Newsroom staff
27 March 2017: The University of Canberra has partnered with IP Australia and Pegasystems Inc. to provide its ICT students with the key skills and opportunities required for the next generation of IT professionals.
The partnership allows UC students to develop the skills demanded by some of the world’s largest global companies and help ensure they are well-prepared for professional IT certification. The University’s students will also gain access to opportunities to embrace market-leading technology and collaborate with industry professionals.
Under the partnership, the University of Canberra is able to incorporate Pega’s University Academic Program (UAP) curriculum into the University’s ICT course, specifically the unit, ‘Advances in Information Sciences’. Additionally, Federal Government agency IP Australia will offer several top-performing UC Students a 12-month position.
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L-R: Pegasystems Founder and CEO Alan Trefler, Deputy Director General of IP Australia Deborah Anton and UC Dean of Faculty of ESTEM, Professor Geoff Riordan. Photo: Kim Pham.
University of Canberra Dean of the Faculty of Education, Science, Technology and Mathematics, Professor Geoffrey Riordan said: “This is an exciting partnership in which industry, government, and universities meet to ensure our ICT graduates are job-ready.
“Graduates will be exposed to a variety of real-world settings that will let them practice what they’ve learned in the classroom and develop critical skills.”
As companies continue to future-proof their organisations by implementing more advanced technology, they need employees equipped to adapt their systems at the speed of business to outpace their competition.
The University of Canberra is committed to keeping its ICT courses relevant to industry. Through its partnership with Pega’s University Academic Program, UC ensures diverse career opportunities to its graduates, nationally and internationally, including with Federal Government departments, such as IP Australia, in Canberra.
Pega's UAP was created to help meet increasing professional demands and improve job opportunities for graduating students. This program prepares students with valuable, in-demand skills that make them indispensable resources, which in turn allows Pega’s clients to perform at optimal levels and focus on what’s important: fulfilling the needs of their customers.
Pegasystems Founder and CEO Alan Trefler said: “As businesses and government agencies continue along their digital transformation journey, they need people with the right skill sets to help them meet the growing demands of their customers and constituents. Pega is dedicated to empowering the business leaders of tomorrow to compete and contribute in today’s fast changing markets.
“We’re excited to welcome UC as the first Australian university to join our global University Academic Program,” added Trefler. This partnership enables UC graduates to develop in-demand skills while nurturing their drive, passion, and enthusiasm for a successful, long-term career.”
Pega’s University Academic Program also connects participating universities and students with organisations - tying skills to jobs. This provides world-class organisations direct access to a pool of students with strong skills in key in-demand technologies. And in turn, it enables those students to showcase their skills, embrace market-leading technology, and collaborate with industry professionals.
By offering several students positions with them under the joint partnership, Federal Government agency IP Australia will be giving new talent the chance to drive real business transformation.
Deputy Director General of IP Australia, Deborah Anton said, “IP Australia is pleased to provide talented ICT graduates with an opportunity to streamline their transition from a tertiary environment to the professional world through exposure to the inner workings of our Federal Government agency.
“Graduates will learn how their technical skills fit within the context of the Australian Public Service by contributing to the implementation of solutions that produce real business outcomes.
“Supporting new talent drives innovation for the benefit of all Australians, in turn ensuring IP Australia and Pega will deliver world-leading services in the years to come. This is one way IP Australia is contributing to the National Innovation and Science Agenda.”
As part of the collaboration, a number of University of Canberra graduates will attend three weeks of additional training at Pega’s global headquarters located in Cambridge, Massachusetts (US). They will also be embedded in a team at IP Australia and receive continous monitoring and coaching from senior Pega consultants and IP Australia staff.
