Tech for Non-Tech Industries

“Being employed at a non-profit affords me the chance to effect meaningful change. My prior involvement as an animal activist in Bangladesh exposed me to the obstacles encountered by non-profits, and I have also been a beneficiary of generous assistance from various non-profit organizations throughout my life. Consequently, I am motivated to reciprocate and give back to society” - Ishmam Abedin

Master of Digital Innovation student Ishmam Abedin holds a certificate in Digital Business from Dalhousie University and is an alumnus of Manchester Metropolitan University. Over the years, he has gained valuable professional experience in countries all over the world. Ishmam has the desire to make a positive impact on society and is combining his work experience and passion to give back in his Internship at Big Brothers Big Sisters of Colchester. 

“As part of their commitment to adhering to national standards, the organization is currently undergoing the process of digitizing their records and preserving them on the National server, enabling remote accessibility,” he says, “I have been brought on board as the Digital Archivist to oversee the meticulous transformation of their records from manual to digital format.”

“Leveraging my background in marketing consultancy and non-profit branding, I have been entrusted with an additional responsibility to develop comprehensive marketing strategies for the organization's long-term goals,” says Ishmam, “This includes spearheading their digital marketing efforts to enhance outreach and engagement. Additionally, my involvement extends to data analysis tasks such as sales forecasting and market segmentation, which are instrumental in informed decision-making processes.”

Ishmam is appreciative of the team at Big Brothers Big Sisters. “I am grateful to my supervisor, Genea Teskey, Executive Director, for her unwavering kindness and willingness to involve me in diverse tasks, even beyond my regular responsibilities. Her understanding of my career aspirations led her to entrust me with marketing and data analysis assignments, which have been instrumental in my growth.” He also reiterated how supportive, open, and positive his colleagues have been. “My heartfelt thanks go out to Tina Longmire, Finance Manager, and Tina Fisher, Fundraising Coordinator, for their exceptional assistance in effectively accomplishing tasks and for providing insights into the Canadian working culture, which has been immensely valuable,” continues Ishmam.

Ishmam discussed how IT students can benefit organizations that fall outside of the traditional tech sector. “The skill set acquired in the tech field often proves transferable and beneficial in numerous sectors,” he says, “By leveraging their technical prowess, adept problem-solving abilities, and adaptability, students can thrive in roles that may not appear directly connected to technology.” Ishmam also discussed how working in diverse sectors can be beneficial to one’s professional development, “Engaging with different industries also offers the advantage of building a diverse professional network, which holds significant value for future career advancement.”

Genea, Ishmam’s supervisor, spoke about the positive impact he had on their team.  “The opportunity for many of our staff to learn from Ishmam over the past few months will have a long-term positive impact on our agency,” she says, “From marketing to business and data analysis, his talents and expertise have benefited every aspect of the work we are doing. His willingness to help is exceptional. In the current climate, it is essential for non-profit organizations to base our decisions on data and his analysis of our programs will support critical decisions about how our agency will move forward,” she says.

Genea encourages other non-profits to consider hiring IT Co-op or Internship students from Dalhousie. “I have already recommended Ishmam and the program to my colleagues,” she says, “In my experience, non-profits only consider internships in our own sector but having a student with a very different background and skill set can fill gaps that we might not even be aware of.”

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