Collins College Introduces Updated Network Technology Curriculum to Prepare Students...

Collins College Introduces Updated Network Technology Curriculum to Prepare Students for Advances in Technology

TEMPE, Ariz.--(Business Wire)--Few industries evolve as rapidly as technology. To remain
competitive and prepare students for current and emerging trends in
the industry, Collins College has updated its Information Technology
(IT) curriculum for both its Bachelor of Science and Associate of
Science Degrees.

"Schools and business alike continually need to adapt to new
technology. Our IT instructors worked for two years researching,
evaluating and rewriting courses to ensure students are equipped to
meet present as well as upcoming industry demand. The new curriculum
is designed to prepare students to enter entry-level positions," said
Scott Burrell, IT department chair for Collins College.

In addition to researching industry trends from experts and
companies, Collins collaborated with an advisory committee comprised
of executives from different businesses and organizations on the
technical skills IT professionals need to possess, current software
and hardware used by large and small organizations, developing trends
in the industry, as well as the qualities executives are looking for
in an IT professional.

"In addition to rewriting technical courses, a new class we offer
at the recommendation of our advisory committee is IT in the
Organization, which focuses on the role of the IT professional in
business. Through our research we found that business executives are
looking for more than just skilled technicians, rather they want
individuals who have the ability to evaluate how a business operates.
They are looking for people who are able to integrate technology to
support business operations and improve efficiency and communication
within an organization. Today's IT professional needs to be able to
design and integrate systems that support the people who use it," said
Burrell.

Collins also offers classes in emerging technologies. A class just
developed is Server Virtualization. IT industry trends indicate that
server virtualization is the next generation technology. In Arizona,
it is already being used in some of the state's largest businesses.
Server Virtualization is a type of software that allows three to four
servers to run off of one computer. The software decreases costs
because of less hardware components and software licensing. The system
is also more stable. If a computer fails, virtual servers can be moved
to another computer without losing data.

"In addition to our strong technology curriculum, the size of our
IT department and our ability to provide students with one-on-one
instructor time is one of Collins' greatest strengths," stated
Burrell.

Collins' IT department has approximately 200 students and averages
12 to 15 students per class. Classes range in length from two to five
hours. According to Burrell, "Ideally instructors lecture for the
first half of the period. The second half of class is typically
dedicated to hands-on activities where students have an opportunity to
work with the instructor as needed."

In 2007, The Phoenix Business Journal ranked Collins College as
the number one computer training school in the publication's annual
list of top computer training schools in the metropolitan Phoenix
area. The list ranked 17 private and public schools based on 2006
number of instructor hours.

About Collins College

Collins College, a school of design and technology, provides
students with a career-focused education. Approximately 2,000 students
from across the nation attend Collins College. Collins offers Bachelor
of Arts degrees in game design, visual arts with a major in game art,
graphic design, interior design, film & video production, and a
Bachelor of Science in information technology. Associate degrees are
offered in information technology, digital video production and
graphic design. For more information, visit www.collinscollege.edu.

Collins College
Ann Papagalos/Christine Korecki
602-279-2933/602-702-0524
ann@papagalos.com

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