International job "ticket" for NMIT graduates

International job "ticket" for NMIT graduates

International work opportunities will open up for information technology graduates from Nelson Marlborough Institute of Technology (NMIT) as a result of a new accreditation awarded to the institute.

NMIT is one of the first to be accredited by the Institute of IT Professionals New Zealand (IITP) which is affiliated with similar bodies in 54 other countries.

NMIT chief executive Tony Gray says the accreditation is an "international job ticket" for future NMIT Bachelor of Information Technology (BIT) graduates.

"It’s a great outcome for NMIT and not only provides our BIT with the IITP quality mark but is also recognition of the expertise and talent we have. It was great to hear the commendations from the panel and the very high regard they clearly have for NMIT".

The institute’s manager of digital technology, Mary-Claire Proctor, says having the accreditation means that graduates will be eligible for employment straight away in countries including England.

"Previously graduates would have to work two to three years before they could apply to the British Computer Society to be registered as a professional member and increasing the prospect of securing a job in government or larger organisations".

Mary-Claire Proctor says IITP’s so-far provisional membership of the Seoul Accord - a group of IT professional bodies - provides international recognition for graduates that they are job-ready.

Other Seoul Accord members are from Hong Kong, the UK, Korea, Japan, Canada, Taiwan the US, Australia and provisional members from Ireland and the Philippines Mary-Claire Proctor says the accreditation reinforces that NMIT’s IT degree programme is on a par with degrees from around the world and is focussed on the skills and personal attributes that the IT industry expects its professionals to have She says a major element of the accreditation was that the degree curriculum was matched to industry needs. "The panel that came to Nelson assessed the quality of our programme, the way it was delivered and the mix of industry skills that were covered and also talked to industry employers here".

Mary-Claire says NMIT students, who were also interviewed, are excited about what the accreditation provides. "There’s a real buzz about the new possibilities".

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