TAFE JOINS THE I.T. REVOLUTION

TAFE Queensland has joined the information revolution with technology designed to take the State's largest training provider into the 21st Century.

Training and Industrial Relations Minister Santo Santoro said TAFE clients will have access to the Internet, interactive multimedia, CD-ROM, CDI and videoconferencing.

"TAFE is implementing a series of major technological initiatives which will set new precedents for vocational education and training in Queensland," said Mr Santoro.

"This is a major program for TAFE in Queensland's Year of Training to give the public training provider a competitive edge."

Mr Santoro said creating partnerships with IT companies, such as Unisys, is a vital part of TAFE's new agenda.

"TAFE and Unisys will work as a team to analyse TAFE's business processes in financial management and student administration," said Mr Santoro.

"The team also will identify opportunities for joint ventures in areas such as multimedia development and Internet delivery."

Unisys will supply TAFE with support services for Statewide administration systems, Wide Area Networks and PC support.

"The partnership involves upgrading TAFE's IT environment to give students access to the latest technology and to allow staff to focus on providing quality education and training," said Mr Santoro.

TAFE also is setting up two Cyberskills Centres with Fujitsu-ICL (Australia) at Logan and Southern Queensland institutes of TAFE.

"Cyberskills, owned by ICL Information Society, is a major IT adviser to the European community and represents a major international alliance for TAFE," said Mr Santoro.

"The Cyberskills program gives students and employers a chance to test drive a range of IT products."

Mr Santoro said TAFE aims to offer a large number of courses to students through the Internet and multimedia programs by 2001.

The Southbank Institute of TAFE's Queensland School of Printing and Graphic Arts (QSPGA) is currently teaching its Certificate IV in Multimedia on-line to 20 fee paying students.

Mr Santoro said an important aspect of TAFE's program is to train staff to use the technology.

"A virtual staff college will train up to 300 staff to use multimedia technology to design and deliver training," he said.

"A partnership also is planned with the University of Southern Queensland to deliver the Graduate Certificate in Open Learning to educational staff around Queensland in flexible mode."

Mr Santoro said the initiatives will make learning more accessible and flexible.

"Online delivery and videoconferencing means a wider range of courses for people in regional and remote areas because they make course delivery cost- effective and efficient to small groups of students," said Mr Santoro.

TAFE is committed to developing programs to support Queensland's expanding IT industry, he said.

TAFE offers a wide range of IT courses at entry, para-professional and professional levels.

In November TAFE will launch a number of IT courses on the Internet. These will enable IT employees to become qualified as Microsoft Certified Systems Engineers, Microsoft Certified Professionals and Internet End Users.

"Ultimately, IT enables learning to be flexible and allows people to acquire new skills and knowledge on a lifelong basis," said Mr Santoro.

"Through these initiatives TAFE is playing a key role in increasing participation rates in post-school education and creating a highly skilled and productive workforce in Queensland.