Bill GoodwinIT departments are being urged to employ university IT students
for four days a week as they complete their degrees, under a
radical scheme to be unveiled by London's City University.
City plans to offer up to 30 IT students a year the opportunity
to combine paid work in an IT department with one day a week in
lectures as part of an intensive four-year degree.
The move is designed to create a stream of graduates with the
academic and communication skills and the practical experience
demanded by employers.
It follows concerns that many of today's students are unable to
devote as much time to their studies as previous generations,
because they need to work part time to cover their living
costs.
"We reckon that most of our undergraduates work 15 hours a week
and some of them more," said Ginny Williams, professional liaison
officer at City. "They need to work but often they don't work in
IT."
City will invite students to join the programme, known as the
Professional Pathway, after their first year in university. They
will attend the same lectures, carry out the same coursework and
take the same exams as students on City's other IT courses.
"This is not a cut-down course," said Williams. "We will only be
offering it to the best students because it is a challenging mode
of study."
City will extend the academic term from 30 weeks to 45 weeks a
year, to allow students to complete the professional pathway in
four years - only a year longer than students on conventional IT
degrees.
Software suppliers, banks and a number of smaller employers have
agreed to employ the students on the scheme - which begins in
September - on salaries ranging from £14,000 to £18,000 a year.
Employers say that a similar day release scheme run by Salford
University has helped them to reduce their recruitment costs
dramatically.
Students, who will be expected to complete nine hours a week of
study on top of their day in university, will have the support of
an Internet site containing study materials.