IT Academy

IT Academy

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Overview

The IT Academy offers Harvard IT staff the opportunity to participate in instructor-led courses and self-paced activities that will deepen subject matter expertise and broaden knowledge of Harvard's unique technology landscape.

The IT Academy is built on the model of the "T-shaped professional,” who are characterized by their ability to collaborate and innovate across disciplines (the horizontal), and their deep technical expertise (the vertical). These professionals are in high demand in today’s workforce.

Browse and register for IT Academy courses

Note: You can now set your Harvard Training Portal homepage to the IT Academy homepage so you can see it every time you log into the Harvard Training Portal. To do so, log into the Harvard Training Portal, click on the "Select Home Page" tab in the upper-right corner, and select "IT Academy."

IT Academy courses

Essential skills

The horizontal of the T represents the skills identified by the Harvard IT community and approved by the CIO Council as essential for all Harvard IT staff. 

Service Mindset

IT Professionals learn how to demonstrate a Service Mindset through accountability, collaborative partnerships, and empathy to provide the IT support needed to further Harvard’s mission.

Service Mindset Courses

Digital Accessibility

IT Professionals learn how to leverage tools and resources to ensure all online and electronic sites and documents are accessible to all of Harvard’s community.

Digital Accessibility Courses

Trusted Advisor

IT Professionals learn how to communicate, connect, and engage with users and colleagues to build trusting and productive relationships to effectively provide IT solutions.

Trusted Advisor Courses

Information Security

IT Professionals learn how to integrate security into your role and function to ensure that Harvard is protected from security breaches.

Information Security Courses

IT Methodologies

IT Professionals learn how to discover the ITIL, Project Management, and Agile methodologies and how they work together to provide IT services for all of Harvard’s technology users.

IT Methodologies Courses

User Experience

IT Professionals learn how to incorporate user experience into any IT service you provide to ensure that they are easily usable for all.

User Experience Courses

Technical skills

The vertical of the T represents the technical skills specific to each Harvard IT job family. We have cultivated training content along with resources to help you apply new skills, recommended by Harvard IT staff from across the university.

Applications

Develop skills to perform or manage one of more IT applications/web areas (development, engineering, architecture).

Applications Courses

Business Analysis

Develop skills to perform or manage the identification, articulation, definition, facilitation, and implementation of programs and projects in support of continuous improvement in technology and business processes and services.

Business Analysis Courses

Data Management

Develop skills to perform or manage processes that include acquiring, validating, storing, protecting, and processing data to ensure the accessibility, reliability, and timeliness of the data for its users to inform business decisions and gain deep insights into trends and opportunities.

Data Management Courses

Infrastructure

Develop skills to perform or manage a range of responsibilities within the infrastructure technology stack for a school or university-wide, including Network, DevOps, Platform, Storage, Data Center, or Operational Technology.

Infrastructure Courses

IT Project Management

Develop skills to perform or manage a range of activities related to the design, planning, execution, facilitation, implementation, and completion of information technology projects, according to strict deadlines and within budget, including team and vendor management.

IT Project Management Courses

IT Security

Develop skills to perform or manage a range of activities related to the design and implementation of information security and identity and access procedures, controls, and programs.

IT Security Courses

Multimedia

Perform or manage a range of activities related to the design, planning, execution, facilitation, implementation, and effective delivery of digital content in traditional and emerging areas; support and manage multimedia platforms, products, and services in support of academic programs, professional education, and business units in learning spaces. Duties may entail one or more specialties including audio, audiovisual, video services (including live streaming and capture), AV over IP, and all aspects of assistive technology.

Multimedia Courses

Research Computing

Develop skills to perform or manage leading-edge technology services that support the advancement of research—intended for roles responsible for software data, facilitation, and systems services in partnership with researchers.

Research Computing Courses

User Support

Develop skills to perform or manage customer service including provision of technical assistance and services, training, support for endpoint systems (including mobile devices), and accessibility.

User Support Courses

Course levels

 

The IT Academy offers courses in essential (the horizontal) and technical (the vertical) skills at 2 levels.

  • Level 1 (Learn) courses combine the definition of a common language at Harvard, an introduction of tools and techniques needed to successfully implement the new skill, and a foundational overview of key concepts.

  • Level 2 (Apply) courses provide you with the opportunity to receive additional resources and support from both peers and Harvard subject matter experts to apply the foundational skills learned in Level 1 to your role and work situations.

Become an IT Academy facilitator

Looking for some professional development and to enhance your career? Become an IT Academy Facilitator!

As an IT Academy facilitator, you will:

  • Facilitate IT Academy created courses with a co-facilitator (class duration varies from 3 – 9 hours, depending on class you facilitate)
  • Participants are IT staff across Harvard
  • Build a network of IT Professionals across all schools and units at Harvard
  • Be viewed as an expert in your subject matter by your peers
  • Have the opportunity to network with the CIO Council and other senior leadership
  • Gain valuable facilitation and public speaking skills and training
  • Be an integral contributor to an important Harvard-wide initiative
  • Contribute to enhancing the IT Academy’s course offerings
  • Have fun!

What are the requirements?

  • Participate in a train the trainer session to get certified (these sessions are 1 – 3 full days depending on the certification requirements. Please email the IT Academy for specifics)
  • Commit to facilitating 1-2 classes per quarter. The IT Academy will work with you and your availability to schedule these classes with a co-facilitator to share the course content. Our classes range from one ½ day to two full days
  • Meet with your co-facilitator in advance of your class for 1-2 hours to prepare and practice
  • Participate in quarterly Facilitator Forum with other IT Academy facilitators to share your feedback and help us enhance the IT Academy facilitator experience
  • Approval from your manager
  • Contribute to course enhancements (optional, but appreciated)
  • Be open to feedback and have a Service Mindset

AI Tech Talk series

2024 May 08

Exploring ChatGPT through a Community of Learning at HBS

2:00pm to 3:00pm

Location: 

Zoom

This session, Shonna Ryan from HBS, will share takeaways from a six-month Community of Learning (CoL) comprised of individuals from across various technical roles at HBS. This CoL took place in 2022 and sought to identify opportunities and concerns presented by ChatGPT.

Register


See also: AI Tech Talks

About the IT Academy team

Contact Us

Reach out with any questions about the IT Academy