have lab components to them. In addition to
including labs in all the courses, we do strongly encourage students to
get into the internship program. Working with a company gives students
excellent experience to include on their resume when they look for a
full-time position. Through the internship course, we provide students
with an opportunity to work with a company and get credit for working, so
it’s an excellent win-win situation. Most credits will count toward
technical electives. We contact companies, and companies that are looking
for students, interns, also contact us on a regular basis. We try to match
those companies with students in the program. The internship is a good way
for a company to take a look at potential students to help them in their
work, and it provides the students with an excellent opportunity to gain
some hands-on experience.
CSC: Is the internship course available only to students who are
pursuing the degree, or can students who are completing a certificate take
the internship course as well?
MA: We make that flexible. If you complete a couple of semesters
in our program, we think you can go out and represent the program well in
an internship program. Third semester students are eligible to enroll in
the internship course, whether they are in a degree program or a
certificate program. I handle that internship program, and I ask
students to contact me if they are interested in pursuing that. I contact
companies and keep track of them—along with the internship office here at
the college. We try to pass along the information about these companies
to students who are interested in and eligible to complete an
internship.
CSC: What is your role in the IT program?
MA: I am one of the full-time instructors, and I also play the
role of program facilitator. I teach various courses in the program,
primarily in the Cisco and securities areas. I also try to work with the
other instructors to promote the IT program and maintain quality. That’s
very important in maintaining the credibility of the program, so we meet
on a regular basis to discuss issues related to the program and how to
better promote the IT program.
CSC: Can you tell me a little bit about your career path? Did you
like computers as a kid?
MA: Well, I actually started in electronics. My fascination with
electricity and electronics drew me into this field from a very young age.
I’ve always been intrigued by the mystery of electricity. You can’t see
the electricity; you see the effect of it, but it’s tough to see the
electricity itself. I saw it as a challenge, a mystery, that I wanted to
discover more about. I started pursuing an electrical engineering degree
at K-State and eventually received my master’s degree in electrical
engineering. One of the professors—again, back to the mystery—would
always tell us that in other engineering areas you could always touch or
smell things, but in electricity by the time you touch or smell it, it’s
too late.
When I started working in the electronics field, using electronics to
develop and build computers was becoming the hot thing. The internet was
starting to become an important area as well, so I started migrating from
electronics into information technology. I actually started here at the
college teaching in the electronics program and then shifted to
information technology. Today I am still fascinated with the field and
how to apply electronics to computers and networking.
CSC: How long have you been at JCCC?
MA: I’ve been at JCCC for twenty years, so it’s been a long
journey. After graduating from
K-State with my master’s degree, I started working for Honeywell, using
computers in industrial controls—to control temperatures, to control
environments. I realized that I needed to stay in touch with the
education side of my field because in computers and engineering, you have
to always update your skills. One way to do that was simply to work in a
part-time position in education. So I started working part-time as a
technician for the college in addition to my full-time position as an
engineer for Honeywell. Then I got into a part-time teaching position
here at the college and enjoyed teaching and found out that this is an
excellent place for me to feed my hunger for learning. I liked teaching,
and when the opportunity came for a full-time position, I applied to start
teaching full-time. As I mentioned, I started teaching in electronics and
then moved into IT. The college needed people to administer and move this
program forward; I volunteered to do that, and I’ve been working in IT
since then.
CSC: You mentioned the importance of continuous learning and
always staying abreast of what’s new in the field. One of my colleagues
told me that you recently returned from a sabbatical. Was that IT related?
And if so, could you share a little about that?
MA: Sure. I just came back from sabbatical last spring semester,
and in addition to a lot of traveling, I found the time to focus on IT.
The main area that I worked on was network security. Network security is
becoming one of the important areas in information technology, and I have
taken on the responsibility to develop the network security component of
our information technology program. I used the sabbatical as an
opportunity to learn some of the skills important in network security and
develop some of the courses that will be cornerstones for our network
security program in the future. At the time of my sabbatical, we had
acquired new equipment, so also I worked on placing that equipment in our
labs.
CSC: Other than sabbaticals, how does the IT program keep up with
the rapid pace of technological developments in your profession?
MA: It is a very challenging area. This is one of the toughest
things in our field: to stay current. And to maintain quality programs is
to stay current. We try to address that challenge in multiple ways. As
you mentioned, the sabbatical is an excellent opportunity to update one’s
skills. All of the instructors in the program also work together as a
group, dividing the different areas of emphasis and meeting on a regular
basis. By dividing the different areas, individual instructors are able
to become specialized in a particular area. That minimizes the amount of
load that each instructor has to deal with. We also rely heavily on
contact with industry, so we have an advisory board that consists of
representatives from different employers in the IT field. When we meet
with them, we try to get some feedback and guidance on what is hot so that
we can update our skills. We always want to stay in touch with the latest
certifications, too. We work hard to update our own skills and
certifications to make sure that when we teach our classes, our classes
are current and provide students with the latest skills. So, advisory
boards, industrial certifications, sabbaticals, regular meetings, and
reading and research are how we stay in touch with the latest information,
and it’s very challenging.
CSC: As a result of learning about the newest technological
advancements, do you see your curriculum constantly evolving?
MA: Exactly. We always say that in IT we do not teach history.
Our classes must be current. In order to provide the students with a
learning opportunity where they can obtain current skills that they can
apply in the market place, we have to maintain our courses in a current
standard. And that requires constant updating. We study the courses, and
we update them every time there is a new release. Currently, our
instructors are busy updating the Microsoft courses because we are
anticipating the new Microsoft operating systems release. The same thing
happens in all of the different areas. New technologies, emergent
technologies, affect what we’re doing. Retooling classes and updating our
skills is a constant part of IT.
CSC: Will the Regnier Center, the new technology building, impact
your program—either the way you teach or what you teach?
MA: Definitely. We are really looking forward to the new
building. First, we think it’s going to provide better facilities. The
other main advantage of moving to the new building is that the IT program
will be located near the other computer programs, which will increase both
collaboration and exposure of our program to other technical areas.
Collaborations, a better facility, and promotion of the IT program in that
facility will all be excellent benefits.
CSC: When is that building scheduled to open?
MA: We are anticipating that next fall [Fall 2007] we will start
teaching in the building. As I understand it, there will be an official
opening sometime in June. The preparation for the move is underway: we
are planning and meeting on a regular basis. We have to make sure we have
a good plan in place because we have a lot of equipment to move and we have
to plan the classrooms. There are special needs for IT classrooms, so
designing the classrooms and making sure that they meet the new
technologies is a very important area we are working on right now.
CSC: Is the new building also going to be a wireless zone?
MA: Wireless is considered an emergent area for our program. We
have addressed that in a couple of the courses in the program, and we want
to not only teach this new technology but also make it available in the new
building. Wireless medium to provide access to information will be a very
important part of the new building, and we will also teach students how to
apply it. So wireless is a very important part of the puzzle for the new
building and for our program.
CSC: A couple of years ago, there was a lot of attention on
outsourced IT positions. What’s the job market like out there right now?
Do you see jobs emerging in some of these new technologies that you’ve
mentioned, such as network security and wireless technology?
MA: The issue of outsourcing is brought up in information
technology quite a bit, but it’s very tough to outsource jobs in our area,
network administration and networking, because you need someone available
to troubleshoot, maintain, and administer the network. You can’t
outsource that to a remote location, so we’re not as affected by the
outsourcing as some other computer fields like programming might be. We
think that the job market for IT is very bright for the future. Currently,
we’re seeing the demand increasing in IT. Most of the jobs will be in some
of the emergent technologies like wireless technology, network security,
and voice over IP [internet protocol]—or using the internet for telephony.
These are some of the emergent areas that will boost the demand for IT
professionals, and they are excellent areas for students to consider as
they enter into the IT market. We’ll always see the demand as steady for
network administrators—that core part of IT. Jobs that involve
administering and building the network will always be there, but we are
seeing a lot of demand increasing in the areas of these emergent
technologies—again, wireless, voice over IP, and network security.
CSC: Are students who complete the JCCC programs qualified for
those positions upon graduation?
MA: Definitely. I always tell students if you’re looking for a
fast way into the job market, you’re not going to find a faster way into
the job market than the IT field. In a couple of semesters, students can
earn a certificate that they can use to find a job or improve their
existing job. They can complete a degree in four semesters here,
full-time, and be ready to go out and enter the job market. So it’s one
of the quickest ways to get into the job market. Again, we try to make
the program as resilient and as current as possible to provide students
with the skills they need to be competitive in the job market. That’s why
we’ve added several courses recently to address some of those emergent
areas that we think will be in demand. We need to have the students ready
to meet that demand.
CSC: What kinds of companies hire JCCC information technology
graduates?
MA: IT is so prevalent. A lot of the companies that use computers
must have someone maintaining those computers and the network. The network
is not a luxury anymore for these companies; it’s a necessity. It’s part
of competition. Companies cannot afford to not use IT, and IT is becoming
an important part of any company’s success. Any company that has a network
needs someone to maintain and optimize that network for them, but there are
some specific larger companies that do look for IT graduates, such as
Sprint and Embarq. Also, Internet service providers such as Southwestern
Bell and AT&T rely heavily on IT graduates. While all companies that have
networks require IT, some specific companies, such as telecommunications
companies, cannot survive without IT people.
CSC: Do you see very many graduates who end up with jobs in
schools, hospitals, or nonprofit organizations?
MA: Again, with the prevalence of computer networking, we’ll find
that sometimes students end up in places that we did not anticipate when
they started the program. Again, because the network is spreading to all
our areas and all our lives, we’re finding that students are going into
those areas. Actually, just recently I received a call from one of our
advisory board members who has a company called Edutech. He was looking
for interns to set up and maintain networks at various schools in the
Kansas City area. Also, hospitals and other companies that use networks
and computers rely heavily on IT professionals. Again, these emergent
areas—the internet telephony (voice over IP) and wireless—are promoting
jobs in new areas that we didn’t think about in the past. As network
security is getting more and more attention, we’re seeing small, medium,
and large companies looking for people to secure the network. Security is
part of the law; it’s not simply something companies can’t afford to do.
They have to secure the network, and that’s again creating a lot of job
opportunities for students.
CSC: What tips would you give to students who are interested in
entering the JCCC information technology program and eventually the IT
profession?
MA: This is an excellent question, and I get it from students all
the time. I tell students that there’s great potential behind the IT
program. As I mentioned before, it is one of the quickest ways to get
into the job market, but I don’t want students to think they’re going to
spend two or three semesters in classes and JCCC and develop the skills
that they need without hard work. They need to spend time in the lab.
JCCC provides one of the best IT facilities in the whole area. We pride
ourselves on the excellent facilities that we have; we tell students to
take advantage of that. If you’re enrolled in IT courses, I want to see
you in the lab. Don’t just come in, attend class, and leave. It’s a
program driven by hands-on activities. If you don’t like to do things
with your hands—test things, play with things—IT is not for you. All of
our courses are based on hands-on practice, so you need to make sure you
have sufficient time to spend in the lab, taking advantage of the
equipment, talking to instructors, picking their brains, and asking
questions.
CSC: When you say “hands-on” activities, are you talking about
sitting at the keyboard and doing things, or are you also talking about
taking apart the computer and physically assembling it?
MA: The labs in the IT program are very diverse. We teach
students how to build the network from scratch: how to build the cables,
how to connect computers, how to open the computers up, how to set up
various devices within the computers. Plus, when we connect those
computers together, we talk about some key devices that you need to be
familiar with like routers and switches and firewalls. You need to see
these devices, you need to work with them, you need to touch them. Today
there is a lot of access to information, and students could just simply
study some of this in theory online. I tell students, “There is no
substitute for being in the lab, working with the actual equipment. I
want you to experience that. I want you to experience the bad cable when
you plug it in—you can’t see that in a book or online. You have to be in
the classroom, plug in the cable, and see that the cable doesn’t work.” I
always tell our technicians “Don’t remove bad cables from the lab.” I want
the bad cables to be in the lab where students will run into them and
experience problems; it enhances their learning experience. We have to
simulate that real world experience for students, and we can only do that
by bringing them into the lab, which is very diverse. It involves not
only typing on the keyboard but also working with actual equipment, taking
things apart, putting things together, connecting cables, connecting
devices together, and testing your work. Those activities can improve
your trouble-shooting and problem-solving skills, which are key to your
success in IT.
CSC: What other skills and personal traits are important to
success in this field?
MA: To succeed in IT, you need to have strong, sound technical
skills first. You have to know what you’re working with, and it’s our job
to teach you that. On top of that, you need excellent problem solving
skills, and that comes with experience and hard work, with asking
questions and running into problems. And that goes back to why we need
students to be in the lab where they can experience those problems and
real-life situations that will help them develop the skills they’ll apply
on the job. Finally, you need great communication skills. You have to be
able to communicate well with others, including your boss. Your boss, most
of the time, is not going to be technically savvy, so you have to be able
to take a concept or a problem that your boss tells you about and resolve
it with technology. That’s going to determine your success when you are
on the job. There are a lot of people who know how to type on computers
or how to configure a PC, but it’s going to take someone that can solve
problems using the network, using the devices to excel above the rest. If
you can’t do that, or if you lack communication skills—how to ask
questions, how to express answers—you’re not going to succeed in
IT.
CSC: What is a typical day or shift like for someone who works in
IT?
MA: It is going to vary depending on the job—and we have a lot of
different jobs in IT—but count on being proactive. Don’t think it’s going
to be a desk job; don’t think you’re going to sit behind a desk until
someone calls you. You have to constantly monitor the network. You can’t
just set up the network and let it operate on its own. You have to monitor
who’s accessing the network, when they’re accessing it, and whether the
user has legitimate access. You need to determine if the network is
performing up to par and work to optimize it. Do I need to add more
devices here or remove devices from there? Your role in IT is proactive.
It can be pretty hectic. If problems arise, you must be ready to deal with
them because network downtime affects a company’s performance. If you’re
in IT, you have to have a back-up plan, a disaster recovery plan, and
that’s part of a lot of these courses we teach here. You have to be
proactive and ready to step in if problems happen.
CSC: I would think it’s important to have a somewhat high
tolerance for stress when problems do occur.
MA: When I’m teaching problem solving, I tell students, “Problem
solving requires a systematic approach.” And the first step is not to
panic. That’s the first thing. You have to be calm, you have to be able
to digest the problem, and you have to be able to analyze it. Yes, you
will be under stress. You cannot panic and break down under pressure, and
there will be a lot of pressure. Again, the network is becoming an
integral part to the success of the company. If you’re in charge of the
network, you’re relied upon to make sure that the network is functioning
efficiently and to an optimal level. If you can’t trouble shoot and fix
it quickly when a problem arises, that could be the end of your job. It’s
important to work on problem solving and on your ability to stay calm
under pressure, and that’s going to take a lot of work and a lot of
experience.
CSC: What is the work schedule like for someone in the IT field?
Are IT professionals required to work on-call hours?
MA: Yes, that can be one of the disadvantages, especially if
you’re in charge of a mission critical environment where the company
relies on the network. I see a lot of IT people today who are on regular
call with beepers and cell phones. In many cases, you have to be ready to
step in at any time, day or night. An IT job can be like a doctor’s in
terms of on-call hours. There is a disadvantage in that regard because
you have to be aware that you may be called in at a moment’s
notice.
CSC: Are there any other downsides to the profession?
MA: I think the biggest one that I see is change. Change can be
tough on people, so if you don’t like change and the stress it brings with
it, this is not the field for you. Working in IT, you are in the middle of
a revolution. Access to information is greatly increasing. As the liaison
between people and information, you provide and regulate access to that
information. The technology for doing that is changing rapidly, so if you
don’t like to keep up with all the changes, IT is probably not for you.
You can’t expect to come in, get your degree or certificate, and stop
learning. It’s a never-ending process. You have to constantly upgrade
and learn new skills to stay current and stay valuable to the company;
otherwise, you become dispensable.
CSC: What do you think are the greatest benefits or rewards of the
profession?
MA: This is another interesting thing. Although the constant
change is considered a downside by many people, for many others it is one
of the most rewarding aspects of the profession. Being in the middle of
that revolution is just so amazing because we are experiencing something
today that we haven’t at any time before in history. Experiencing
first-hand some of the latest and greatest technologies can be greatly
rewarding. It can be just exhilarating for a lot of people. It depends
on an individual’s personality. If you like that change, this can be a
great field. If you are afraid of change and you like something more
static and less dynamic, stay away from IT.
CSC: What do you like most about your job?
MA: I love my job. I love the challenge of being able to take a
tough concept, simplify and clarify it for someone, and then see that
individual understand it. I love it when I can do it for my own son, and
I love it when I can do it for a student in the classroom. That process
has kept me in the job for twenty years. I will stay in teaching as long
as I’m getting that feedback. Whenever I see something challenging, I
just can’t quit working on it until I take it, simplify it, and give it to
someone. If a student is working on a problem and something is not
working, I can’t just leave. I have to stick around until I put it into
terms where the students can understand it. Again, the gratification I
get from that process has kept me in teaching, and the IT field makes it
even more enjoyable and challenging. I love learning new things.
CSC: Is there anything else you’d like to share with prospective
students about the IT program and profession?
MA: When talking with potential students, I always emphasize the
importance of using their time at JCCC wisely. We have excellent
facilities and wonderful staff. Our instructors in the IT program are
always ready to step in and help, so don’t hesitate to just knock on the
door of an instructor and go in and ask questions. I want students to
visit with the instructors, ask them questions, and take advantage of the
resources we have to offer.
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