Masters on the internet

By ADAM GIFFORD

Responsibility for creating and maintaining the company web site is moving up the organisation.

That is a trend observed by Mark Douglas, New Zealand managing director of training firm New Horizons.

His firm has just launched an internet professional programme, a collection of modules which allow students to sit for the certified internet web master (CIW) qualification developed by the World Organization of Webmasters and the Association of Internet Professionals to address skill shortages in the internet economy.

Mr Douglas says a high percentage of this month's initial intake had their fees paid by employers.

"What we are saying is, 'Who is the internet guru in your office'?" Mr Douglas says.

"Now that person, if there is one, likely got to be that by chance.

"Every company needs a web presence but you can spend $50,000, $100,000 getting a site done and it's just a moment in time. The internet is continuously evolving and you need someone who understands what is going on, where the internet is going."

That means being web master is a management position.

"You have to be able to take control."

The programme allows students to follow different tracks: foundations, site designer, and the e-commerce professional.

These incorporate skills such as application development, server administration, internet working and security.

The five-day foundation course costs $2295, while the full programme takes about a year to complete, leaves little change from $30,000 and gives those who pass proficiency in about 40 key pieces of software.

Mr Douglas says the main limit on the programme is finding enough certified people to teach it.

"The vocational guidance people are saying the number one area for income potential is in these CIW skills."

Other trends likely to swell training company profits this year include the migration to Microsoft's new operating system for corporate PCs, Windows 2000, and the continuing battle between Adobe, Quark and Corel for the professional design and graphics software market.

"The migration to Windows 2000 will be huge, because when you pull 2000 to bits you'd be mad not to use it," Mr Douglas says.

As with any Microsoft migration, there are fishhooks. Mr Douglas says the software giant has signalled it will retire the Windows NT exams at the end of this year.

"Unless you learn TCP/IP (transmission control protocol/internet protocol) this year you won't be able to be certified in it, because it's not in Windows 2000 - but unless you understand TCP/IP you can't administer Windows 2000."

He says course enrolments indicate PageMaker is cleaning up in the corporate publishing market, while InDesign is fast gaining on Quark as the program of choice for design professionals.

New Horizons is assessing whether it needs to offer courses in Linux, but Mr Douglas believes its non-proprietary nature limits what a training company can do.

"Because no one owns Linux there is no support, so I believe it will always be self taught," he says.