International College of Management Sydney (ICMS) has launched a range of information technology degrees for students keen to enter this rapidly growing industry.
"ICMS, a leading industry-focused higher education provider, understands the growing demand for IT professionals and we've stepped up by creating and delivering IT qualifications to meet industry needs," said ICMS CEO Rowan Courtney-O'Connor.
"Whether it is IT-specific companies or any other industry, skilled IT professionals are in high demand. ICMS is here to bridge the gap and meet the industry's needs."
The newly accredited suite of ICMS IT degrees offers students innovative and cutting-edge skills, together with built-in Work Integrated Learning (WIL) opportunities.
The degrees not only develop knowledge and skills which meet the growing demand for professionals with technical infrastructure, data analytics and cyber-security expertise but the WIL component of the degrees means that graduates will be well placed to make an immediate contribution to business in Australia and globally, even before graduation.
The accelerating digitisation of business is impacting all sectors of the economy. As automation and artificial intelligence (AI) increase, so do threats from cyber criminals. The resultant labour force gap will require an agile, skilled workforce prepared to take on these new challenges. This rapid change brings new opportunity and there has never been a better time to work in the exciting and dynamic IT sector.
ICMS IT Program Manager Dr Patrick Shearman (Hons), MSc, MInfTech, PhD) added that the current technology revolution requires people with skills to be able to work and support these technologies, and demand in these areas is going to grow for the foreseeable future.
"This is a contemporary and hands-on degree that has been thoughtfully designed in conjunction with industry to prepare students for the digital age, equipping them with the knowledge, skills and capabilities that are essential to competently and confidently operate in varying domains of IT across diverse roles and industries.
If you're passionate about a career in technology, then a bachelor or master degree in Information Technology is a clear choice," Dr Shearman said.
Specialisations
"The ICMS IT degrees offer students valuable, real-world IT industry experience that marks them not just as technically skilled, but job-ready for this rapidly evolving industry," Courtney-O'Connor said.
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"There are a lot of opportunities in the IT sector and with the approval and launch of these degrees, we are glad to be able to provide skilled graduates to the labour force in Australia."
Traditional skills such as statistics and data management will no longer be sufficient for tomorrow's IT graduates. New skills such as data visualisation, data analytics programming, big data and artificial intelligence (AI) will be increasingly more important.
Cyber security professionals can use their skills in big data to protect against cyber-attacks and to identify threats and abnormal behaviour.
For this reason, ICMS also offers Information Technology degrees with two optional specialisations:
Big Data and Analytics
Cyber Security
POSTGRADUATE IT COURSES NOW ENROLLING
The following two-year postgraduate programs are now open for enrolment, with classes starting in May 2024.
Master of Information Technology
Master of Information Technology (Cyber Security)
Master of Information Technology (Big Data and Analytics)
The Graduate Certificate of Information Technology is a stand-alone 6 month qualification which, upon successful completion, can also be used as a pathway to articulate with credit into the ICMS IT master degrees.
UNDERGRADUATE IT COURSES COMING SOON
The following three-year undergraduate programs will open for enrolment soon, with classes starting in the September 2024 intake.
Bachelor of Information Technology
Bachelor of Information Technology (Cyber Security)
Bachelor of Information Technology (Big Data and Analytics)
The Diploma of Information Technology is a stand-alone one-year qualification which, upon successful completion, can be used as a pathway to articulate into the second year of an ICMS IT bachelor's degree.
IT Industry relevant experience included
All ICMS degrees include professional placement in the form of Work Integrated Learning as part of the coursework.
WIL means students at postgraduate and undergraduate level are placed within one of ICMS' 1000 Australian industry partners as part of their course.
These internships embedded in the coursework are a way for students to make a name for themselves within the company, gain valuable real-world experience and network within industry.
It's a proven strategy with results that benefit students and industry, resulting in 77% of the November 2023 graduating cohort being offered a job at their WIL placement company*.
IT degree designed for dynamic entry into IT industry
The suite of ICMS IT degrees is designed to empower students to make an impact in the IT industry and meet industry's growing demand for professionals with technology skills and technical infrastructure expertise.
The degrees are structured with a blend of theory and practical, and students are provided with state-of-the-art technological resources to master new technologies.
"Our students get a lot of resources during the course of their study with interesting educational assets, such as the Digital Lab, an ecosystem where you will be able to do Python programming," Dr Shearman said.
"Technology has transformed society, but it is still evolving and the exciting part is that it is still early days. Technology has done great things for the world and it can do a lot more."
The demand for skilled IT professionals is reflected in the various skilled migration occupations and pathways that are currently available in Australia.
The MIT could open up a range of career opportunities for graduates within the systems, networks and database sectors that are currently identified as 'strategic skills' by the Australian Government.
"People of all backgrounds from across the world can come into technology and speak the same language, use the same skills and work together across different cultures and different countries to make organisations and society a better place."
Electives to suit individual interests
In addition to core subjects, a variety of elective modules tailor each degree to suit the individual interests and strengths of each student.
This allows students to specialise in areas of interest, strengthen technical skills and broaden their understanding of the industry.
The elective modules available to ICMS students cover a wide range of topics, including Cyber Security Management (CYB701A), Analytics for Business Intelligence (DAT701A), Persuasive Data Visualisation and Communication (DAT802A), Deep Learning Analytics (DAT804A), among others.
"These elective modules, taught by experienced industry professionals, ensure that students learn the latest industry practices and knowledge. This gives them a competitive edge in the job market and they can specialise in areas that match their interests and career goals," Dr Shearman said.
"Additionally, elective modules provide students with practical skills that can be immediately applied to their work. With the benefits of ICMS elective modules, students can ensure that they graduate with the knowledge and skills needed to thrive in the technology industry."
* In accordance with the Australian Government ESOS National Code
