L-R: Microsoft Australia Managing Director Steven Worrall, Deputy Vice-Chancellor Engagement and Vice-President Melissa Sweetland, Microsoft Chief Partner Officer Rachel Bondi, MEGT CEO Bridie Gildea, Prodigy Learning CEO Andrew Flood
A new traineeship program developed by technology company Microsoft, in partnership with the Victorian Government, will be offered at RMIT from next month.
The Microsoft Traineeship Program, which combines on the job training with a Cert IV in Information Technology, aims to grow the pipeline of tech talent against the backdrop of a growing IT skills shortage. It is open to anyone with an interest and passion for IT, regardless of whether they have any previous qualifications or work experience.
Starting with a small pilot in Melbourne, the first 15 trainees will commence the program in the coming weeks before expanding to take on more trainees in February next year.
A key feature of the program will see employers collaborate with Microsoft to offer paid traineeships, providing participants with vital on-the-job experience and helping them to kick start a career in IT.
L-R: Microsoft Australia Managing Director Steven Worrall, Deputy Vice-Chancellor Engagement and Vice-President Melissa Sweetland, Microsoft Chief Partner Officer Rachel Bondi, MEGT CEO Bridie Gildea, Prodigy Learning CEO Andrew Flood
RMIT Deputy Vice-Chancellor Engagement and Vice-President Melissa Sweetland said the Microsoft Traineeship Program was a great example of how education and industry leaders can work together to support skills development for the current and future workforce.
"The future world of work is changing at a rapid pace and we have a responsibility to ensure our graduates are equipped with the skills and experience that industry needs," Ms Sweetland said.
"Giving our students the opportunity to work with Industry experts, to make professional contacts and gain real-world experience is a key part of RMIT's commitment to preparing them for life and work".
The Microsoft Traineeship Program was launched in NSW in late 2018 and is now up and running in NSW, the ACT and South Australia. Specifically, the program aims to create career pathways for people who have been under-represented in the IT industry to date - including women, Indigenous people, people from non-English speaking backgrounds and people living with a disability.
Minister for Jobs, Innovation and Trade Martin Pakula said Melbourne was fast becoming the tech capital of Australia and they were proud to play their part..
"Through this program, we are investing in the next generation of IT professionals, ensuring they have the skills and real-world experience to forge ahead in their careers," Pakula said.
Microsoft Australia Managing Director Steven Worrall said the program represented the kind of concerted effort required to avoid the predicted shortfall of 100,000 workers in the Australian ICT sector by 2024.
He said that an important way to address this was for industry leaders to follow Microsoft's lead and play a more direct role in growing and nurturing talent.
"By working with strategic delivery partners RMIT, Prodigy Learning and MEGT - as well as a network of partner and customer organisations in Victoria - we aim to create a new pipeline of exceptional IT talent and create exciting career opportunities for Victorians," Mr Worrall said.
"For aspiring trainees - school-leavers, career-changers, return to work mums and others looking to enter the industry - this program provides an excellent foot-in-the-door to an exciting and rewarding career in IT, including vital on-the-job educational opportunities."
Other early adopters of the program in Melbourne include Advance Computing, Blue Connections, Coles, CompNow, Datacom, Data#3, IT and Beyond, MEGT, Modex, oobe, and Veritec.
RMIT has existing collaborations with Microsoft, including a ground-breaking Games and Graphics Programming course based at RMIT Activator - the University's entrepreneurship and innovation hub.
The two organisations are also working together, along with Cortana Research, to further develop Microsoft's AI-driven digital assistant, Cortana.
