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Barely 32 months after its launching as a pilot scheme to equip school leavers and the unemployed with the expertise to work as information technology assistants, the IT Assistant Training (ITAT) programme is winning ringing endorsements from its graduates, employers and various leading figures in the IT industry.

Reception to the ITAT programme has been overwhelmingly positive since its inception when more than 3,200 applicants vied for the initial 170 available training places, which was quickly increased to 300. The 91 per cent employment rate of the first batch of graduates was an early indication of success in meeting the programme's dual purpose, i.e., training school leavers to qualify for meaningful and long-term employment while meeting the increasing need for junior IT assistants in all sectors of the economy and the community at large.

Senior Adviser of the Information Technology Training and Development Centre (ITTDC) of the Vocational Training Council and head of the ITAT programme, Mr Li Yat Chuen, commented : "The positive feedback that we have received from employers of our graduates is no accident as from the very beginning, we have sought the input of IT experts in both the academia as well in the work place to help us design a curriculum that would meet the practical needs of the potential employers."

"It seems that our concern for relevance to end user needs and constant updating of the ITAT syllabus has paid off in spates. Our latest survey has shown that 97 per cent of the employers regarded the training of our ITAT students to be relevant to their needs, while 99 per cent of employers rated the overall performance of ITAT graduates as satisfactory or better."

The survey findings were reflected in comments from a number of leading telecommunications companies, including PCCW which has hired more than 100 ITAT graduates in the last two years. A company spokesman described them as being "sufficiently trained to undergo our tailor-made in-house further training, so that they were able to perform their duties as Internet Support Officers."

"These include handling enquiries concerning Netvigator Services and technical problems such as installation, connection and e-mail, helping customers diagnose fault symptoms, provide solutions, resolve complaints and make suggestions for customer service improvement," added the spokesman, who also praised the graduates' positive work attitude.

The comments were echoed by another employer, the Acer Computer (Far East) Ltd., which described the ITAT graduates as having "become one of our recruitment targets. "

Acer's Senior Human Resources Officer, Ms Mavis Chan, also heaped praise on the programme's attendant free one-stop job placement service. "All we need to do to recruit the talent we want is post our job requirements at the ITTDC to get the right candidate. This has allowed our company to save time and resources to nurture new employees who are not as well prepared," Miss Chan added.

The ITTDC also operates an Employer Hotline (tel: 2836-1845 or 2919-1541; fax 2832-9443) or email: placement@ittdc.org. Trained staff can also meet with interested potential employers to explain the programme and assist with job interviews.

The latest employment rate for ITAT graduates is close to 74 per cent. And of those graduates who have found a job, 83 per cent of them were IT-related. While the average salary that ITAT graduates are paid on IT related jobs is around $7,200 per month, which is higher than the average salary for non-IT related jobs at $6,700.

The ITAT programme, initiated by the Education and Manpower Bureau and jointly offered by VTC and the Employees Retraining Board (ERB), is a 3-month full-time course covering main subjects such as MS Windows & MS Office, E-Commerce & Introduction to Logistics, Web Authoring & Multimedia Production (Flash, Photoshop, etc.), Computer Hardware Troubleshooting, Router and Network Support, Linux and Windows Server Operation and Support, Communications and Job Search Skills and Projects.

Commenting on the course content, the President of Hong Kong Information Technology Federation, Mr Charles Mok, said : "Besides providing the basic computer and network usage skills, ITAT's programme has continued to evolve with the changing needs of the market. This adaptive nature is important for the continued success for ITAT."

"Since its inception, the ITAT programme has been well received by students and employers alike, as evidenced by the high percentage of students getting employed after completion of their training," Mr Mok noted.

His view was shared by the Associate Professor of Computer Science at City University of Hong Kong, Dr Hung Sheung Lun, who said : "The course definitely can increase the employability potential of the trainees and fulfill the needs of the industrial sector, such as SMEs, schools, and computer firms."

"The programme is also timely as Hong Kong currently faces changes triggered by developments in information technology in all aspects of its society, from media, through communications to international business relations," added Dr Hung.

As of October 1, 2000, a total of 2,640 trainees have been admitted into the programme, which has since its inception attracted 21,458 applications for admission. About half were aged between 16-29 and possessing F.5 education.

The success of the ITAT pilot course has prompted the Government to extend the programme to benefit 1,000 new trainees annually for the next three years until 2004/05 with a total appropriation of $54 million.

As Mr Li explained, "To help Hong Kong's transition into a digital economy, it is important to maintain a continuous supply of IT manpower. And we kill two birds with one stone by also alleviating youth unemployment in the process."

The admission requirements are that the applicant must be unemployed and a permanent local resident, and has achieved F.3 education but not gained a university degree. He would have to undergo an aptitude test and an interview to determine his suitability for the programme. He must also be willing to work as a junior IT assistant upon graduation.

Once an applicant is admitted into the programme, he is required to deposit $1,000 with the ITTDC. Refunding of the deposit would hinge upon the trainee's achieving an overall pass in the weekly written and practical assessments, attendance of at least 90 per cent of the class lessons and proof of effort in seeking employment, with the constant support of ITTDC's Job Placement Service, for at least three months after graduation.

In the latest recruitment exercise, only one out of seven applicants was allowed into the programme. The next batch of applications for admission will be processed starting in late December.

The successful applicant can opt for one of two training modes, i.e., the traditional classroom learning mode and the web-based training and learning mode (WBT) first introduced in October 2000.

The WBT version of the ITAT programme is based on the same training materials used in the classroom-based training option. Professional consultancy firms from the WBT content provider industry were contracted to convert the ITAT training material to web-based learning format. During the conversion, many of the course material were restructured and a large amount of audio-visual, animation, and multimedia effects were added to facilitate effective learning in a self-paced manner.

WBT students will carry out their learning activities at the WBT learning centers setup by the ITTDC where they can enjoy free access to computer hardware and a wide range of supporting software plus the advice and tutelage of facilitators and instructors between 9 am and 5 pm. They can also continue with their lessons at home through their personal computers.

It is estimated that the WBT training places will account for about 60 per cent of the total training places available under the ITAT programme in 2002/03.For those trainers who have experienced WBT, it was found that 70 per cent of them would recommend WBT to others and more than 85 per cent of the trainees would participate in more WBT.

Mr Li said "the successful introduction of the WBT mode is merely indicative of the ITTDC's flexibility to meet the changing needs among employers and trainees. And as we constantly upgrade the course content due to the changing nature of IT, we are also planning to enlarge the WBT mode of training."

Enquiries on the ITAT programme can be directed to tel 2591-9811, email enquiry@itat.ittdc.org or fax 2832-9443. Details of the programme can be accessed on Web site : http://www.itat.ittdc.org.

End, Sunday, October 6, 2002

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