Office Software Development

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By Jeremy Darmenia

Office software Development as a module focuses on features and functions, of every day productive applications. A normal user will for instance use spreadsheet software, to compile lists of entries and maybe compute a few arithmetic functions. What we strive for in this module is to develop your average user into an advanced user, by tutoring students to use spreadsheet software to its full potential. We take a deep dive into end-user development, and how this allows one to execute business processes more efficiently and with fewer chances of error. The end-user developer must be able to understand business practices and their shortfall, understand the current IT systems within the organisation and then build a bridge between the two. It is a common practice nowadays, that we look for specialised software for each business problem, and happily spend finite resources on them.  However, rarely do we fully comprehend the capabilities of that office software that has always been lurking within our hard drives. Capabilities that are powerful enough to solve the majority of organisational tasks for small to medium enterprises.

Networking and Security

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By Keith Sacco

The networking and security course provides students with insights on the different types of networks existent today, the various ways data and information is transferred from one device to another, and wired and wireless types of networks. The course also investigates aspects of security, and why security should be put in place when a network is set up. Students taking up this course ask (1) is networking only about wired and wireless networking, and why is this important in the business and workplace today? and (2) when career path would I follow if I study networking? Networking and Security are the fundamentals of connectivity in business today. Using wired or wireless technologies, devices from smartphones to laptops, or any other connected devices – connect to the wider networked world and the internet. All businesses use some sort of wired or wireless devices in their organisations. Everyone today makes use of a smartphone or connected devices to the internet. Therefore, be it gaming, medical, financial, public sector, social media or any other area in the working world; all are connected to the wider internet, all need to have security in place to protect their operation, and all make use of devices that are connected. This means that there is the need for experienced and knowledgeable people to manage such networks, wired/wireless devices, or specialists in security / cyber-security so as to ensure that; such network is running efficiently, security and ensure the only authenticated devices allow access, networked devices are set up to ensure full throughput and speed, and the network and business domain has the necessary cyber security systems in place to protect against malicious activity. These are all areas covered in the course. The networking/security student should not only see networks and security from a curricular perspective but from a job and career path perspective networking and security open ones opportunities to work as Network Engineers, Network Architects, and Cyber Security Specialists to mention a few.

Databases

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by Keith Sacco

Students taking up the databases get to learn various aspects of how data is stored in the computer systems, how to sort this data, manage it and retrieve it. The course also investigates aspects of data, and how this can be stored in a way that does not take up a lot of space, stores the essential info, allows retrieval in an efficient and fast manner. It is very common that students ask (1) why are databases so important in the business and workplace today? and (2) what would I benefit as a student from studying and getting to know databases? The answer two these two fundamental questions is very simple. Databases today are the basis of storage for information of businesses. All businesses use some sort of database daily to store information to be retrieved for later use. Be it gaming, manufacturing, social media, or any other sector; all have a database in some form or other in the back end. This also means that with a database in the back-end of the whole operation – there is the need for experienced and knowledgeable people to manage these databases and data stored within, ensure databases systems are running efficiently and available at all times; and if necessary database-skilled persons also get involved in writing the necessary queries to extract data efficiently.   The database student should not only see databases as a curricular or academic subject but rather as the basis for roles highly in demand in the working world. Nowadays a database skilled person can take up jobs such as Database Administrators, Database Programmers, Database Architects/Engineer, Database Designer or Modeler, or even Data Scientists.