New IBM programs for students and IT professionals

IBM introduced a number of educational programs and resources designed to help students and IT professionals gain new technical skills needed to work effectively in new labor market conditions. Among these initiatives are new advanced training courses and resources for IT specialists, teaching and technical and technical materials for university professors, as well as expanded educational programs that provide students with direct participation in solving real business problems.



These capabilities will help solve the problem of a severe shortage of human resources described in the IBM 2012 Tech Trends Report . The report, compiled by the division of IBM Center for Applied Insights , notes that only one out of ten organizations has qualified specialists who are necessary to introduce new technologies: business intelligence, mobile and cloud computing, and social business. In addition, almost half of the students and teachers surveyed during the survey believe that their educational institutions have serious problems in meeting the growing market demand for qualified specialists in the field of modern technology.


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New curricula, technical materials and advanced training courses for teachers

The United States Bureau of Labor Statistics ( US Bureau of Labor Statistics ) estimates that in the United States alone, the number of IT jobs will increase by 22% by 2020. In an effort to help educators better prepare students for the realization of this potential, IBM has introduced the largest expansion of its Academic Initiative since its launch.



For the first time within the framework of the Academic Initiative, IBM will be offered access to curricula and refresher courses on IT security to help students gain the necessary knowledge and skills on modern means of protection against IT threats. Security issues are considered one of the two main obstacles to the widespread adoption of advanced technologies, but also one of the key areas of employment growth. The number of information security specialists is expected to nearly double by 2015.

IBM’s new security offerings include:

• A pre-prepared curriculum based on real-life IT security scenarios that will help students better understand the existing problems facing enterprises and conduct an in-depth analysis of the trends identified and described in the X-Force report .
• Free access to IT security software that teachers can use to teach students how to test applications, as well as test networks and virtual servers for vulnerabilities. Teachers and students can remotely connect to the latest zEnterprise mainframe , a secure system that can be used to prepare students for solving real-world problems using corporate IT skills.

The ability to provide access to the latest enterprise-level technology directly in classrooms at no extra charge is extremely important for acquiring skills. In addition to resources in the field of information security, IBM now provides software licenses and materials for self-study in the following areas:

• Big Data and Analytics - Teachers can now use the software to work with Big Data in the classroom by accessing IBM's various offerings to process Big Data. Hadoop- based e-books and learning modules are also available for students studying business disciplines and computer science.
• Commerce - Teachers can now use digital marketing and analytics software in the learning process that IBM offers as part of the Smart Commerce initiative. With the help of a series of training modules, students will be able to study such topics as conducting comparative assessment tests (benchmarking), as well as learn how to develop software code to identify patterns of consumer behavior.
• Mobile Computing - New training modules based on HTLM 5 and DOJO are preparing students to develop mobile applications. Teachers can also download IBM mobile application development software to give students more practical opportunities.

Helping faculty members develop skills in the field of modern technology, IBM today introduced the Knowledge Exchange . This online resource gives educators around the world the opportunity to interact and share with their colleagues useful information, training programs, educational materials and best practices. The first offers on the Knowledge Exchange will be the curricula from teachers who won grants to IBM Smarter Planet .

New advanced training courses and resources for IT professionals

As more and more organizations begin to use technology to solve complex business problems, the need for qualified IT professionals continues to grow in all industries. For example, the recently published TechAmerica report points to the need for further training of civil servants in the field of Big Data. In addition, IBM Tech Trends 2012 report reports a shortage of business intelligence specialists, calling this situation the main obstacle to the widespread adoption of this technology.


To help IT keep up with rapidly evolving technologies, IBM offers:

• New developerWorks mobile computing, security, and commerce sections that provide free access to educational materials, technical resources, and online technical communities. In particular, in the new security section on developerWorks, developers will be able to study examples of typical errors in applications, learn about the most frequently used types of attacks, and exchange with their colleagues the best ways to fix vulnerabilities.
• New resources for individual training and certification designed to attract IBM business partners to participate in the Smart Commerce initiative and promote digital analytics. Among them are new training materials, technical documentation and best practices available on developerWorks.

New programs for students

IBM is also expanding its work with students to help them understand how technologies such as business analytics and information security tools are important for building a successful career in business, marketing, and research.

• Virtual Career Event - In early 2013, IBM plans to hold a global IBM Virtual Career Exploration: Make a Difference event where current students and recent university graduates can talk with IBM executives and learn how to best develop and apply their knowledge and skills. , expand ties, and position yourself in today's highly competitive labor market.
• Exploring solutions to real-world problems — IBM is expanding its work to support practical university classes on real-world problem solving through the Watson Case Study Competitions and the Great Minds Challenge , as well as special events such as the IBM Student Innovator Challenge student competition held in Singapore, in which more than 100 students competed in developing solutions for the Smarter Planet.
• Resource Job Board - In December, as part of the IBM Power Systems Academic Initiativ e initiative, a new Resource Power Skills Job Board will be launched, opening up attractive prospects for students who have a professional interest in the IBM Power Systems computing platform.
• Advanced Access to Higher Education Resources - IBM recently joined the National Coalition of Advanced Technology Centers ( National Coalition for Advanced Technology Centers ), providing educational institutions participating in the IBM Power Systems Academic Initiative with access to a wide network of higher education resources that support and stimulate the use of technological solutions that expand the program of economic development and professional improvement of labor resources.

Access to new resources for teachers and educational institutions.
Access to new resources for developers.
For more information about IBM Security Services, see the Web page .
Read the Tech Trends Report here .