Week 3: Conducted Research Into Your Academic Program ✓ Solved

In Week 3 you conducted research into your academic program

In Week 3, you conducted research into your academic program to learn more about what skills you would get from your courses, and how you might leverage what you learned to secure an internship or job in your field of interest. Now you will conduct research to find the current trends in your desired industry and provide a brief summary of your findings. This assignment will be in the form of a professional email to your supervisor, Ms. Smith.

Scenario: Imagine that you work for a company directly related to your major. Your company is preparing for expansion and your boss, Ms. Smith, has been asked to design an orientation program for new employees. As part of this process, Ms. Smith has asked you to do some research into the trends in your organization’s industry that new employees will need to know about and understand. She has asked you to write a detailed email that identifies the three top emerging IT trends in your industry to incorporate into the new training, along with why they are the top three.

Your assignment is to produce a well-researched email in which you identify three emerging trends in your industry and discuss each one briefly.

Paper For Above Instructions

Subject: Emerging IT Trends for New Employee Orientation

Dear Ms. Smith,

I hope this email finds you well. In light of your request for information on emerging trends that will be beneficial for our new employee orientation program, I have conducted research to identify three key IT trends currently shaping our industry. These trends are essential as they will prepare our new hires for the challenges and opportunities they will encounter in their roles within our company. Below, I provide a summary of these trends and their relevance.

1. Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning

Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) are transforming the landscape of IT by automating processes and providing data-driven insights. The integration of AI allows organizations to streamline operations, enhance customer experiences, and personalize services. As a result, it is essential for our new employees to understand how to leverage AI tools and interpret data generated by these systems. Familiarity with AI concepts will equip them with the capabilities to contribute to projects that aim to optimize our services and improve efficiency (Russell & Norvig, 2016).

Moreover, AI and ML help in reducing human error and enabling faster decision-making, which can be critical in an expanding company like ours. Training our new hires on these technologies will ensure they are well-prepared to work in environments that increasingly rely on these innovations.

2. Cybersecurity Awareness

As our company grows, so does the importance of cybersecurity. With increasing threats to data integrity and IT infrastructure, it is crucial for all employees to have a strong understanding of cybersecurity best practices. The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) emphasizes that employee training is an essential component of an organization’s security posture (NIST, 2018). New employees must be aware of how to recognize phishing attempts, understand the importance of strong passwords, and become familiar with our company’s data protection policies.

By incorporating cybersecurity training into the employee orientation program, we can foster a culture of security within the organization, minimizing potential risks and ensuring that all team members play an active role in safeguarding company information (Von Solms & Van Niekerk, 2013).

3. Remote Work Technology

The rise of remote work technology has dramatically changed the way organizations operate. As our company prepares for expansion, flexibility in work environments will likely become a significant aspect of our culture. Familiarizing new employees with tools like video conferencing platforms, project management software, and collaborative tools is crucial. Understanding how to effectively use these technologies ensures that they can seamlessly integrate into teams, regardless of their physical location (Choudhury et al., 2020).

Moreover, remote work technology enhances communication and productivity among team members. By equipping our new hires with the skills to navigate these tools, we can maintain collaboration and engagement across the workforce, regardless of where employees are situated.

In conclusion, these three emerging IT trends—Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning, Cybersecurity Awareness, and Remote Work Technology—represent critical areas of knowledge that our new employees must grasp to thrive in our organization. By including these topics in the orientation program, we can ensure that they are well-prepared to meet the demands of our expanding company and contribute effectively from day one.

Thank you for considering this research. I look forward to your feedback and thoughts on integrating these trends into our orientation program.

Best regards,

[Your Name] [Your Position] [Company Name] [Contact Information]

References

• Choudhury, P., Foroughi, C., & Larson, B. (2020). Work-from-anywhere: The productivity effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on remote work. Harvard Business School Working Paper.
• NIST. (2018). Framework for Improving Critical Infrastructure Cybersecurity. National Institute of Standards and Technology.
• Russell, S., & Norvig, P. (2016). Artificial Intelligence: A Modern Approach (3rd ed.). Pearson.
• Von Solms, R., & Van Niekerk, J. (2013). From information security to cyber security. Computers & Security, 38, 97-102.
• Further references will be included as needed to support the paper.