Cambrian approves new business IT program

Come the fall of 2013, Cambrian College will offer an information systems business analyst program.

The college's board of directors voted to approve the new program at their May 17 meeting.

The decision comes two months after the board suspended nine of its programs, including welder fitter, instrumentation engineering technology, chef training, baking and pastry arts, hotel and restaurant management and journalism.

“This is precisely why we, from time to time, have to suspend some of the programs that are not as popular or are not in great demand in the community,” Cambrian president Sylvia Barnard said. “It's to have the finances and the ability to launch new programs. That's what this process is all about.”

The information systems business analyst program is a graduate certificate program open to those who already have diplomas or degrees in either information technology or business, she said.

Information technology business professionals are the “key liaison between business and information technology,” she said. They might have their own consulting company or work within a business.

“They'll confer with clients within the organization about what the business objectives are, and then identify what the IT technical options could be to meet those needs,” Barnard said.

“They also will analyze the current operations of a business, and be able to provide further information in that area. They have to be really good at doing a lot of analysis and understand both the IT world and the business world and how the two come together to support each other.”

Barnard said the program is being introduced because it's an area that's “more and more in demand.” George Brown College is currently the only educational institution in the province offering the course, she said.
Cambrian plans to have the majority of the program available online, and will work toward “a fully online program in the near future.”

“What that means is it is a program accessible to people who are working already,” Barnard said.

“They will not need to leave their place of work. They'll be able to do this on a part-time basis, virtually, and gain the credentials they need. In many cases, that makes them more employable, or it may allow them to remain employed.”

Posted by Arron Pickard