Courses give graduates an industry advantage

Monday, 23 July 2007

MIT information technology courses give graduates an industry advantage

The Department of Labour (DOL) reports that the information technology industry is dealing with a significant skills shortage, and Manukau Institute of Technology’s department of Computing and Information Technology is focusing on industry alignment as the best way to fill the gap.

The Auckland IT vacancy growth rate was measured at 34% in December 2006 – the strongest in the country. And Counties Manukau has experienced a faster population and economic growth than the nation as a whole. The government has identified the IT sector as one of three sectors leading New Zealand’s economic growth, with the DOL expecting the sector’s strong employment growth to continue in the medium to long term.

According to Jim Cater, head of MIT’s Computing and Information Technology department, it is vital that the availability of required skills increases at a substantially faster rate then the anticipated population growth. Residents will need to train and qualify at higher levels in order to promote regional growth and so individuals can take advantage of increased employment opportunities.

“We are very careful to align what the institute does with what industry needs,” says Jim. “All our degree graduates have worked alone on an industry project which means they are versed in looking for a real-world solution to a real-world problem using industry products.”

According to Jim, a top Microsoft executive endorsed the alignment of MIT’s programme at a recent industry conference.

“As students move up from certificate and diploma to degree, their job options expand exponentially,” he says. “They move from being someone who can find opportunities in technician-style roles to being ready for management with the skills to look at the big picture.

“Our department is also an early adopter of technology, and this means that our graduates are skilled in the latest technology in use in industry. We have to take on the new as fast as possible. We pride ourselves on preparing students for the future now – we are always eager to move forward.”

In a 2004 survey conducted by the DOL, .NET was one application development specialisation experiencing a shortage as identified by 13 IT recruitment agencies. This framework is used by all the department’s students at certificate, diploma and degree level.

“The department has a policy of rapid implementation of all new versions of Visual Studio, which is Microsoft’s Development Platform. The upcoming version codenamed Orcas is scheduled for release later this year, and will be adopted for teaching at MIT for 2008,” says Jim.

The department is also making a substantial investment in the Microsoft Vista and Microsoft Office 2007 operating systems. About 300 computers in the IT department, communications and business schools are being changed over to Office 2007 for the beginning of second semester in mid-July. The IT department is also introducing Vista as a pilot project in one of its large computer laboratories, while working towards switching all labs to Vista for 2008.

ENDS

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