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Jump Start -- by Arlas Gillies
Here's the monthly look at some provincial training, education,
job hunting and networking opportunities:
Are you looking for a career with many possibilities? Are you
interested in designing, developing, and maintaining Internet or
Intranet sites for corporations, not for-profit organizations or
government agencies? Or perhaps you are more interested in
maintaining Web server software, hardware and monitoring network
activity, its performance and connectivity. If this sounds
interesting, you may want to consider an occupation related to the
World Wide Web.
You don't just have to write lines of software code to work in
this industry. The World Wide Web offers a wide variety of jobs
using graphics, animation, multimedia, online services and games...
creating a diverse and exciting category of jobs. If you have good
writing skills, are creative, have a talent for design or perhaps you
have the technical skills to write software code or maintain the
computer and its related systems, then a career in this industry
might be for you. Some careers include, yet are not limited to,
Webmasters, Web designers and Web technicians, database analysts.
Still not sure?
Personal skills (communication, team work etc.) are important for
this industry as are the abilities to anticipate change and make
decisions in an uncertain environment, according to Bryan Atwood, a
senior analyst configuration manager with Alterna Technology Group
Inc. Individuals should have an interest in keeping up-to date with a
rapidly changing technological environment. Individuals need to
think logically and have the ability to analyze complex problems. It
is important to be innovative and take initiative in this field.
This industry is continuously evolving thus it is important to
constantly upgrade one's knowledge, Atwood said. He also emphasized
the importance for Web designers to develop a portfolio of current
active Web sites they have created, including a description of target
audiences, site goals and results that have been achieved through
these sites.
Education/Training
The following is a list of some post-secondary institutions
offering programs specifically related to Web site design and
development and computer science:
Academy
of Learning offers a 52-week multimedia developer for the
Internet program in addition to a 52-week network specialist (site
builder) program.
Sprott-Shaw Community College Computer Graphics & Web Media, Digital Animation, and Digital Media & Communication programs.
Grant MacEwan College offers a two-year digital
arts and media diploma program and a 46-week multimedia program.
Lethbridge Community College offers a two-year
multimedia production diploma program.
Mount Royal College offers a computer science
university transfer program as well as a Web design certificate.
The Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT) offers a Web application certificate program as well as other Internet certification programs.
Red Deer College offers a computer science university transfer program.
Southern Alberta Institute of Technology (SAIT)
offers several computer and multimedia related programs.
The University of Alberta offers a 16-month new media
diploma in visual design program as well as a four-year computer science
degree.
The University of Calgary offers a four-year computer science degree.
The University of Lethbridge offers a four-year fine
arts degree specializing in multimedia.
Related requirements:
Many companies and organizations require employees to have
information systems professional certification available from the Canadian Information
Processing Society (CIPS).
Webmasters may require a combination of management and technical
expertise, such as a degree in marketing and business management,
public relations, computer science, or graphic design.
Businesses / Associations
Job Boards
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