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Follow UsThe domestic training market was characterized by a healthy
growth of 31% over the previous year. However, the most dramatic change in the
training industry was not financial performance in terms of revenue or centers
or students trained. It was in terms of the radical change in the nature of
courses offered. In 1998-99, vendor certification was the hottest buzzword in
training. And certifications from Microsoft, Oracle, SAP, Lotus, Novell and
Cisco were the feathers in the cap.
Now, twelve months later, it is still certifications, but
with a difference. The underlying note of urgency and demand is e-commerce,
internet and Java. Certifications have been turned inside out, by vendors
putting this side up–and where they have not, the certification is
languishing. Consider the knowledge management course from Microsoft and Aptech,
the ecom course from IBM and also by Aptech, and the multitude of Java courses
from Sun with certifications from both Sun and IBM. Overnight, the best
paymasters are not looking anymore for just a Microsoft certification. They are
still looking for technology skills as evidenced by a certification but they are
also looking for an understanding of solutions and system skills. And all that
around the web and ecommerce.
With the huge demand for ecom learning and skills, the number
of courses and options have proliferated. The number of professionals required–large,
not small. The dynamics–ready overnight. All this has meant, shorter courses,
lower costs with the market for high cost courses also evaporating overnight.
A look at the financial performance of the training vendors indicates that
Aptech and NIIT continue to dominate in terms of revenue and number of centers.
But in terms of profitability per training center and per training course the
dynamics are different. With ecom and the web likely to dominate vendor
offerings in the months ahead, it remains to be seen how dramatically will
market dynamics change.Â
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Per Course
*Includes Aptech, Asset International, Arena
Multimedia
Trends In Training And Education
IT training vendors did not just launch new centers or courses. Existing
courses were revamped to become web-centric and pacts were signed to expand
existing training center networks. Here is a peep into the history of events.
- IBM Global Services India launched the IBM e-Business Solutions Training
Program in India. The company also launched IBM School of Enterprise Wide
Computing at Hyderabad. - Informix International Inc tied up with AFL Infotech, the software
subsidiary of Airfreight . The alliance would deliver the Informix
Authorized Education Center program at its training center in Mumbai. - Aptech launched an online training model of education which would be
implemented through its network of over 1,200 training centers in the US,
Europe, Asia and Africa. - Oracle Software India and Software Technology Group formed an alliance
whereby STG would deliver the ‘Oracle Application Developer and Web
Deployment.’ - IGNOU, in collaboration with Edexcel Foundation, UK, announced the launch
of Bachelor of Information Technology. This degree was embedded with
curriculum of the internationally accepted BTEC Higher National Diploma of
UK. - The Metamor School of Excellence at Indian Institute of Information
Technology in Hyderabad was launched with announcement of an advanced
diploma in object-oriented technologies. - Manipal Center for Information Science joined hands with IBM as Authorized
Training Partner to offer e-business solution training. - Manonmaniam Sundaranagar University, Tirunelveli, signed an MoU with
Chennai-based Bhari Information Technology Systems, a high-end training
institute. Under this agreement, the University would offer IT courses in
collaboration with BITECH at the 18 Extension Learning Centers of the
institute. - Chennai-based Indosoft, a software development organization, entered into
an agreement with Plexus corp, USA and Automotive industry Action Group to
launch QS-2000, a quality control training and certification program in
SAARC nations. - IBM Global Services India and Software Technology Group announced an
alliance to conduct training programs on e-business solutions. As an IBM
Authorized Training Provider, STG would offer e-business solution training
programs. - Shri Banarsidas Chandiwala Sewa Smarak Trust Society opened the Banarsias
Chandiwala Institute of Information Technology. The institute was approved
by the AICTE for conducting an MCA program. The course would include basic
concepts, introduction to latest concepts like ecommerce, EDI, internet
technologies, object-oriendted programming, database systems, GIII
programming and the like. - Bangalore-based RCS Education would partner with Informix for data
warehousing training. RCS became the first Informix authorized Education
Center in the Asia-Pacific region to conduct training on the Informix
Redbrick datawarehouse in India. - Onward Novell Software inaugurated Novell Institute for Networking
Technologies in Pune for providing advanced networking education to IT
professionals. - The Karnataka government adopted a new syllabus for Computer Science
courses in engineering colleges in the state. The new syllabus would conform
to the recommendations made by an IT task force. - NIIT and Computer Associates India entered into a partnership to impart
higher-end training to Indian software professionals on CA Products. - ASAP would provide training in Siebel’s ERM packages. The courses
conducted are Siebel Consultants, Siebel Developer and Siebel’99. - PricewaterhouseCoopers would set up a Center of Excellence for Oracle
Customer Relationship Management suite of solutions in Calcutta. - India’s largest state-wide computer training program initiated by the
Tamil Nadu government got off the ground. The program hoped to achieve
computer literacy in state higher secondary schools. - Lotus Development Corp’s India branch office, signed an agreement with
Edutech Informatics appointing Informatics as its national training partner
for India. - The Department of Education in collaboration with Intel launched Project
Vidya, which would see technology being taken to the masses. - Chennai-based CADD Center Training Services would be setting up a
fully-owned division by the name of Colorgrafx & Multi-media to offer
graphics and animation education. - Servion Global Solutions would be offering training through Netlabs, its
training division for engineering, MCA and computer science students. - QAI India launched its Certified Software Test Engineer program in India.
- Calcutta-based LCC Infotech entered into an alliance with Onward Novell
Software to provide authorized training on Certified Novell Engineer and
Certified Novell Administrator courses. - Zee Telefilms set up a 100% subsidiary–Zee Interactive Learning Systems–to
create a comprehensive learning solutions network. The network would
integrate television, multimedia, internet and print for providing unique
learning solutions. - Aptech Computer Education, the education division of Aptech, upgraded its
course called Vidya launched in early January last year. The course covers
computer fundamentals, Windows operating system, Office 2000 and the
internet. - SGI and Regional Engineering College, Trichy would set up a Virtual
Reality Center to offer advanced level training in manufacturing design. - US-based Infotech Global Inc launched a training program in association
with Rutgers University, USA. The Webmaster program would be implemented in
India at the facilities of Intrak Global India, a 100% subsidiary of
Infotech Global Inc. - NIIT launched the first-ever integrated Internet Entrepreneurship Project.
The project aimed to encourage young Indians to set up successful
e-ventures. - NIIT unveiled its relationship with Red Hat Inc, the market leader in open
source Linux, to offer its customers training services around Linux. NIIT
would offer training on India’s first Linux certification exam for
attaining the Red Hat Certified Engineer status. - Logix Microsystems, the turnkey ERP and CRM solutions company tied up with
Centra Software to offer internet-based training. - Hyderabad-based Bodhtree.com forged alliances with E-Studies.com Inc and
the Canadian College of Business Computers. - Oracle Software India and NIIT forged an alliance to offer to the Indian
audiences comprehensive training on Oracle technologies. - Asset International, the corporate training division of Aptech, signed an
agreement with IBM India to provide training to corporate customers on IBM
technology and IBM products. - To help students gain an edge in emerging ecommerce world NIIT introduced
‘Futurz’ training offering in ecommerce and internet. - IBM Mindspan Solutions, an e-learning solutions business unit was
introduced. It aimed to provide customers with the capability to plan for,
create and deploy e-learning solutions.Â