Staff exchange trailblazer 'made very welcome'

Edward O'Daly

Mr Sharp will be at the University until Christmas Photo: Michelle Khoo

22 August 2006: The first CIT staffer to join the University on exchange is settling in to his role ICT Services.

Mick Sharp has taken on the position of associate director of ICT Services for six months and will be involved in a number of IT projects including an identity management system, desktop replacement and software licensing.

"I don't really see myself as the 'first person' because our two institutions been working closely together for years," he said.

"In my role of administration manager in the Faculty of Design, I was involved in the creation of the National Institute of Design.   I was also involved in the National Institute of Languages and Learning (NILL) in my role of IT support manager.

"I've been made very welcome and I'm looking forward to getting out and meeting other people around the campus."

Mr Sharp said he had been keen to "recharge" and to pick up some new skills and saw a move to the University as the perfect opportunity - plus he's been able to shave a few minutes off his commute from McKellar.

"To do your job better, you need to understand the bigger picture. You have to get a better understanding of how things happen elsewhere and how different people and organisations work," he said.

"I'm learning from my new colleagues here and I hope they're learning a few things from me."

Mr Sharp said CIT's computer leasing arrangements were of interest to the University, while he hoped the University's adoption of wireless technology could provide a model when he returns to his former job. In addition to special projects he'll be "helping out where I can" until his exchange period ends at Christmas.