Growing your own
by Vincent Ciccarello
Universities are not immune from the current skills shortage confronting many industries. But unlike some businesses – which may turn to specialist recruitment firms for help, or are forced to import skilled workers – UniSA’s Information Strategy and Technology Services (ISTS) has decided to grow its skilled staff from UniSA’s own graduates.
Bachelor of Computer and Information Science graduates Scott Gage and Debdeep Banerjee are six months into a two-year term with the ISTS Information Strategy Team. And, as ISTS business manager Susan Loveday explained, two more graduates are soon to be announced for another placement beginning in 2007.
"We’ve had some difficulty in recent times finding sufficient numbers of appropriate, suitably skilled staff in the software development area," Loveday said. "Two of our managers thought, ‘Wouldn’t it be a good idea to grow our own?’ Director, Paul Sherlock, liked the idea and agreed we should offer something to our own students."
Gage and Banerjee work closely with staff in the Corporate Information Systems, E-Business Solutions and Information Architecture and Management teams. They received a detailed induction and are given formal and informal training.
Banerjee said the opportunity has been excellent.
"Here I am learning new technical things as well as other skills that are essential in the IT industry, like working in a group, finishing tasks on time and communicating with other teams and customers," he said. "The main advantage, I think, is the friendly environment and good workmates."
Gage agreed. "The people have been friendly, the conditions have been great and the atmosphere good."
Loveday said the experience has been positive for all concerned.
"They’ve fitted in extremely well. All the teams are very happy with the way it’s going. It’s giving them a start to their IT career and it’s helping everybody really," she said.
"We have gained two really conscientious and dedicated guys and they both have a high level of skills.
"Our hope is that they will apply for suitable vacancies as they arise and gain a continuing role with the University and ISTS."