Alumni Spotlight: Q&A with Prachi Khare
Associate degree leads to master’s degree for this IT grad
When Prachi Khare decided it was time to update her technical skills, she enrolled in the Software Developer associate degree program at FVTC. She’d already earned a bachelor’s degree in computer science, but knew that in order to get ahead, she needed to keep her skills sharp. She made full use of her time here, graduating with honors in 2018.
Prachi now lives in Atlanta with her family and is a data warehouse analyst for a global tech firm that provides IT resources to its clients. She’s also gone on to earn her master’s degree in software engineering, and as of May 2022 is a new graduate of Kennesaw State University.
Why did you choose Fox Valley Technical College?
I have always been very passionate about learning and improving my technical skills. I was excited to gain knowledge from the experienced teachers of FVTC, plus the environment was so friendly. One of my friends advised me to earn a degree from FVTC rather than looking for some certifications, and I am glad that I made the right decision.
What did you enjoy most at FVTC?
Everyone is so helpful and there are plenty of opportunities to grow yourself professionally and as a human being. I was the President of Women in Technology-Wisconsin and Vice President of the Association of Information Technology Professionals. College offers part-time jobs and internship opportunities as well; at FVTC I also did an internship as a multimedia developer and learned a lot.
Why are IT skills so important right now?
IT skills are not related to certain kinds of jobs anymore—they are everywhere. In this digitalized world it is really important to have IT skills. One need not be a technical expert; basic knowledge helps in daily work as well.
Tell us more about what you do day-to-day as a Data Warehouse Analyst.
My role is to lead, collect and analyze business requirements for projects. I develop queries to analyze data based on business requirements, ensure data accuracy and find data issues. I also work with other IT members, stakeholders and customers in various capacities.
What’s the best part of your job?
I am learning so many new things every day. Not only am I improving my IT skills but I am improving my people skills as well. I love interacting with different stakeholders and trying to gather information.
$78,829
average annual salary for Software Developer grads 5 years after graduation