Multimedia Victoria - Top achievers launch their ICT careers
Top achievers launch their ICT careers |
| News - April 30, 2009 |
| Twenty secondary school students have kick-started their ICT careers, winning invaluable industry placements with some of Australia’s largest ICT companies. A joint initiative between the Brumby Government and the Victorian Information Technology Teachers Association (VITTA), the ICT Achievers Program provides high achieving secondary students with a 15-day industry placement at 15 diverse mentor organisations. VITTA Executive Officer Renee Hoareau said the program “rewards excellence and gives students an insight into just how far a career in ICT can take them”. “By delivering valuable hands-on experience to students under the supervision of industry professionals, we are ensuring our young people are literate in the high-tech skills that businesses need,” she said. “Businesses everywhere need people with ICT skills – and this means young people today choosing to study ICT are opening up their options to more jobs, industries and rewarding careers than ever before. “These placements show just how diverse and interesting ICT careers can really be, with students working on areas including computer games, open source programming, web design, software engineering and eLearning.” Renee Hoareau said that this year’s program was richer than traditional work experience due to the active involvement of industry professionals as mentors for the students, providing everyone involved with a renewed focus on knowledge creation and sharing. During their placement, students will write a web log and deliver an oral report on their experiences to their local school community. “This allows the students to creatively share their experiences, also providing their peers with an insight into working in the ICT industry.” At the completion of the program, students will receive an evaluation from their mentor and will be invited to an awards ceremony where they will be given an honorarium and a certificate in recognition of their achievements and ongoing commitment to using ICT. For more information on the ICT Achievers Program, visit www.ictachievers.vitta.org.au |
Congratulations to the following 20 students placed in this year’s ICT Achievers Program: Kieran McDevitt, St Francis Xavier College – Academy of Interactive Entertainment Stephanie George, Strathcona Babtist Girls’ College – Accuteque Amelia Taylor, Ivanhoe Girls’ Grammar – Accuteque Calen Laverty, Vermont Secondary College – Accuteque Nicholas McNamara, FCJ College Benalla – Advanced 3D Modelling Nathanael Hunt, Donvale Christian College – Advanced 3D Modelling Martyn Butler, Daylesford Secondary College – Alfred Brash Soundhouse Boaz Ash, The King David School – CA Pacific William Burrows, Footscray City College – Crunch IT Megan Shellie, Mentone Girls’ Grammar School – David Franzke Mariel Viray, St Francis Xavier College – Infinite Interactive Tom Runting, Western Port Secondary College – Infinite Interactive Samuel Spillane, Aquinas College – Internet Vision Technologies Matthew Lesh, St Michael’s Grammar – Melbourne University Baris Aygun, Strathmore Secondary College – Melbourne University Stephen Esketzis, Scotch College – Monash University Svetlana Kolotvinova, Mentone Girls Secondary College – Online Learning Group Adam Malcontenti-Wilson, Melbourne High School – Ricoh Australia Nicola Katsahambas, Ivanhoe Girls’ Grammar – Scienceworks/ Museum Jonathon Sala, Kingswood College – Swinburne University |
