IT graduates need to be productive from day one

By ADAM GIFFORD

Computer education specialist ComTech has teamed up with Deakin University and Microsoft to offer a bachelor of information technologies degree.

ComTech international business development manager Martin Hale says the degree grew out of feedback from employers.

They wanted staff who would be productive from day one, but who also had the rounded skills provided by a university degree.

Deakin was chosen as a partner because it's a world leader in distance education, with 35,000 students studying remotely. It is also on an international expansion drive - as well as its base at Geelong near Melbourne, Deakin is opening offices in Washington, New Delhi and Singapore.

"Both ComTech and Deakin deliver the curriculum. The big difference with this degree is students are placed into full-time industry positions six months into the degree," Mr Hale says.

"These are not work-experience positions. They are actual entry-level IT positions like LAN support, desktop support and help desk," Mr Hale says.

The first six months, taught by ComTech at its Auckland and Wellington centres, is the "polytech" part where students get intensive training to get the A+ and Microsoft certified professional certificates, regarded as industry standards for entry-level jobs.

Before they can go on, they have to meet the challenge of building a computer network and troubleshooting it in a simulated work environment.

While ComTech has the students back for block courses in the second and third years of the degree, the rest of the tuition is done over the internet with Deakin.

By the end of the second year they will have finished the Microsoft certified systems engineer qualification.

Mr Hale says employers are lining up to hire the students.

"The reason they like the concept is there's a good chance they will keep that person for the three years it takes them to complete the degree. With the high turnover in the industry, employers think that's fantastic."

To kick off the degree here, ComTech is offering the first 200 places at $3000 for the first six months with $6000 more to pay when the student is placed in a job.

The next three years will cost $9900 a year in fees, although Mr Hale says some employers may be willing to pay some or all of this.

Once those places are full, the first six months will cost $11,000.

Mr Hale says prospective students must be interested in working with and learning about new technology, and show motivation and commitment. They must also have excellent communications skills. "There is no such thing as an IT job which doesn't require them."

After three-and-a-half years' study, graduates can expect to earn $60,000 or more.

Mr Hale says universities can not offer the money needed to retain staff capable of teaching specialised computing systems and the collaboration overcomes this problem.

"ComTech can do this because we pay our tutors industry rates."