Media Release
ACS Foundation Supports Innovative CSU degree –
60 scholarships announced
29th July, 2008: The ACS Foundation continues to help Australian employers meet the demand for skilled IT workers, today announcing 60 new IT university scholarships commencing in the 2009 academic year. The scholarships will be made possible by sponsorship funds raised by the ACS Foundation from a number of donors, including IBM.
30 of these scholarships will be targeted towards indigenous students and 20 will be targeted for female students, to encourage them to enrol in the course.
As a way of helping to address the severe skills shortages in Australia’s information technology (IT) industry, Charles Sturt University (CSU) announced a new degree today as a part of the ICT Careers Week, that will see students begin to gain relevant IT workplace skills in 12 months instead of the usual three or four years.
“The aim of this new degree is for students to “Learn to Earn” “, said Adjunct senior lecturer in computing at CSU, Mr Martin Hale. “Incorporating internationally recognised industry certificates, the University’s Bachelor of Industry Computing will allow students to commence working in entry level positions after 12 months study.”
“Recent research by Diversti shows that industry experience is very well regarded by IT employers, and we see at as a pivotal part of a degree aimed to be relevant and to meet industry’s requirements.”
“The caption for ICT Career Week – ICT: Start Here Go Anywhere – is particularly relevant in the case of this degree”.
ACS Foundation Chairman, Mr John Debrincat, said the nurturing and careful placement of graduates is critical as the IT industry confronts a growing shortage of correctly qualified and skilled professionals. Industry needs have changed and programs such as this address the evolving skills requirements.
“The ACS Foundation is thrilled to be able to help support industry relevant degrees such as this one from CSU, which has three important and relevant components – industry certification, relevant work experience and a university degree qualification,” said Mr Debrincat. “This degree is a good example of the type of course which employers are seeking graduates from, and I am sure it will be successful. The graduates who come through the program will be able to see the application of their new skill more quickly.”
Delivered by distance education, the degree includes certificates for a Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist (MCTS), an A+ Certified IT Technician from the global Computer Technology Industry Association (CompTIA) and a Customer Support Specialist certification from the IT Helpdesk Association.
This approach has the support of the world’s leading IT trade association CompTIA, with president and chief executive officer John Venator from the United States to help launch the degree.
The Hon. Linda Burney, MP, Minister for Fair Trading, Minister for Youth, Minister for Volunteering, in her capacity as Minister for Youth in NSW, said “The students graduating from today’s schools have grown up with computers, the Internet, mobile phones and MP3s. They are used to learning from the internet cloud and receiving information when and where they want it. Charles Sturt Universities’ innovative new degree caters to these students by providing a virtual education environment that incorporates Virtual Lectures, Tutorials and Labs.”
Executive Director of the ACS Foundation, Mr John Ridge AM, said that while some ACS Foundation scholarship candidates are chosen for their academic achievements, other scholarships are awarded to assist geographically isolated students, those students with disabilities, or to encourage more women or indigenous students into ICT.
“The demand for professional experience can be particularly daunting for graduates when they first enter the workforce. The ACS Foundation works closely with industry to match university-level talent with real-world opportunities. This helps ensure graduates are well trained and eased into the right kind of roles within the technology sector – which in turn helps encourage talented young professionals to remain within the Australian industry over the long-term,” he said.
Mr Ridge said a staggering 70 per cent of employees who go through programs such as the ACS Foundation WIL program are still with the same organisation seven years later; an outcome which defies industry employment statistics. In Sydney and Melbourne around 47% of new graduates leave their employer in the first year.
About the ACS Foundation:
An initiative of the Australian Computer Society (ACS) the ACS Foundation was established in August 2001 to encourage both private and public sponsorship of IT scholarships, higher education and research projects.
Since the ACS Foundation’s inception, it has raised over $14 million in sponsorship for scholarships and research, awarding more than 850 scholarships to high achievers and people who are disadvantaged.
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Further information: Fleur Brown, mobile: 0419 270 863 - fleur@launchgroup.com.au
This media release is located online at www.acsfoundation.com.au.