IT Geeks

As the current public service strike moves into its second week, it puts additional pressure on the public education sector. With protracted mass action looming, schools are looking at ways to overcome the obstacles that will be faced by learners. A number of schools have already taken ownership of the situation, choosing to use communication as a means to allay parent concerns and to bridge the gaps left by striking teaching staff.

One innovative way schools are addressing the problem is the School Communicator, an easy-to-use communication tool geared for the education sector. School Communicator was intended as a simple and cost effective means of communicating with parents about school news. It generally includes important notices, events, sporting and cultural results and photo galleries. It’s also as a useful means of updating details and accessing relevant resources.

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iSolve Learning Solutions, a division of iSolve Business Solutions (Pty) Ltd and Microsoft ‘Worldwide Partner of the Year 2008’ for Learning Solutions, is shocked by the past matric results — cementing the fact that no new entrants will be entering the market for the next 5 years. As a possible solution, iSolve is encouraging current IT professionals and university graduates to harness and improve on their skills to secure their future in this skill-strapped industry.

Microsoft and Prometric have reintroduced the Microsoft ‘Second Shot’ campaign in an effort to encourage people to get certified and subsequently address the ICT skills shortage in Africa.

There is a growing concern that SA will continue to lack ICT skills for years to come, especially considering that less than 50 percent of matriculants passed mathematics and science last year. This will force companies to continue to import skills from other countries and subsequently increase the cost of doing business.

Tracy Leathem, iSolve Learning Solutions Practice Manager, says it is now time for companies to improve on the skills they already have. “In an effort to improve the ICT skills shortage, Microsoft and Prometric have reintroduced the Microsoft ‘Second Shot’ campaign. If learners write a Microsoft International exam and fail on their first attempt, their second attempt is absolutely free.”

The company’s vision is to be the leading Microsoft Technology and Softskills training service provider in Africa. Its core training methodology is ‘Applied Competence’, one that addresses a range of scholastic and technical skills.

“More importantly, iSolve Learning Solutions has a holistic approach that ensures that its students are fully competent, work oriented and can easily integrate into any given environment. This model is effective in the development of career paths and encourages lifelong learning,” she concludes.

For more information contact iSolve Learning Solutions on (011) 807 9525 or visit www.isolve.co.za

Via one of my mates…

Bill Gates: Love him or hate him , he sure hits the nail on the head with this!
Bill Gates recently gave a speech at a High School about 11 things they did not and will not learn in school. He talks about how feel-good, politically correct teachings created a generation of kids with no concept of reality and how this concept set them up for failure in the real world.

Rule 1 : Life is not fair – get used to it!
Rule 2 : The world doesn`t care about your
self-esteem. The world will expect you to accomplish something BEFORE you feel good about
yourself.
Rule 3 : You will NOT make $60,000 a year right out of high school. You won`t be a vice-president with a car phone until you earn both.
Rule 4 : If you think your teacher is tough, wait till you get a boss
Rule 5 : Flipping burgers is not beneath your dignity. Your Grandparents had a different word for burger flipping: they called it opportunity.
Rule 6 : If you mess up, it`s not your parents` fault , so don`t whine about your mistakes, learn from them.
Rule 7 : Before you were born, your parents weren`t as boring as they are now. They got that way from paying your bills, cleaning your clothes and listening to you talk about how cool you thought you were. So before you save the rain forest from the parasites of your parent`s generation, try delousing the closet in your own room.
Rule 8 : Your school may have done away with winners and losers, but life HAS NOT. In some schools, they have abolished failing grades and they`ll give you as MANY TIMES as you want to get the right answer. This doesn`t bear the slightest resemblance to ANYTHING in real life.
Rule 9 : Life is not divided into semesters. You don`t get summers off and very few employers are interested in helping you FIND YOURSELF. Do that on your own time.
Rule 10 : Television is NOT real life. In real life people actually have to leave the coffee shop and go to jobs.
Rule 11 : Be nice to nerds. Chances are you`ll end up working for one.