The pandemic has only underlined the importance of the IT systems that sustain our society and its systems. With continued growth in the sector, BCIT Computing needs instructors to help build the next generation of tech professionals.
We connected with Computer Information Technology (CIT) faculty member Tim Guicherd to learn what he enjoys about the tech sector, and how he got into teaching computing.
Q: What’s your background and where were you before you came to BCIT?
Tim: I first got a Masters Degree in Electronics Engineering, with a major in Computer Science. I worked as an engineer for a couple years in industry, then went back to university and got a diploma in political science and new media. I then worked for several years as an IT expert/consultant in Europe, North America, South East Asia, and the Pacific before I decided to move to Vancouver.
Q: What do you love about the move into teaching?
Tim: I can look at the students’ work at the end of the term, and actually see what they learned during the weeks we worked together. Knowing that they gained new skills that will be useful on the job market, and that I was instrumental in this process, brings me a lot of satisfaction.
Q: What made you decide to explore teaching opportunities?
Tim: Computing and IT is a very fast-paced field, and I have the feeling that IT should be learned like a trade: you cannot learn programming by reading a book, you have to practice (a lot!). On the other hand, many topics in computing require a higher level of thinking and abstract problem solving skills. I like this constant challenge: making sure students learn practical and useful skills, while they also understand the “big picture” and see the connections between different topics.
“Knowing that they gained new skills that will be useful on the job market, and that I was instrumental in this process, brings me a lot of satisfaction.” – Tim Guicherd
Q: How did you get started?
Tim: I started by giving corporate training sessions on virtualization, cloud, software development, and Agile methodologies. As time went by, I added more and more teaching activities to my portfolio. In 2015 I started working for a startup company in Europe, providing online education and training based on a mentorship system. That’s when I really realized that I wanted to make it my job.
Q: What do you teach?
Tim: I currently teach Advanced Programming in Python, and Systems and Network Provisioning, in the Computer Information Technology (CIT) program.
Q: Any final insight about the tech sector?
Tim: Information Technology is everywhere. Paying for our morning coffee, checking email, chatting with colleagues, getting lunch delivered, riding public transit. We’re dealing with code, infrastructure, and processes hundreds of times per day. And all of these systems rely on advanced computing skills, having been designed and created by IT experts. I feel that working in IT gives you a chance to change society and shape the future.
Are you interested in teaching for BCIT Computing? Learn more.