AI Registered Professional Profile: Dinesh Chacko, RPAI

 

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Organisation
Oldfield Builds Ltd

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What motivated you to apply for RPAI?
I’ve been in tech since my late teens. Back then, the internet web development was still considerably less mature than it is today. Social media platforms were still up and coming. Facebook? Twitter? Nope… none of that. As part of my long and winding professional journey working on a wide range of roles, I was looking for something that recognised my past achievements and also my present skill and knowledge in some meaningful way. The IST is an independent and trusted professional body to align myself with. I set my sights on Registered Practitioner for Artificial Intelligence as a recognition of both my accomplishments and my ongoing commitment to excellence in the field of AI.

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What impact has RPAI status had on your career development?
It has helped me demonstrate my competence in leadership, autonomy, influence and analytical skills to internal customers and to my own team members as well. It shows evidence of having and maintaining a level of knowledge and skills that are appropriate to the seniority of my role, particularly crucial in an innovative and fast moving space. It proves my ability to apply my experience and knowledge to the evolving field of AI, and my understanding of its practical implementation. I can also role model ongoing personal development within the team and it has helped maintaining myself to high professional standards.

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How did the application process enhance your understanding of your skills and / or goals?
I had to prepare and spend some time reflecting on my various roles, experience and achievements in my carrier and work on getting my resume up to date. I carefully reviewed the Guidance and Standard for AI Practitioner document to understand the IST’s standards and criteria. It requires an amount of effort to go through the application process. I went through a few iterations of the competencies report to represent myself in the most succinct and professional way. I then engaged with my supporter to get a reflection of what they feel about my skills and experience. As my application has been checked independently and the process that I go to gain RPAI is a rigorous process, that underlines the credibility that I bring with my professionally registered status. It gave me the commitment to maintain my skills and knowledge and pays attention to maintaining the records of my professional development activity.

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What aspects of your membership in your professional body do you find most rewarding?
Joining IST has enabled me to build my knowledge and also contribute back into the industry; this was very appealing to me. The tools and resources that IST gives me to enable me to keep up with the fast paced  changes in AI and share knowledge with peers across the network who are facing similar challenges fostering a collaborative environment. My professional and personal development (PPD) record helped me to document my CPD and set goals. The IST slack channel helps keep me informed with the latest in the Digital and AI space and sharing ideas and good practice. The IST Tech Magazines and Journal Publications are of interest to both professional and academics alike. Overall, IST is helping members to improve their professional standing.

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What advice would you give to other AI Practitioners considering becoming registered?
I would like to let AI Practitioners know how proud I was to achieve professionally registered status and add the nominal on my CV. It demonstrated that I had the knowledge and skills of a credible AI practitioner. The self-esteem and sense of achievement having achieved the standard. If I plan to move roles with a different employer, I think it would give me a competitive advantage against other candidates even if the job advertisement does not state that the role requires professionally registered status in order for employers not to recognise its value. I now have a level of competence that has been rigorously assessed by an industry recognised professional body like IST. That I am now benchmarked by an independent group is important. I have always encouraged colleagues and peers to apply for professional registration which also contributes to raising standards across our industry.

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