YOUR STUDY AND CAREER GUIDE TO COMPUTING & ITStud

ent T

IME

S

Computing & IT

INTRODUCTION PAGE 2PURSUING A CAREER IN COMPUTING AND IT PAGE 4JOBS WITH ICT USERS PAGE 4 & 6COMPUTER HARDWARE ENGINEERING PAGE 5JOBS WITH PRODUCT COMPANIES PAGE 7-8MICROSOFT LAUNCH WORLD WIDE CUP PAGE 8

DEGREE COURSES IN COMPUTING AND IT PAGE 9RECRUITMENT: SYSTEMS ANALYST PAGE 10QUESTIONS ABOUT UNIVERSITY COMPUTING COURSES PAGE 11USEFUL ADDRESSES PAGE 12COMPETITION: WIN COPIES OF MICROSOFT OFFICE AND VISTA PAGE 12CONTENTS

2 November 2007 COMPUTER & IT StudentTIMES

Types of IT work are numerousSEVENTY-EIGHT different types of IT jobs have been defined in the government-backed Skills Framework for the Informa-tion Age (SFIA). These are divided into six categories: strategy and planning, develop-ment, business change, service provision, procurement and management support, and ancillary skills.

To complicate career choices further, IT pro-fessionals are found in almost all industries due to the all-pervasive nature of computers. They are used for tasks as diverse as positioning cargo on ships, measuring patients’ heartbeats at hospitals, controlling lifts, and ordering stock in supermarkets.

Some of these user organisations (so-called because they use IT to meet their business needs) look after their IT needs in-house while others employ specialist IT service providers to perform some or all IT functions. Almost any role could be outsourced in this way, for instance a market research company may develop their own specialist software to track results or they may commission a software development firm to do so.

Development roles are widely availableProgramming, also known as software devel-opment or software engineering, is a function required by most industries and many organisa-tions. Programming includes very high-profile roles such as designing computer-generated characters for Hollywood films. Less glamorous (but also less competitive) jobs could be devel-oping specialist trading software for invest-ment banks or writing programs to control the running of a steel plant.

Development work is not restricted to pro-

gramming; there are also opportunities to develop hardware, databases, networks, sys-tems, and websites.

There are fewer jobs developing hardware than software as organisations often buy com-puter equipment as standard and then adapt software to meet their needs. Examples of hardware development could be to make more robust computers to be used in schools or to design computers that could withstand forces when taken into space.

Website designers, a well known role, con-tinue to be in demand as companies start to really embrace the use of websites and the internet to conduct their business.

With computers and e-commerce becom-ing increasingly sophisticated and part of daily life, the role of ergonomics is growing in status. There is an increasing number of people spe-cialising in the ease of using IT, be that systems, software, databases or websites.

Checking it all works and installationOnce software or hardware has been devel-oped, testers check that everything is working correctly before it is handed over to the instal-lation team and the customer. An up-and-com-ing role in testing is that of ethical hacking, where IT professionals see if they can breach companies’ websites to check the level of their security.

Installation can be a straight-forward task or an enormous one, depending of course on what is being installed. For example, integrat-ing new hardware across a chain of supermar-kets would be a very time-consuming and complex procedure.

Roles that keep everything tickingOnce hardware, programs, databases, systems, networks and so on are installed, a team usu-ally takes on the role of supporting them. There are a large variety of roles in this area of ser-vice provision, supporting users, operations or infrastructure.

Most large companies will have a helpdesk which staff can contact for help with computer problems and queries. Behind the scenes, other IT professionals are ensuring the organization’s network is functioning correctly. Others could be administering a database, which could, for example, list all the company’s contacts, or col-late market data needed by staff.

One person in a company does not necessar-ily concentrate on just one of the above tasks, particularly in smaller firms. An IT professional could, for example, both develop software and be responsible for supporting it.

Away from the technical coalfaceThe above roles are ones where technology takes up the majority of the person’s time. In many of those roles you would still need to have an understanding of business require-ments and be able to interact with customers, but your main focus would remain technical.

There are, however, numerous other roles where the focus is in varying degrees less on using technical know-how and more on strat-egy, communication or finance.

Project management is a good example of where some technical knowledge is combined with financial and communications skills. Proj-ect management is about working out times-cales and resources needed for a project, for example installing all the IT necessary for a new oil rig, and then making sure the project keeps

to budget and meets the deadline. People working in strategy and planning roles

are likely to have good technical knowledge but not be using it hands-on. For example, a conti-nuity manager looks at how IT services would continue to run in case of an emergency such as a fire destroying a company’s computers.

The same tends to be true for procurement and management support roles. Procurement managers need technical knowledge about what they are buying but also need to build relation-ships with suppliers and be financially savvy.

Finally, there are roles where IT plays a large part in what you do but is not the most impor-tant of your skills - the ancillary skills. These are roles in marketing, sales, technical documenta-tion, education or training. If you wished to go in these directions, technical knowledge could be very useful, but you may also have to train in another skill, such as teaching.

More about different rolesTo find out more about different IT roles, have a look at SFIA - http://scripts.bcs.org/sfiaplus/sfia.htm. BCS has created a product called SFI-Aplus, which goes into more depth about what skills and training are necessary for each job at each level.

A decision now is not for lifeFurthermore as your career progresses, more choices will open up. Many IT professionals move into management, go down the project management route or into an ancillary activity such as sales or education. No need to worry about that yet, though. Just work out what you fancy now. Good luck!

This article was written by Helen Boddy for the Inside Careers Guide.

INTRODUCTION

One million people are estimated to work in IT in the UKYes, that is one million people are estimated to work in IT in the UK. Not surprisingly, they are involved in a huge number of different activities. Some have a large technical element such as ethical hacking, programming, software testing and systems analysis. Others have a greater business emphasis, for example project management, quality assurance and client relationship management.

Jobs in IT vary from developing interactive TV to teaching students about technical forensic science to risk management. Some roles are highly technical while others have a greater focus on business objectives, strategy, communication, people management or finance. Helen Boddy, assistant editor at BCS, explores the various options....

StudentTIMES COMPUTER & IT November 2007 3

MIX AND MATCH YOUR COMPUTING DEGREE AT NEWI!At the North East Wales Institute of Higher Education in Wrexham, the first year of studies is common to all Computing courses, which puts off selection until the end of the first year when students already have experience & results, helping you to make a well informed choice!

Areas covered by our undergraduate programmes include:• Computing• Computer Networks• Information Technology• Multimedia & Internet Computing• Computing & IT

All programmes can be undertaken either full or part time.

Masters’ level courses are also available in Computer Networks

Courses are supported by professional qualifications from CISCO, CCNA, and CCNP which can be obtained at the same time you are undertaking your degree.

IT HAS been said that there are more than one million people working in IT in the UK, under-taking in excess of 70 different roles. So, for a young person hoping to work in the IT indus-try, the choice of routes can seem daunting. So many opportunities ... but so many ques-tions too!

Should I get a job straight from school?Well, as the range of jobs available in the IT indus-try is so large, there certainly is a need for people with a wide range of skills. So it is possible to get a “low-end job” with relatively few qualifications and skills. Students who spend hours playing computer games, surfing, blogging, and face-booking, may think they have all the qualities and skills required to become an “IT expert.”

Many companies are only too pleased to employ these students to undertake menial repetitive tasks, such as selling computers or other forms of customer relations, since they only have to pay a minimal wage. In these days when profits rule, companies are only able or willing to train employees in areas associated directly with the present job. This seems OK at the age of 18 since any money is better than none, but soon, when their friends have left university and are getting relatively highly-paid jobs, the future can seem very bleak. It is at this stage that people realise that they are only able or qualified to do

the job they are doing now and that there is lit-tle chance of promotion. They begin to look for “ways out.”

There are then a number of options: • Undertake professional qualifications e.g.

Microsoft, Cisco. • Undertake a part time degree / HND• Pack it all in and do a full-time university course

Each of these options has its drawbacks; pro-fessional qualifications are expensive, part-time qualifications take a long time (typically 5 years for a degree), and packing it all in and doing a full-time University course has the challenge of survival for the next three years.

Should I go to university?In the past, it was possible to get a highly-paid job in the IT industry with few qualifications but this is now the exception rather than the rule. The majority of jobs in IT require a degree of techni-cal complexity and, therefore, employers tend to believe that students with higher qualifications are more likely to succeed in their environment.

Having made the decision to go to a univer-sity, the next choice, even before choosing which university, is choosing a course.

This is not as odd a statement as it might sound since, for example, few IT teachers in schools and colleges have degrees in comput-

ing subjects. Often the IT teacher was trained in physics, mathematics or business studies due to computing graduates being able to command high salaries in industry.

The number of computing jobs available to non-computing graduates should not be under-estimated due to the diverse requirements of the computing industry. (e.g. many aspects of the computer gaming industry are best suited to Mathematicians). However, these days, com-puting graduates are less rare, so there is greater competition for the highly paid jobs.

Scanning the UCAS website it becomes obvi-ous that there is such a wide variety of IT/Com-puting courses available that this is more of a problem than selecting the university. What are the questions that need to be asked?

Consider:• How many modules are studied per year on the

Course?• How many of the modules are non-IT?• How many modules are common to other

courses?• What is the average size of lecture groups?• What is the average size of tutorials?• What is the student/computer ratio?• Can I run all the software used in the course on

my computer?• How easy is it to access course notes external to

the campus?• What is the exam/assignment ratio?• What percentage of graduates got jobs in the IT industry last year?

The answers to many of these questions are

“plug & play” personal to the students - some people prefer large lecture groups over person-alised attention, etc.

University Add-onsMost university degrees cover very similar mate-rial – analysis, programming, databases, net-working, multimedia, and more - even though the degrees have many different titles. The dif-ference behind the course titles can be seen by studying a small number of specialised mod-ules. This can be an advantage for students who are uncertain about the area they wish to spe-cialize in.

Some universities provide the option to take extra modules that allow additional professional qualifications to be gained whilst studying for the degree. This gives an advantage when stu-dents are applying for jobs in their final year since it sets them apart from the majority of graduates. Unfortunately, from the students’ point of view, these qualifications are not easy to gain since they require additional effort in addition to their full-time programme.

When you are considering whether to pursue IT as a career, be sure to look at all of the variables and think about what it is that you want to get out of your degree and your study preferences. The wide range of options at the various higher education institutions in the UK are a definite benefit, but can be somewhat overwhelming as well. A degree will put you ahead of the class because even though the technologies may change over time, the critical thinking and ana-lytical skills you will gain through your studies will last a lifetime.

PROFILE: North East Wales Institute of Higher Education

Getting Into IT!Dr. John N. Davies is a computing admissions tutor at North East Wales Institute of Higher Education in Wrexham

4 November 2007 COMPUTER & IT StudentTIMES

Prospects in the Computer Industry A WIDE variety of interesting and well-paid jobs are avail-able to graduates in Computing. The demand for Comput-ing expertise is growing (by 5% last year, according to Com-puter Weekly, one of the main Computing newspapers), and Computing graduates with a good degree are still much in demand.

Many graduates with other types of degree retrain in Com-puting after their first degree in order to find employment. By doing Computing as your first degree, you get a head start on them.

Salaries in the Computer Industry A survey at the University of East Anglia found that new Com-puting graduates were on average better paid than any other type of graduate in their university. At present (2004), starting salaries for new graduates in Computing seem to range between £15,000 (for people who choose to work for small local compa-nies) and £30,000 for specialist skills, with the average starting salary being somewhere in the middle of that range.

Those salaries will increase as experience is gained, and £60,000 and a good company car is possible for high fliers with 5-10 years experience and marketable skills. I know several peo-ple who earn over £100,000 per year in the Computing industry. If you own your own business then the sky is the limit. Four out of the world’s ten richest people made their money from Com-puting - Bill Gates (worth $46 billion in 2003), Paul Allen ($22 bil-lion), Larry Ellison ($18 billion) and Michael Dell ($13 billion).

Working in the Computer Industry The Computing industry has jobs both for those who like to work with people, and for those who prefer to hide away and write programs. My own experience of my first few years work-ing in Computing was amazement that people would pay me for having so much fun.

Whether you like solving problems, or finding out what peo-ple need and making sure that it happens, or building some-thing new that no-one else has ever built before, then there are

jobs in the Computing industry that are appropriate for you.

What kinds of jobs are there in Computing? There are a wide variety of jobs in the Computing industry. All companies will now have computers in the workplace, but dif-ferent kinds of companies will need different types of skills.

A reasonable view is to split the types of jobs available according to the type of company that you choose to work for. The three main sources of jobs for Computing professionals are:

• Companies that are users of ICT • Companies that make products incorporating computers • Companies that produce and supply software

The list of jobs given for each type of company is not exhaus-tive, but should give you a reasonable idea of the breadth of choice that you might have if you chose to train for a career in Computing. Examples of real people doing the different kinds of jobs will eventually be given under Example Careers. Those pages will give an idea of how people got to where there are today, and how they feel about what they do.

A degree in Computing is an excellent grounding for work outside the Computing industry, and so I also outline some of the other common job choices that are made by people with Computing degrees.

CAREER IN COMPUTING

There are three main reasons that you should consider a career in the Computing industry:

• you will have excellent job prospects • salary levels can be really rewarding • it can be very enjoyable and provide

great satisfaction

Why pursue a career in Computing?

Data analysts / programmerTraditionally (20 year ago - tradition is short in the Computing industry), these jobs were entry-level positions, often done by people who joined a company straight from school after A-levels. That is becoming much more rare. Either the job is simple enough it can be outsourced overseas, or it demands the kinds of skills that Computing graduates are trained to have. People in data analyst / programmer jobs today need to be able to implement computer-based systems for their company, to explain to users how the system they are programming will work, to understand how the system they are building fits with the needs of the company, and to be able to produce a system that can be maintained over many years.

Web developersOver the past ten years, almost every company has developed a web presence - including schools and universities! Amixture of

Computing, graphical, commercial and presentation skills are needed to provide a successful web site. Typically, no one person will have all of these skills. The Computing graduate may be called upon to provide several of these skills as part of a larger team, or within a smaller company may be the only employee in this area, perhaps working with outside graphical experts.

Telecommunications/network specialistThe need for this kind of skill will depend on the company. Most companies will have their computers linked to each other, with central file servers, so that files can be accessed from anywhere. They will also have links to computers outside the company, so that other companies and customers can access information. Many companies are moving to broadband, and upgrading their internal facilities to match. Network specialists have the knowledge to configure and maintain the quality of service on such networks of computers.

User training / technical supportWithin many modern companies, everyone will be a computer user. They will often have a computer on their desk, and will use it to access company information, or to write letters or read email, or to record what has been produced or sold. When they do not

know how to perform some task, or when the computer does not work as they expected, they turn to the computer professional. This type of job needs someone who understands the technicalities of what the computer is doing, but who is also able to explain to users what is happening and what they should do next.

Security specialistI observed earlier that computers are being linked both within companies and to the outside world. One consequence of that is that it makes computers vulnerable both to malicious threats such as computer viruses and worms, and also to criminal threats such as stealing information or money. Security specialists are able to assess the threats to a company and to put in place procedures and software that protects the company’s computer systems against such threats. Continues on page 6

Jobs with ICT Users

All companies are users of Information and Communications Technology (ICT), and will need computer systems to provide information to their employees and their customers (often via web sites). They may have demands for specialist types of software or hardware. They may employ people within the company to provide these things, or may buy them from the two other kinds of company. They will need people in the following kinds of roles.

Almost every company requires a web developer

Computers are vunerable to theft, so security specialists are important

StudentTIMES COMPUTER & IT November 2007 5

A CAREER at Accenture offers the chance to do remarkable things every day. With over 158,000 people working in 49 countries, Accenture is one of the world’s leading management consulting, technology services and outsourcing organisations. We help our clients become high-performance businesses by delivering innovation and our work invariably involves the application of information technology to business challenges. There are several areas that graduates can join Accenture:

In the Systems Integration & Technology Consulting Group , you could be part of a team delivering world class technical solutions covering everything from designing and delivering large-scale enterprise architecture to creating and setting technology infrastructures and strategies, or specialising in a particular area such as JAVA programming. This option is particularly suited to graduates with a technical, engineering or science degree, or some technical work experience.

Or you could join the Analyst Consulting Group and learn core consulting skills across a variety of projects for clients in all sectors. Here you will learn to apply skills in management consulting, systems integration and technology to help organisations gain commercial advantage. Finally, you could

choose to join our Management Consulting Group or Outsourcing function.

Meet Rebecca Haines – Analyst, Systems Integration & Technology ConsultingRebecca obtained a First Class BSc in Com-puter Science from the University of Exeter. She joined Accenture in January 2007 as an Analyst in Systems Integration & Technol-ogy Consulting.

“I really enjoyed the first few weeks at Accenture as I was training with 40 other new joiners. It was interesting to find out that the people I trained with were all very like minded and we all got on so well. We learnt a lot about what to expect on a client engagement and how to handle several client situations.

I would say the best thing about working for Accenture is the opportunity to experience diverse working environments from people to places. On one project you might be near your home office and on the next you could be across the other side of the UK or Europe! Having the opportunity to work on different projects with different people means your job is never boring.

Recently, I worked as a Technical Designer for a leading pharmaceutical client. I was

working in a team of five people. My role was to produce detailed technical design documentation for a Core Medical Information Response System. I therefore, had a lot of responsibility from day one and this meant that I gained a lot of respect when I delivered my work. I had to analyse the former system’s code and document the code changes and technical design we needed for the proposed system. I had the opportunity to individually design a core component of the new system which was delivered to the client. This was really good, as I got to see that my work really counted towards the success of the project as a whole and that the work I produced was recognised by the client.”

PROFILE: Accenture

Graduate careers in consulting

Getting satisfaction from a job well done.Just another day at the office for a high performer.

Our clients include many of the world's largestorganisations and we'll prepare you to take acentral role in developing innovative business and technology solutions that improve the waythey operate. Professional development is a keypart of the total rewards package we offer. You'll get continuous training both formal andon-the-job to enable you to do your job well.And you'll gain satisfaction from working onsome of the largest, most challenging projects.

For people with the right intelligence andpersonal qualities, there's no career quite likeconsulting. If you're genuinely interested inbusiness and technology, with typically apredicted or actual 2.1 and 320 UCAS points or equivalent, prepare for a future where highperformance is all in a day's work. And you'll be rewarded well, with a salary of £31,000 plus an additional £10,000 bonus.

Visit our website for more information ongraduate careers in consulting.

Accenture is committed to being an equalopportunities employer.

Visit accenture.com/ukgraduates

©2007 Accenture

All rights reserved.

Join Accenture for a career that keeps you motivated and moving forward. Work on vital assignments for top class clientsand help them achieve high performance. Push yourself, while developing your skills and confidence. Work with the bestpeople worldwide to solve problems and do what hasn't been done before. If this is your idea of a typical working day,Accenture is the place to work.

Graduate careers in consulting

10865 - a5 typographical landscape genericv1 - all 260x160.qxp 06/09/2007 09:55 Page 1

COMPUTER HARDWARE engineers are involved with the mechanical, electronic and electrical components of computers and computer systems. They are responsible for designing and developing computers and the computerised parts of other appliances such as computer chips, circuit boards, modems and printers. This is a challenging and highly technical role.

The IT industry is a rapidly expanding indus-try sector throughout the world. Computer hard-ware engineers can work in both the commercial and public sector, for computer manufacturers, telecommunication companies and large organ-isations such as finance and retail companies. Competition for graduate entry is high.

Employers usually expect a degree level edu-cation in computer or electronic engineering, which may have been supported by relevant work experience and vocational skills. Applicants to degree courses usually need at least two A levels/three H grades, preferably in mathematics and scientific subjects. It is sometimes possible to start in basic computing or technical support and progress to become a computer hardware engineer.

Training is on-the-job and includes in-house training courses and qualifications through pro-fessional bodies and private sector suppliers. Engineers are expected to undertake Continu-ing Professional Development (CPD) to keep up to date with advances in IT.

There are excellent promotional opportuni-ties with good financial rewards. Engineers may choose to specialise in a technical, hands-on role or move into management. They may also become self-employed and act as consultants. There may be opportunities to work abroad.

ComputerHardware Engineer

6 November 2007 COMPUTER & IT StudentTIMESJOBS WITH ICT USERS

of Computing InformationSystems andMathematicsFa

cult

y

www.kingston.ac.uk/cism

For a competitive advantage in the current job market, choose from an impressive and diverse suite of courses available

ranging from our classic Computer Science, Software Engineering and Information Systems degrees to more refined specialisms

such as Multimedia, Internet Computing, Cyber Security and Games Technology.

Or, if you can’t decide on just one, you can combine a joint honours field in computing with a science or business topic.

Best of all, you can even pick a level and pace of study that’s just right for you, and you’ll get the flexibility to move between different

levels of qualification. From the new MComp integrated Masters Degree to Higher National Diplomas and work-based Foundation

Degrees, you can actually create the perfect programme – just for you.

To get started have a look at our website, and you’ll see what we mean. For any informal enquiries, please contact us at

cism@kingston.ac.uk or 020 8547 8234.

Database administratorMuch of the information within a company will be held in databases. For some companies that might be as simple as an Access database, and little administration of such a database would be needed beyond occasionally backing it up in case the system crashes. However, take the extreme example of amazon.co.uk. They will have a database containing the details of perhaps a million customers in the UK, and another database containing details of the hundreds of thousands of products that they sell. Because of the number of sales that they make at one time, they cannot run those databases on one computer - they will have a cluster of server computers containing copies of the databases, interfacing to a cluster of web server computers sending web pages to

people’s desktops. Every time a customer purchases a book or DVD, a change needs to be made to a database, and all of the database server computers need to be consistent in the information that they hold. The database and web server machines must be available 24 hours per day, seven days a week, or amazon.co.uk will lose money through not being able to sell goods. The database administrator is responsible for the availability of the database service and for it providing the correct information.

Information Systems managerWithin many user companies, this used to be called the data processing manager. It is traditionally portrayed as the top of the tree for a computing career, and within many user companies, it is. The information services manager is responsible for all of the ICT provision within the company (or at a lower level, within one site of the company). This will include considering all of the individual areas of computing (such as security, networking, databases, user training, provision of new systems), along with making sure that the computing provision meets the business needs of the company, and planning how much ICT provision will cost the company. In many companies, this position is so important that the information services manager reports directly to the board of the company.

Jobs with ICT Users - continued

Could you start a successful business as part of your IT degree?“There’s never been a better time to be a young entrepreneur”. So says Mark Parry – and he should know. Mark graduated with a first class degree in Information Systems in 2006 from Kingston Universi-ty and already has two winning business ideas up and running.

“I have always been full of ideas, but when I went to university I found this fantastic support network, just waiting to help me put my ideas into practice.” Mark had chosen a course that would give him the skills he needed and knew that Kingston had a good reputation for computing and business, but the level of practical, individual help was a surprise. “All I had to do was ask!”

Part-way through his course, Mark came up with an idea for using technology to improve the way restaurants handle table reservations. With the encouragement of his tutors he worked on the concept and, as part of his final year project, Mark developed “The Booking People”.

This online reservations system can be integrated into any restaurant website and means that customers can make their own, confirmed reservations in real time, anytime. Restaurant owners can see instantly how busy they are going to be and plan accordingly.

After graduating Mark moved his promising company into the Kingston Innovation Centre [www.kingstoninnovation.org], which offers support to entrepreneurial graduates, and turned it into an operating business. The system was demonstrated at a recent national restaurant show and received an enthusiastic reception.

Mark has also set up The UK Webshop, a consultancy offering technology advice to the catering and hospitality industry. This has helped cover his expenses and costs while growing The Booking People.

These are exciting times for Mark. In June 2007 he was selected by the National Council for Graduate Entrepreneurship (NCGE) to be one of their Entrepreneurship Fellows. He will spend a year on the programme, including a six month internship in Kansas City, USA. His problem is, he’s too busy being successful to take it up right now!

“If you’ve got an idea, don’t be afraid of giving it a go” he advises. “There’s so much help out there if you’re prepared to ask for it. Get your groundwork done when you have a safe, supportive environment at Uni so you’re ready to go live when the time is right. Tutors make great Mentors for bouncing ideas off and they have the experience to point you in the right direction.”

www.kingston.ac.uk/cism

Studying your way to success

Amazon.co.uk will have perhaps a million customers in its database

StudentTIMES COMPUTER & IT November 2007 7JOBS WITH PRODUCT COMPANIES

LogicaCMG is a major international force in IT and business services. It employs around 40,000 people across 41 countries. LogicaCMG’s focus is on enabling its customers to build and maintain leadership positions using LogicaCMG’s deep industry knowledge and its track record for successful delivery. The company provides business consulting, systems integration and IT and business process outsourcing across diverse markets including telecoms and media, financial services, energy and utilities, industry, distribution and transport and the public sector.

LogicaCMG recruits a significant number of graduates in the UK each year. We have always recognised that graduates are essential to our success. The ability to provide fresh ways of thinking and challenge traditional ideas is vital to our future progress.

We are interested in graduates with a strong background in information technology – including software development skills – combined with excellent communication skills, both

written and oral, and an appreciation of the importance of customer service within a business environment. We recruit from from a range of disciplines including computer science and other numerate / logical courses, business information systems, and other joint honours degrees with a strong focus on business and IT.

Practical experience of computer programming may be useful for some roles. We are especially interested in candidates who have relevant work experience who can demonstrate a good understanding of the impact of IT solutions in a business environment, and who show genuine enthusiasm for providing a high level of customer service.

The nature of the work on the graduate scheme is continuing to evolve so please check our website for up to date information on current graduate opportunities.

Straight talking from LogicaCMG.

www.logicacmg.com/ukgraduates

PROFILE: Logica CMG

Straight talkingBusiness & Technology Graduates – UK wideLet’s get straight to the point. You want the most exciting clients. You want themost advanced projects. You want access to all parts of the business. And youwant responsibility right from the start. LogicaCMG can offer you all this and more.

We’re a major international force in IT services – our software supports a third of the world’s satellites, and we’re behind one in every four wireless multimediamessaging centres worldwide. There are 40,000 of us in 41 countries across the globe, offering business consulting, systems integration and IT and businessprocess outsourcing in a diverse range of sectors.

Naturally, you need to have a genuine interest in technology – and for most areasof our work, you’ll need to support this with a good numerate or science-baseddegree. However, our graduate roles are continually evolving, so there are someareas of our business you can join with a non-technical degree.

Either way, our structured yet flexible training programme and our emphasis on real-world project work will prepare you for a varied and challenging careerahead. Find out where you’ll fit in at www.logicacmg.com/ukgraduates

Straight talking from LogicaCMG

“You want to develop quickly, so join a company

that won’t hold you back.”

32604-160x128-Sugar Media 16/10/07 4:29 pm Page 1

Embedded systems analysts / designerThe modern motorcar can contain up to 100 com-puters. These are embed-ded systems - rather than having keyboards and screens, they have mem-ory and CPU on a chip in a box. They perform tasks such as monitoring the wheels to detect when they are slipping, or controlling the tim-ing and amount of diesel fuel being used. In such systems, having the correct information and performing actions at exactly the correct time are important issues, and so this is an important specialised area of computing.

Development of new productsA team developing a product containing soft-ware will need all of the skills that we men-tioned for purely software products. In addi-tion, it will need people who understand how the hardware linked to the software works (whether it is a child’s toy or a motorcar brak-ing system). There can be extra challenges in getting the interface correct between the hardware and the software, and in proving that it is correct.

Safety-critical systems designSome of the software embedded in a motor-car or a plane or nuclear power plant has the potential to injure people if it goes wrong. The level of care taken in designing such systems must be greater than for less dangerous sys-

tems. There are tools and techniques for such work that aren’t used for simpler sys-tems.

Jobs with Software Companies Most companies do not write all of their

own software. For some of their needs, they buy packages (e.g. Microsoft Office) and con-figure them to their own requirements. For other needs, often the more complex ones, they pay other companies to build or adapt software to their requirements.

These kinds of companies range from multi-national companies such as Microsoft that produce shrink-wrapped software for a mass market, through companies that make software for legal practices or hairdressers, to specialist companies that build one-off soft-ware for NASA’s latest space probe.

Development of new software packagesSoftware is produced for many purposes - office productivity software, games, soft-ware to support hob-bies such as making genealogies, internet browsers, education-al software. All these

types of software need people to decide what the software should do, to design how it will do it, to implement it, to test whether it works properly, and to keep it up to date as changes in the software package are needed. Com-puting jobs exist in all of these areas of soft-ware development. Often, you will work with a team of software developers that cover the different roles outlined here.

Operating system level design and programmingThere is a more technical level of program-ming that involves knowing about how things work in the depths of the computer’s operat-ing system. For example, a software develop-ment team building software which enables a computer to print to a new type of printer would need to understand how the com-puter deals with printing queues, and how the printer deals with characters that are sent to it, and then would write software to make what is shown in a document print correctly on that type of printer. Such work can be very challenging, but is also very rewarding for

those who enjoy complex technical puzzles.

Bespoke development. Some software is too spe-cialist to be developed as a package sold shrink-wrapped to everyone who wants it. For example, an air traffic control system (software to help people track and land planes), or software to run the rides

Jobs with Product Companies

A surprising number of companies make products that are computers (e.g. Dell, Apple) or that contain computers (e.g. Ford Motor Company, Vodafone, Sony).

These companies will also be users of ICT, of course, but they have a need for more technical kinds of Computing expertise. Some of the needed expertise is concerned with hardware, and some with the complex software that interfaces to it.

Almost all of the job areas outlined for ICT users and for software suppliers also exist within companies that manufacture products containing computers, but there are also some specific skills in this area.

New software is constantly being developed

Modern motorcars contain 100 computers

8 November 2007 COMPUTER & IT StudentTIMES

A total prize fund of $200,000, and for the UK leg of the competition the chance to win an Xbox 360TM Elite every month and other prizes you can’t buy

Reading, November 12th 2007 - Microsoft has announced the launch of its 6th annual world-wide Imagine Cup competition which gets stu-dents from across the globe competing for huge

prizes and the chance to represent their coun-try. This year’s theme is “Imagine a world where technology enables a sustainable environment”. The competition has nine diverse categories including photography, short film, gaming and software development and a total prize fund of $200,000. Students can register for the competi-tion and read about the individual categories at

www.imaginecup.co.uk Each UK registered student will also enter

a prize draw to win an Xbox 360 Elite each month up to the end of February. Last year more then 100,000 students from over 100 countries participated in what some have lik-ened to an Olympic competition.

The 9 competition categories include a mix of team and individual challenges. Each will have a UK winner announced in May 2008, which will receive a special country prize depending on the competition category, as well as being entered into the global compe-tition. Category prizes include work placements, video and photography equipment, powerful PCs and the opportunity to have work on public dis-play.

The Imagine Cup now incorporates nine cat-egories, appealing to students with both techno-logical and artistic affinities. These consist of Soft-ware Design, Embedded Development, Game Development, Project Hoshimi: Programming Battle, IT Challenge, Algorithm, Photography, Short Film and Interface Design.

Microsoft believes that the potential of young people, when teamed with the power of technol-ogy, can have a valuable impact on global issues. To this end, the competition calls upon young technologists, programmers and artists to apply their skills and imagination to developing real life solutions to problems which affect the lives of mil-lions of people around the world.

The competition is open to all college or uni-versity students in part-time or full-time educa-tion. To put your imagination to the test, take the online quiz and register at www.imaginecup.co.uk <http://www.imaginecup.co.uk/> . Full terms and conditions can be found at http://imaginecup.com/Competition/Rules-Regulations.aspx

About MicrosoftFounded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq “MSFT”) is the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and busi-nesses realise their full potential.

©Microsoft Corporation 2007. All rights reserved. Microsoft, Xbox 360 and the Microsoft logo are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other countries. For more information please contactJasmin AthwalInferno PR020 8434 5500MSDeveloper@infernopr.com For information on Microsoft Ltd, please contact: The Microsoft Press CentreTel: 0870 20 77377, lines are open 9.00am to 6.00pm Monday to FridayFax: 0870 20 77329Email: ukprteam@microsoft.com www.microsoft.com/uk/press

JOBS WITH PRODUCT COMPANIES

There’s no place like 146.176.222.172Computing & Information Systems coursesThere’s no denying it – Computing and IS make the world go round. In every business,industry and sector, it’s the people who look after the IT infrastructure that keepbusinesses growing and succeeding. Forget technogeeks called Colin languishing in the basement, this is about big business and life changing technology.

So if it feels like everyone’s got advice for you right now, here’s some you can rely on. Our graduates are confident graduates – more than equipped to make names for themselves in the world of work, right from day one.

We’re rated excellent for teaching and work with industry has been recognised too – winning national awards three years running. So it’s a lively, stimulating and creative place to study.

Based in the heart of Edinburgh, we offer 11 degree courses in Computing andIS – get in touch now to discuss your options.

Call 08452 60 60 40 or e-mail computing.enquiries@napier.ac.uk quoting ref: STUDAlternatively visit www.soc.napier.ac.uk

C

M

Y

CM

MY

CY

CMY

K

Napier Universi…udent times.pdf 19/11/07 12:31:36

At Disneyland, would be developed specially for each customer. Software compa-nies in the bespoke business need to have people capa-ble of understanding the customer’s requirements, of stating them in a way that an agreement to develop the software can be made, of working with the custom-er during the development, as well as all the other skills needed in software develop-ment.

Human factorsHow do you design your software so that it is easy to use, and make sure that your design decisions are correct? Human factors experts are skilled at designing interfaces appropriate for a particular task, and at evaluating those interfaces with a group of representative users of the software in order to make sure that the design decisions are correct.

Sales / marketingSoftware can range in price from £4.99 for a budget game to many million of pounds for

a purpose-built air traffic control system. At the lower price levels, little support is expected, but for more expensive and more complex soft-ware, sales and mar-keting needs people who understand the technical details of the software, at least in outline, as well as the business context in which the software will be used. Comput-

ing graduates are frequently encour-aged to move into such jobs if they show an aptitude and an enthusiasm for working with customers.

Customer support / technical supportThis term covers a variety of jobs, from being on the end of a phone advising customers on problems with the software supplied by your employer through to working on site at a cus-tomer company, adapting the software to meet the customer’s changing needs.

ConsultancyTo some extent, consultancy is a posh way of saying technical support. It suggests a high-er level of technical expertise than customer support. If a company wants you to change a computer package to produce a report in a slightly different format, that is technical support. If it wants you to recommend what its strategy should be for developing a high profile new web site, that is consultancy. The importance of the consultant’s role is often reflected in high salaries. This means that being a consultant is not really a job you can start in as a new graduate in Computing. As you develop expertise that is highly valued, it may become an option as your career pro-gresses.

Quality assuranceQuality assurance staff are responsible for ensuring that the quality of the software pro-duced by the company is appropriate - that it is safe, secure, reliable, maintainable and usable.

Project managementLarge software projects can have 50 or 100 people working on them. The best people to

run such projects are ones that understand how software developers work, and the pro-cesses for making sure that the software is built properly. This means that one career path for Computing staff is into project man-agement - managing other people building software. This tends to happen gradually, per-haps beginning by leading a small team of 2 or 3 other, less experienced project people, then increasing the size of the team super-vised and the project tackled as experience and training are gained.

Running a companyA surprising number of our graduates end up starting a company at some point in their lives. Sometimes, this is just a convenient way of working as a consultant to other compa-nies, but sometimes it is because they have seen a niche in the market for some specific software product or some skill that they have. In the latter case, the company may employ a number of other people, and they may then spend their time as Managing Director rather than as a programmer. It is not a career path for everyone, but for those who are attracted to it, a degree in Computing provides good opportunities.

Jobs with Product Companies - continued

Microsoft Launch World Wide Imagine CupGlobal competition calls upon UK students to represent their country and “Imagine a world where technology enables a sustainable environment”

StudentTIMES COMPUTER & IT November 2007 9

Computing / Computer Science This used to be the name of the degree that you did in a Computer Science department 20 years ago. With greater specialisation in the subject, it now tends to be the degree that you do if you study Computing and don’t spe-cialize in something. That’s not a bad thing - it means you should come out of the course with a broad coverage of the subject, and perhaps been able to choose topics that interest you, rather than ones that fit into a particular brand of degree.

There is also a difference in emphasis between departments on whether their Computing degrees are fairly mathematical or whether they take a more vocational emphasis. Many Comput-ing departments originally emerged from Math-ematics departments, and some of them still have quite a strong mathematical bias. Others have taken a more vocational emphasis, and tend to only include the mathematics needed for some-one following a career in the Computing industry.

Software Engineering This title reflects a degree with a stronger empha-

sis on preparing you to work on challenging problems in the Computer industry. Such degrees will tend to have an industrial year included as part of the degree, because the experience of working in the industry is an important part of understanding the edu-cation you are being given. Graduates will tend to work for software suppliers or companies making products that incorporate computers, as those areas need people who can build software with a strong engineering approach.

Internet Computing / Internet Engineering / E-commerceInternet degrees usually have an emphasis on the kind of technologies and skills needed to devel-op internet-based systems. I would expect them to have a strong emphasis on web technologies, on databases (to provide the behind-the-scenes support to the web technologies), and on tele-matics. There is a second strand of e-commerce degree, usually from business schools, concen-trating more on the business and financial impli-cations of e-commerce. You should be able to tell the difference between the two by the content

of the degree (lots of business and accounting modules or an emphasis on the design and implementation of systems). Gradu-ates from these degrees are needed by both soft-ware suppliers and ICT user companies.

Information Technology / Business Information Technology / Business Computing / Information SystemsI would expect these degrees to have less empha-sis on programming than Computing degrees or software engineering degrees, (although you will still need to be able to do some programming) and rather more on building software out of com-ponents (e.g. databases and interface building systems). They should have a greater emphasis on analysing business processes in order to make sure the software that is produced fits the exact business need. Some of the degrees may have a

much greater emphasis on “business” and less on “computing”. You should look at the modules listed for each particular course, and try to decide whether the mix of the two is correct for you.

Graduates from such degrees will tend to work directly for user compa-nies.

Other Flavoured degrees If you already know the area of Com-puting that you are interested in, then it is possible to choose a degree that emphasizes your interests. To some extent, good degrees are organised in this fashion anyway. In the case of the Computing degree in my own department, you can choose a num-

ber of optional modules in the area that interests you (graphics, artificial intelligence, internet and distributed systems) and combine them with a large final year project in that area. This means that by the time you complete your degree, you already have a good deal of specialist expertise in an area that interests you. It helps you to get the job you want after you finish.

Some of these sets of choices are packaged into degrees with titles that reflect what has been studied - Computing with Multimedia, Computer Science with AI, Computing with Internet (also Internet Computing - see above).

Another strategy is to mix a Computing major with a non-computing subject, for example Com-puting with French, or Computing with Business. Typically, Computing would take two-thirds of your time, with the minor taking the other third.

Degree Courses in Computing and IT There are many different names for degree courses in Computing and IT, and this section is intended to give you an idea of what you might expect from a degree with a particular title. However, there is considerable overlap between degree schemes with different titles, and there are questions you will want to ask in order to decide whether a particular degree scheme is for you.

DEGREE COURSES

CHINTAN HANDA faced the ultimate compe-tition to study Com-puting Science at Middlesex University – through a gruelling contest televised to millions of viewers in India.

Chintan, 17, entered the first-ever Airtel Schol-ar Hunt: Destination UK in 2007 where Middlesex was one of five universi-ties (along with Sheffield, Cardiff, Leeds and War-wick) that awarded an undergraduate scholar-ship worth £30,000 to one lucky winner.

The five-stage competition ended with a test where finalists had to assemble a PC using wireless networks – against the clock and in the heat of the TV studios.

So how is Chintan adjusting to his new life in London?

“I have been in England since September and am really enjoying the BSc Information Technology and Networking. We have got straight into the subject. I am enjoying inter-

active design where there is lots to experi-ment with. At the moment we are research-ing basic aviation.

“The best part is meeting people from different cultures and countries, this is very exciting. I have made very good friends with someone from my class who is from Cyprus.

“I hope to get a first class honours and then go on to a Master’s!”

Find out more about Chintan’s course at www.mdx.ac.uk/digitalfutures

PROFILE: Middlesex University

Destination UK: Middlesex

FORENSIC COMPUTING IS ABOUT GETTING TO THE BOTTOM OF COMPUTERCRIME. IT IS ABOUT RECOGNISING WHEN USING A COMPUTER BECOMESA CRIMINAL ACTIVITY, SUCH AS INTERNET CHILD PORNOGRAPHY,IDENTITY THEFT AND CREDIT CARD FRAUD.

MIDDLESEX UNIVERSITY RUNS LONDON’S FIRST BSc HONOURS FORENSICCOMPUTING AT OUR INNOVATIVE SCHOOL OF COMPUTING SCIENCE INHENDON, NORTH-WEST LONDON.

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN

MIDDLESEX UNIVERSITY IN LONDONTHE FUTURE IS DIGITAL

THE COMPUTERBECOMES THE CRIME SCENE?

READ MORE ATWWW.MDX.AC.UK/FORENSICCOMPUTING

OR SEE ALL OF OUR COMPUTING COURSES ATWWW.MDX.AC.UK/DIGITALFUTURES

CALL OUR ENQUIRIES LINE ON020 8411 5898

C958A:Layout 1 9/11/07 12:56 Page 1

10 November 2007 COMPUTER & IT StudentTIMES

Where do course graduates typically get jobs? If you want to work for a software supplier, and all the graduates work for ICT users (or vice versa), then is probably not the right degree for you. This is a question you can actually ask a university if you are visiting them. If the staff aren’t able to answer the question, then that is a bad sign...

Do the staff have industrial experience? If you intend to work in the Computing indus-try after graduation, then at least some of the people teaching you should have experience of that industry. I’d look for at least a third of the staff with at least three years experience of industry, and some with senior experience (running project teams or companies). That is enough of a percentage that the Department will be able to run the practical part of the degree properly, and will understand profes-sional issues thoroughly.

Is this degree an education or just training? A university education in Computing is a dif-ficult balance. On the one hand, we could just teach you guru-level use of Access and Java, and you might be unemployable in 5 years as the popular skills change. On the other hand, we could teach you the Lambda calculus, Church’s thesis and complexity theory, and you would be unemployable as soon as you complete the course (or at least need further training).

The ideal course will fit you for useful work

as soon as you finish (by including state of the art tools and practi-cal work), but give you the theoretical under-pinnings to adapt to change in a rapidly-changing Computing industry.

What is the mix of theoretical/practical work? A good degree will have a mixture of the-oretical courses, along with practical work that uses state of the art tools.

Does the course include any team working? Much work in the Computing industry is done in teams. This means that realistic team work-ing during the degree course, where you can point out how you fitted in the team and how well you fitted in, may well help you get a bet-ter job afterwards.

How easy is it to change courses if I choose wrongly? Some degree schemes have more flexibility than others. For example, if you are not sure how much programming you want to do, or whether you want to specialize in internet-

related topics, then is it possible to change between courses once you have started? What is the range of courses between which you can change?

How much hardware teaching is there? There’s no right answer to this question. It depends how interested you are in the hard-ware side of Computing rather than the soft-ware side. Computing degrees can differ quite a lot in how much hardware teaching there is.

How much Maths is there? There is no right answer to this question. Some Computing degrees can have quite a lot of Mathematics, and even ask for Maths A-level. If you like Maths and want to do more of it, then go for those courses (or even a joint degree in Maths and Computing). My own opinion is that

the Maths needed by the average Computer practitioner is only one or two modules, so if you are not a Maths enthusiast, choose your course appropriately.

Is there opportunity for industrial experi-ence? In my university department, more students graduate from degrees having done an indus-trial year than originally applied for a degree that included an industrial year (they change degree registration at the end of the first year), and on average their degree is a grade higher than people who did not do an industrial year.

There are two reasons why they do better. The first is just that they learn good work habits in industry, and keep them during their final year. The second is more important. They gain expe-rience in industry that helps them to under-stand better what they are being taught in uni-versity - it makes the information relevant. The year’s experience also makes getting a job at the end of the course even easier.

Does the course include professional issues? If you are intending to work in the Computer industry, then one of the things that is needed is an understanding of the legal, professional, social and ethical issues involved in such work.

Is the course accredited (by BCS, IEE)? Especially at the more challenging levels, Com-

puting is becoming a profession, and like other professionals (lawyers, doctors etc.), there is a growing need for both rec-ognized qualifications and professional experience to show that you are quali-fied. The British Computer Society (BCS) and the Institute of Electrical Engineers (IEE) are two institutions that accredit Computing and IT degree courses in the UK.

Each organisation visits UK universities to assess their courses, and say that their students have an education fitting for someone who wants to be a member of the society and/or a Chartered Engineer.

Another advantage to you of accredi-tation is that it answers positively some of the other questions listed. They will have investigated whether the accredit-ed degree is appropriate in the following areas for future Computing professionals:

• Does the course have sufficient coverage of Computing topics?

• Does the course have sufficient coverage of professional issues?

• Is it an appropriate mix of theoretical and practical work?

• Are the students reasonably happy with the education they are receiving?

If a Computing course is not accredited by one of these organisations, I would be asking why not.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Questions about university Computing courses

There are hundreds of different Computing degrees at many universities. How do you find the one that is right for you?

Here are some questions that you might ask when looking at the prospectuses of different universities, or even better, in person when you visit them.

Many of the questions do not have one correct answer - you need to think what kind of a career you want and what kind of things interest you, and then select a course that fits your needs.

Computing degrees can differ quite a lot in how much hardware teaching there is.

StudentTIMES COMPUTER & IT November 2007 11

Then our new course, BSc (Hons) Computing (In-Company) could bethe course for you.

Reasons to choose this course:

• This course is unique within the UK• You study for a three-year degree incorporating two years

work experience• Your course fees in Years Two and Three will be covered by

your employer• You can expect a salary while on your work experience of between

£10,000 and £20,000 during Years Two and Three.

You will also be studying in our £8 million purposed-designed computingand technology building, at Nottingham Trent University’s Clifton campus.

We also offer the following computing and technology courses:

• Computer Science • Games Technology • Software Engineering

• Information and Communications Technology • Mathematics

• Digital Media Technology • Computer Systems • Information Systems

School of Science and Technology

Would you like to earn while you learn?

www.ntu.ac.uk

School of Science and TechnologyComputing and Informatics Building

Clifton Lane, Nottingham, NG11 8NS.

Tour our facilities and meet staff for first-hand advice oncourses and career opportunities at one of our open days.To book your place please telephone (0115) 848 8300 orvisit www.ntu.ac.uk/ciopen

RECRUITMENT: SYSTEM ANALYST

Can you describe your role?My main role is to work out our computer software plans for the next ten years. We need to ensure that we choose software that can support the company’s future business processes.

What is your weekly routine?My work is extremely varied. In a typical week, I analyse our stock of applications. This is a database of all the applications in use within our business. I also look for opportunities to make cost reductions, by cutting back on the number of applications we use for instance, or by introducing new technology. Another part of my job involves preparing reports on how we perform against the measurements and targets we have set.

What hours do you work?Working in a global organisation requires some flexibility. If I have meetings with colleagues in Asia, I may begin work earlier on a particular morning, while having a conference call with

colleagues from the USA sometimes requires working later into the evening.

What is your working environment like?I am usually based in our central London office, but occasionally work from home too. My role requires some travel, mainly to our other key offices in the Netherlands, the USA and Malaysia.

Who do you work with?I work in a small team spread across Australia, the USA, the UK and the Netherlands, so keeping in touch with colleagues and virtual team-working (communicating via computer technology rather than in person) is very important.

What skills do you need for your job?A broad IT background helps in this role. I had previous experience in systems engineering, service development, IT consultancy and project management before moving into a more business-focused role.

Strong interpersonal skills are also essential as

you will have to work with many different people from the top of the organisation to the people actually developing and using your systems.

Why did you choose this type of work?I have a broad IT background within the company and a love of working in the fast-paced environment with lots of different people, so I felt this area would suit me well.

What training have you had?I graduated from university with a Degree in Medical Biochemistry. While at university, I took part in the Shell Technology Enterprise Programme, which places undergraduates in businesses for an eight-week project.

My project involved developing a waste exchange scheme and I won a national award for my work. During the project, I developed IT skills and realised I would be interested in a career in IT.

Since joining Shell, I have taken various technical, business and skills development training courses, and have also gained several professional qualifications.

Laura’s route• Degree in Medical Biochemistry.• Shell Technology Enterprise Programme.• Training courses and professional qualifications

while working for Shell.

Laura’s tipDon’t feel overly pressurised to specialise in one area. I experienced many different aspects of IT and have found my broad background very beneficial.

Related jobsBusiness adviser, Business analyst, Management consultant, Network manager, Project manager

Salary information £££Newly qualified analysts may earn around £25,000 a year. Experienced analysts may earn from £35,000 to £45,000. The highest salaries may be up to £50,000 a year, or more.

Getting in• Almost all business or systems analysts have

a degree or an IT or business-related subject. Many have postgraduate qualifications.

• It is sometimes possible to start in basic computing work and progress to become a systems analyst. Alternatively, some people work in another area of the business and use their broad experience to move into systems analysis.

• Employers are increasingly looking for people with qualifications from software manufacturers.

Recruitment: Systems analystLaura Duffey works for Shell International’s oil products businesses. She plans IT strategies that will meet their needs, both now and in the future.

12 November 2007 COMPUTER & IT StudentTIMESUSEFUL CONTACTS

General ITBritish Computer Society (BCS)1 Sanford StreetSwindonWiltshire SN1 1HJp01793 417417 orp0845 300 4417i www.bcs.org.uk

e-skills UK1 Castle LaneLondon SW1E 6DRp020 7963 8920i www.e-skills.com

Institute for the Management of InformationSystems (IMIS)5 Kingfisher HouseNew Mill RoadOrpington BR5 3QGp0700 002 3456i www.imis.org.uk

The Institution of Analysts and ProgrammersCharles House36 Culmington RoadLondon W13 9NHp020 8567 2118i www.iap.org.uk

The National Computing Centre Limited (NCC)Oxford HouseOxford RoadManchester M1 7EDp0161 228 6333i www.ncc.co.uk

Aerial and satellite installationConfederation of Aerial Industries Limited(CAI)Fulton HouseFulton RoadWembleyMiddlesex HA9 0TFp020 8902 8998i www.cai.org.uk

Computer service/repairsThe Engineering Careers Information Service(ECIS)14 Upton RoadWatford WD18 0JTp0800 282167i www.enginuity.org.uk ori www.semta.org.uk

IT salesThe Institute of Sales & Marketing

Management (ISMM)Harrier CourtLower WoodsideLuton LU1 4DQp01582 840001i www.ismm.co.uk

IT training and supportHelp Desk Institute (HDI)21 High StreetGreen Street GreenOrpingtonKent BR6 6BGp01689 889 100i www.hdi-europe.comInstitute of IT TrainingWestwood HouseWestwood Business ParkCoventry CV4 8HSp0845 006 8858i www.iitt.org.uk

MultimediaBritish Interactive Media Association (BIMA)Briarlea HouseSouthend RoadSouth GreenBillericay CM11 2PRp01277 658107

i www.bima.co.uk

SkillsetProspect House80-110 New Oxford StreetLondon WC1A 1HBp0808 030 0900(England, Wales, N. Ireland);p0808 100 8094(Scotland)i www.skillset.org

Usability and Accessibility Working Group(UA-WG)C/O The British Marketing and WebDesign AssociationPO Box 3227London NW9 9LXi www.ua-wg.com

Technical writingInstitute of Scientific and TechnicalCommunicators (ISTC)PO Box 522Peterborough PE2 5WXp01733 390141i www.istc.org.uk

Useful addresses

THE COMPUTER Science department at Her-iot-Watt is alive with research, discussion and debate centred around a number of thriving research groups.

Undergraduate CoursesOur BSc Computer Science degree offers a thor-ough grounding in the application of comput-ing principles and technologies to the design and engineering of robust software systems. While the theory is comprehensive, the pro-gramme is based very much on practical appli-cation. For applicants wishing to study for an advanced honours degree, the MEng Software Engineering builds on this course and then in the final two years, students take masters level subjects and a company placement.

Our BSc Information Systems degree focus-es on the practical hands-on skills required to make effective use of computer hardware and software in an organisational context. The course covers a blend of management, socio-technical systems and computer science.

Postgraduate CoursesMSc Bioinformatics: Introduces science gradu-ates to the application of information tech-nology to computational issues in the life sci-ences.

MSc Creative Software Systems: Software systems - especially real-time interactive graph-ics - have become an essential basis for creative work in computer games, edutainment appli-cations, virtual and augmented reality, and ani-mation. This course equips students with the theory, skills and techniques required to design and realise advanced software systems.

MSc Distributed and Multimedia Informa-tion Systems: Provides students with the skills to design advanced information systems.

MSc Information Technology (Business):

Understanding business critical IT systems requires mastery of both business dynamics and IT technology. This course covers both and includes topics in management, marketing, entrepreneurship and e-commerce.

MSc Information Technology (E-Learning): The course helps students acquire the special-ist design skills to produce e-learning systems.

MSc Information Technology (Software Sys-tems): As mobile technology, intelligent agents, e-commerce and multimedia become ubiq-uitous, there is a growing demand for skilled people able to design and engineer systems with these technologies. This course helps stu-dents acquire the appropriate skills.

MSc Intelligent Systems/MSc Artificial Intel-ligence: Data mining, speech processing and machine vision are just three of the many applications that we take for granted and that are based on intelligent systems software. Stu-dents will develop the skills necessary to make a valuable contribution to the rapidly evolv-ing and widespread field of software develop-ment.

MSc Intelligent Web Technology: As soft-ware becomes more network powered and smarter, more skilled professionals are needed who can engineer these capabilities into soft-ware applications. This course enables gradu-ates with IT skills to design, realise and manage advanced software applications.

MSc Mobile and Handheld Applications: Advances in handset technology are driving a huge level of interest -this course provides a solid grounding in the technology, future developments and practical application of mobile devices in business and public services.

MSc Software Engineering: Equips students to engineer software at an advanced level to professional standards with an emphasis on developing dependable systems.

PROFILE: Heriot Watt University, Edinburgh

AHEAD OF the launch of the Imagine Cup 2008, we’ve teamed up with Microsoft and have five copies of Microsoft Office and Vista up for grabs, plus there’s an Xbox 360 Elite to be won every month until the end of February!

Microsoft has announced the launch of its 6th annual worldwide Imagine Cup competition which gets students from across the globe competing for huge prizes and the chance to represent their country in the world finals in Paris next July.

The competition has nine diverse categories including photography, short film, gaming and software development. Prizes for the UK leg of the competition include video and photography equipment, as well as money-can’t-buy opportunities such as a two week work placement at Microsoft Game Studios.

This year’s competition has a green theme - “Imagine a world where tech-nology enables a sustainable environ-ment”.

Participants will feedback on their ideas from industry experts, who will pass on the kind of entrepreneurial tips that you’ll need to beat the other entries from around the world. The top teams will also get to showcase their skills and talk jobs to top UK employers.

Every student who registers at www.imaginecup.co.uk will enter a prize draw to win an Xbox 360 Elite each month until the end of February.

Students can also find out more about the Imagine Cup through FaceBot, a Face-book application available at http://apps.facebook.com/imagine-cup/ which gives

users the chance to win Microsoft Points

to spend in the Xbox Live Marketplace.

For the chance to win a copy of Micro-soft Office 2007 Ultimate, worth £549, or Microsoft Vista 2007 Ultimate, worth £369.99, simply answer the following simple question:

Q. In which country are the global finals of the Microsoft Imagine Cup 2008 being held?

COMPETITION: Win Copies of Microsoft Office and Vista