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ACS news

ACS staff, Information Age

15/12/2006 15:24:40

ACS Foundation and ANU join to beat skills shortage

The ACS Foundation is breaking new ground with an innovative new scholarship program designed to ease some of the current skills shortages in Canberra.

The Foundation is partnering with the Australian National University and various industry partners to provide ICT students with relevant work experience in industry as part of their tertiary degree so that they graduate with their knowledge tested and with the practical experience and industry contacts that make them an asset to any employer.

The brainchild of Tony Robey of Wizard Information Services, the program will see the ACS Foundation channel up to $1.5 million in industry funding into ANU to provide 50 scholarships in 2007, with the program expected to grow substantially in future years.

One of the key differentiators about this Work Integrated Learning (WIL) program has been the university's willingness to rewrite its timetable to group face-to-face contact into three days of lectures, allowing the students to spend two days with their industry donor.

"We know that the sandwiching of work experience and study helps students to perform better at university and ensures they graduate very richly educated and widely experienced," said Robey, whose company will fund 10 WIL scholarships at ANU next year.

Each scholarship will mean between $12,000 and $15,000 to the student who receives it, enabling them to focus more on their studies instead of having to work part-time to support themselves.

"This is a wonderful opportunity for companies to provide scholarships and gain access to high-quality students who will work within their organisation every week, develop valuable skills and knowledge along the way, as well as being a great source of well educated and immediately productive employees at the end of their degree. It's a real win-win.!"

Companies interested in taking advantage of the ANU opportunity or investigating the potential for similar arrangements with other universities should contact the ACS Foundation on (02) 8296 4445.

Latest of 550 Foundation scholarships awarded

Fifty of the brightest young students seeking ICT degrees at NSW universities gathered to receive their ACS Foundation scholarship at a formal presentation in September.

The students, who represented a range of campuses including Macquarie University, University of NSW, University of Technology, Sydney, Wollongong and Newcastle Universities, were recognised for their academic excellence and/or special needs.

Many have been sponsored by a leading technology company or government department for a 12-month Work Integrated Learning (WIL) placement, which will not only give them $28,000 tax free for the year, but expose them to valuable, real-life experience with a company.

Speaking at the Sydney presentation, eCorner managing director and ACS Foundation chairman John Debrincat said these latest scholarships represented a substantial increase in the number of scholarships awarded this year over previous years.

"We have grown the donation base to over $8 million and supported a total of more than 550 scholarships for students at universities all over Australia since the ACS Foundation's inception in 2001.

"This year we have again set new records in funding levels, reflecting strong and growing support from corporate Australia for the Foundation's ground-breaking scholarship programs, which match university-level talent with real-world opportunities."

He expressed his gratitude to companies like IBM, which donated 31 of the 50 scholarships awarded on the night, along with scholarships from Computer Associates, Microsoft, the Graphic Arts Merchants Association of Australia, IDG Communications, the NSW Department of Education and Training, Novell and UTS.

"It is the sponsors who make all this a reality - without their support and commitment the Foundation couldn't carry on its good work and we would not be here today," he said.

The NSW Minister for Small Business, David Campbell, joined students, sponsoring organisations, other dignitaries and proud parents at the awards ceremony, which was held at NSW Parliament House.

"A strong ICT sector is vital to Premier Morris Iemma's new direction for the NSW economy," Campbell said. "Today's scholarship winners will become the industry leaders of tomorrow."

The 50 NSW scholarships included 28 presented to undergraduate and postgraduate students from the faculties of IT and Engineering at UTS, among them eight UTS Dean's Scholarships, which are jointly funded by the ACS Foundation and the UTS faculty of IT.

ACS Foundation executive director John Ridge said the Foundation gives corporations access to talented young professionals while encouraging those students to remain within the ICT sector over the long term.

"Our industry currently faces a serious skills shortage and it is programs like these that provide students with the opportunities they need to establish themselves as employable professionals and gives them a sense of confidence in their abilities and their future in this industry.

"We look forward to seeing these students working as top professionals in their chosen field for many years to come," he said.

Multinationals join SMEs in ACS partnership program

While some of ICT's major corporations have signed up to the ACS Professional Partnership Program, so have a number of smaller companies seeking an industry alliance to advance their professional standards.

While heavy hitters like Microsoft, Fujitsu, the Australian Government Information Management Office, Centrelink and Corporate Express have signed up for the program, so have Canberra-based consultant/contractor Acumen Alliance, health sector business intelligence specialist Prometheus Information and IT forensics and training provider CBIT.

Membership development manager for the Canberra region Rick Bushell says that government departments have been quick to appreciate the relevance of the program.

"The real appeal of the program has been access to staff retention and development strategies offered by the ACS, particularly in an environment of skill scarcity," he says.

"The recruitment and professional development opportunities available to our partners offer a crucial complement to their own strategies."

The program allows partners to: • Select graduates from the ACS Foundation • Access professional development training, mostly at no cost • Lower their professional indemnity costs • Reward their staff

Bushell stresses that the benefits of the program are as at least as important to small to medium businesses as multinationals: "Technical training and professional development courses are critical to the future of SMEs but typically everyone is flat-out just keeping their business profitable; however they realise the value of personal development.

"Because we can tailor the development elements of the program, participants can take advantage of what the program offers without disruption."

Brendan Charles, IT manager of Technology Services Group for Federal Hotels, agrees: "The program gives TSG staff access to the full benefits of ACS membership including training, both online and local, customised seminars and professional development events."

Partners from across Australia have committed to the program: Perth-based ICT services organisation Multipro was an early signatory. MD Mark Jackson says that a corporate relationship with the ACS assures clients that "our consultants are technically qualified and have significant knowledge and experience in all facets of ICT".

Melbourne-based SMS Management & Technology has joined the program through its Canberra branch with its head office and Sydney to follow. SMS also has offices in Singapore and London.

Double the membership ACS national manager - membership development Laurie Carmichael confidently predicts that the program "will double the ACS membership in the medium term".

"The program offers public and private sector organisations the opportunity to enjoy the benefits of membership, and provided nominated individuals meet our professional criteria, they can become fully-fledged members of the ACS."

NT branch chair gets achiever award

ACS NT branch chair John Weippert won the Achiever Award at the recent 2006 Northern Territory Information and Communications Technology Awards.

The presentation acknowledged his outstanding contribution to the ICT sector and profession through his work as branch chair for the last five years.

He has been active at both state and national levels of the ACS as NT representative on the ACS National Council. Since 2002, he has also been active in promoting the International Computer Driving Licence (ICDL) as a means to increase ICT Literacy amongst students (primary and high school), teachers, government employees and indigenous people.

He has visited numerous government agencies and other organisations to promote the ICDL and assisted DCIS in piloting the program, which is now available to all NTG employees.

During his time as branch chair he has been active in coordinating and facilitating professional development through the provision of guest speakers into the NT. This has become a regular occurrence with a partnership now in place to bring highly respected Gartner Analysts to Darwin.

Weippert was also instrumental in launching the NT Chapter of the ACS Foundation in 2004 which helps provide funding to make ICT tertiary degrees more accessible to students through the provision of scholarships.

"This award is very meaningful for me as it recognises all my hard work, most of which happened in my own time, as well as the six to eight days recreation leave I've taken each year to attend to the business of the ACS at both a local and national level," he said.

"I'm very grateful to have been recognised in this way."

ACS speeds student membership applications

The ACS has responded to requests for easier sign-up processes for students with an online facility that automates ACS student applications.

Now students who pay their subscription fee by credit card via our secure payment facility can become fully fledged student members of the ACS in the time it takes them to enter their name, address and other details.

The automated payment functionality includes the convenient option for members to pay their fees yearly, monthly or quarterly, depending on their circumstances.

The system processes the applications and prompts ACS officers to send out the Welcome Pack and membership card.

Visit https://www.acs.org.au/applicationform/dsp_editMemberApplication.cfm?attributes.fuseaction=student .

In addition, existing members, provisional members, provisional associates and students can now apply online for a regrade to a higher membership level via www.acs.org.au/myacs

ACS members win Google scholarships

Three ACS members have been honoured in the inaugural Google 2006 Australia Scholarships.

Elizabeth Shenton from Charles Darwin University won the $5000 Google 2006 Australia Anita Borg Scholarship for female undergraduate and postgraduate students completing their degrees in computer science or related fields.

The scholarship, offered in Australia for the first time, was established to honour the legacy of Anita Borg and her efforts to encourage women to pursue careers in computer science and technology. Two other ACS student members - Layla Soroush of Griffith University and Rebecca Ucich of Curtin University - each won a $1000 scholarship Google received 60 applications from students at 21 different universities across the country for the 2006 academic year. Eligible students must be enrolled in an undergraduate or postgraduate program in 2007 at a university in Australia.

Selection criteria included academic performance, letters of recommendation, answers to short essay questions and interviews with members of the review committee.

More information about the Google 2006 Australia Anita Borg Scholarship can be found at http://www.google.com.au/anitaborg/.

NT company honoured in Macau

NT-based company, SRA Information Technology, a past winner of the NT ICT Awards and I Awards won a recognition award for its EnviroSys product at the Asia Pacific ICT Awards in Macau.

SRA was placed third in the largest category, "General IT" group, with 178 entrants from the Asia Pacific region for the awards.

SRA was the only company representing Australia.

CPP: student voice heard on advisory panel

Like most cliches, the one about "if you want a job done get a busy person to do it" has more than a grain of truth. The appointment of ICT manager Steve Dusting to the advisory board of the ACS Computer Professional Program (CPP) as student representative is a prime example.

Responsible for regional ICT for multinational engineering consulting group Maunsell Australia, Dusting has his hands full serving the technology needs of 750 staff in Australia, and in a current project, managing the integration of a major acquisition of a Middle East firm.

His title is a worldly one: IT manager, Maunsell Australia New Zealand Asia Middle East Group.

Even so, he has pursued a rigorous personal development regime, completing Information Technology Trends two years ago through the CMACS program, and recently, Business, Legal and Ethical under the CPP structure which has replaced it.

He was voted by members of his BLE class to represent the CPP student body's interests in the further development of the program.

He readily admits that finding time to do the complete coursework and research at what is effectively Master's level is a challenge: "It means balancing study with workflow and family commitments", but relies on the program's flexibility to get through.

"I can work on certification before or after work, at lunchtime or whenever things allow it at the office. With wireless connections I have been able to submit assignments from the wilds of California, in Qantas lounges, wherever.

"Others on my BLE course are just as busy, and you can tell who's under pressure at any time by their responses and general demeanour. However, the structure of the program makes it manageable."

Dialogue with fellow students is a valuable element of the program. "Some have been in ICT for five years, others for 20. There are hardware people, software developers, vendors and end users - they provide a really useful pool of knowledge and experience," Dusting says.

His first chance to be the students' voice on the board will come at its annual general meeting in March, coincident with the start of Study Period 1 for 2007. It runs until June, and those enrolling now will not be charged until March.

It will also mean the start of a new course for him as he begins Business, Strategy and IT, the third of the core subjects with ITT and BLE in CPP. He could also take electives in CPP in project management, managing technology and operations, and software quality improvement.

Since CMAC was launched in 1993, more than 1700 students completed study with the ACS. Enrolment for CPP in its first July-October study period show that Dusting's constituency will continue to grow.

In case you missed it

In addition to the regular ACS columns which appear in The Australian, PC Authority magazine and other publications, the media had this to say about the ACS and its activities.

SEPTEMBER: Brisbane's Courier Mail and the Australian Financial Review covered the issue of offshore recruiting: The Australian reported on gender discrimination issues in ICT. The Australian Financial Review, Computerworld and the Age looked at improved job prospects for ICT professionals . Computerworld announced Queensland's new IT Minister. The Sydney Morning Herald announced the new ACS CP Program.

OCTOBER Sydney Business Review and The Australian reported on closer ties between the ACS and TSA. MIS discussed issues of professionalism. The Canberra Times, CRN, Australian Financial Review, Australian Reseller News and The Australian covered the new CP Program. CRN and the Sydney Morning Herald reported on improved job prospects for ICT professionals. The Australian Financial Review covered issues of professionalism and certification. Computerworld, The Australian, Australian Financial Review, City Chronicle and the Canberra Times reported on new ACS Foundation scholarships. The Age reported on ICT education issues. Adelaide Advertiser discussed professional standards.

NOVEMBER The Australian R&D Review covered new ACS Foundation scholarships. CRN reported on the shortage of women in ICT. Computerworld reported on professional standards. The West Australian highlighted computer recycling issues.

ACS members are encouraged to log in via www.acs.org.au/myacs/news for the latest update of reports, policies and media clippings.

More than 200 of Australian IT's leading lights gathered in Melbourne at the end of September to hail 2006 Pearcey Medallist Fiona Balfour, currently CIO of Telstra and previously of Qantas, and Cyril Brookes and Max Burnet.

Brookes and Burnet were admitted to the Pearcey Hall of Fame, prompting luminary Peter Thorne to offer these recollections of his dealings and with Burnet:

In a career spanning almost 50 years (so far) one meets thousands of people. Many come and go and are quickly forgotten. A few people have particular importance because they were around at a critical time in one's life or because their lives ran parallel with ones own.

In my case Max Burnet has been most important; our paths and interests have intersected frequently over the last 40 years.

Max sold me my first mini computer in the 1960s. At that time he was an advocate for a DIY approach to hardware: Meccano kit computing where you bought kit Number One (in our case a 4k Digital PDP-8 with teletype input and output) and could add to your system, piece by piece, whenever the Easter bunny, the tooth fairy or the bean counters made more funds available.

The PDP-8 was also an introduction to delivery schedules: Kay and I left for our first touring holiday (in an aged Daimler) at about the time the PDP-8 was due to arrive. Whenever I could find a working phone box on the South Coast of NSW (no mobile phones then) I rang back to Melbourne to track progress. I needn't have worried: our holiday was long over before the new toy arrived.

Our PDP-8 had one special peripheral - a Direct Memory Access channel to connect it to our IBM 7044 mainframe. This had some wiring problems and scanty documentation. It was only after we had debugged it that we realised that DEC, lacking their own IBM 7044, could never have tested it in action before it was shipped. They merely looped back the output to the input and hoped for the best..

Max provided calm, patient technical help in all this and as years went by it became clear that calmness and patience was Max's style.

As Digital grew to became a major supplier and I became involved in government purchasing policy, our paths crossed again as Max had taken on the role of corporate good guy for DEC -a role to which he was eminently suited. No matter how exasperated one was about technical imperialism of trans-national suppliers it was impossible to be angry with Max.

When, a decade ago, we started the project to restore the CSIR Mk1/CSIRAC to its rightful role as a national icon, Max appeared again. We had negligible funding but somehow Max found funds from Digital to print the now historic CSIRAC posters. In typical Max fashion he designed them, had them printed, and delivered them to us all with the minimum of fuss.

In 1998, both Max and I managed to make it to the UK to celebrate the "Birth of the Baby" the 50th anniversary of the execution first stored program at Manchester. The opportunity to meet pioneers and computer historians and to present the history of CSIRAC during the celebration was a turning point in the international recognition of Australia's place in computing history.

I have only heard Max give one major lecture -to an ACS dinner in Melbourne, when he traced the pre-electronic history of Australian computing. It was fascinating and I hope it has been recorded for posterity.

We have since collaborated on many computer history ventures. Although he lives in Sydney, Max has made major contributions to the preservation of computer history in Melbourne, by being a driving force behind the Monash University Computer Museum as well as an ever-present support for the CSIRAC project.

We in Australia have come a long way with our computer history in recent years. Sydney has provided at least three outstanding people committed to task: the late great Allan Bromley, John Deane and Max Burnet.

Each has contributed to the interpretation and preservation of computing history: Alan to the period from the Greeks to the development of the stored program machines. John to the meticulous documentation of the first generation, the Manchester Baby, CSIRAC, ILLIAC and SILLIAC and Max to the preservation and display of the computers from the Golden Years of the late 20th Century.

In an industry which has had a goodly share of fly-by-nights and cowboys, we are fortunate that Max (who was recently inducted to the Pearcey Hall of Fame) provides an example to us and to the wider community that the good guys can prevail.

He also provides the ideas, the energy and often the equipment, which allows us to show the wider community that computing has been around for 50 years, not merely since the arrival of the PC, and that Australia has been involved all the way

His work and his example enriches us all.

Win the world

Introduce a new member and take a companion on a $13K world trip

The ACS member-get-member program to bolster the society's membership will send two people on the overseas tour of a lifetime.

It's so simple: members who encourage friends, work colleagues and professional contacts to join the ACS will go into a draw for the major travel prize - and so will the person they nominate as a new member.

Every time someone you nominate becomes a non-student member of the ACS, your name is entered into the draw to win the world trip or a $1000 travel voucher.

The more successful nominations you make, the more chances you have to win. And the new members are eligible to win too.

As an ACS member, you are recognised by your peers, clients and employers as having appropriate qualifications and industry experience, and as adhering to ethical standards. You are seen as an ICT leader. As the recognised professional association for the ICT sector, the ACS is measured by its size. The more members we have, the more representative and relevant we are perceived to be.

Take a major step in support of your profession by encouraging your work colleagues, friends and professional contacts to join the ACS.