Evangelising ICT
New Zealand's first dedicated nationwide ICT Outreach programme,ICT-Connect, is here! ICT-Connect is the IT industry's in-school programme to increase the visibility and desirability of a career in IT for the next generation of IT Professionals.
ICT-Connect is one of IITP's cornerstone initiatives for 2012, where we connect IT professionals like you with schools and students considering their future options and evangelise what a career in IT looks like. So what's it all about and how does it work?
What is ICT-Connect?
ICT-Connect is the nationwide in-school programme designed to inspire and educate young people about future options in the ICT sector.
What that actually means is that ICT-Connect puts role model IT professionals face-to-face with students in schools, introducing and discussing what a future in IT means to them. The IT professionals explain what they do in a short series of weekly presentations, plus illustrate the diverse opportunities and pathways available in our great industry.
ICT-Connect's objective is to ultimately strengthen the future of ICT in New Zealand, by opening a new generation's eyes to the endless possibilities emerging in the field.
The programme partners IT professionals with schools and with students but it isn't about telling teachers what to teach - that's their area. It's about telling inspiring stories and opening eyes to the opportunities in IT.
ICT-Connect: Pilot Phase
Back in 2009 NZCS (as it was then) commissioned the ICT-Connect pilot. The pilot programme ran over 4-5 weeks in 12 secondary schools across 3 regions. The schools selected were chosen based on a geographic and socio-economic spread.
What was fascinating about this Pilot was the interest from schools to be involved. The Pilot schools were chosen from over 300 schools who wanted to be involved in the Pilot, a strong indication of the need for such a programme.
Through a vetting process, we were responsible for the selection of schools and IT Professionals that went through the pilot phase.
Based on the feedback from students, the professionals who took part and the teachers involved, the pilot phase was hugely successful in engaging schools with IT.
In short, we know this programme works.
How will ICT-Connect make a difference?
One of the fundamental issues our profession has to address is the declining number of students graduating from the tertiary space (or moving straight into industry). These are students with relevant qualifications looking to join the IT Profession in New Zealand.
Given the huge demand for professionals in IT, the high pay rates, the opportunities and the potential benefit for New Zealand, this is an alarming situation to be in.
Modern-day society is heavily reliant on technology, communications and software. Unfortunately, we have to battle with the current declining numbers of graduates. BUT given the proven success of the ICT-Connect pilot, we know that this initiative will help reverse these declining numbers and start turning New Zealand into the leading-edge technology country we all know it can be.
There are sufficient and growing job opportunities in New Zealand for IT graduates but we just don't seem to be able to fill them. If we want to keep these great tech companies in New Zealand, we need to prepare for the future state as well and that includes introducing tomorrow's professionals to our industry today.
2012 Rollout
Earlier this year we concluded the funding stage of ICT-Connect. Having brought aboard over 40partners to support the programme. This was overwhelming support and showed awesome support for ICT-Connect from our industry. Thanks everyone - you've made a very real difference.
Since the closing of the funding stage, the ICT-Connect programme has gone from strength to strength. With the newly completed phase 1 of the website we are now accepting expressions of interest from both professionals and secondary schools.
And we have big plans for the website too, including a big section of information for students about the industry, how to get there, videos, etc.
Expressions of Interest for Schools: Be part of the ICT-Connect programme
With expressions now open for secondary schools around New Zealand, now has never been a better time to get in at the ground floor and give your students to opportunity to learn what a career in ICT really means! And best of all, it's free.
If you are a school or an ICT teacher and would like to get involved in the ICT-Connect Programme, you can download a prospectus or head to our web site for more information
Download the Schools Prospectus or head to the ICT Connect web site for more info.
Expressions of Interest: Professionals - Step up and be counted
This program cannot be successful without IT Professionals like you to deliver their inspiring and success stories and to talk about what they love about our field.
Are you passionate about IT? Want to step up and make a difference? It isn't hard and it won't take much of your time, but it'll make a very real difference to kids in school.
Download the Professionals Information Pack or head to the ICT Connect web site for more info.
We know this programme works. But we can't do it without your help.
For the hundreds of schools and professionals that have registered already, a huge thank you to you all. Your expressions are coming in thick and fast, and this is shaping up to be a fantastic programme and a very busy 2012!
And a big thanks for those that have made it possible
The ICT-Connect Partners saw and understood what we were trying to do and got in behind it. They're not doing it for their benefit, they're doing it to step up, be good corporate citizens, and make a real difference to the future of our kids. Well done.
The programme is also being delivered in association with the Health IT Cluster, SoftwareNZ andInternetNZ.
ICT-Connect has made fantastic progress so far this year, we'd like to see this momentum carry on through 2012 and 2013 as we roll this out across New Zealand. As always you can contact us on [email protected] or head over to the ICT-Connect web site. If you are socially engaged then you can contact me on my twitter account @bensmithnz
Ben Smith is Projects and Engagement Coordinator at IITP and is responsible for coordinating ICT-Connect nationwide










