VGCC Internet Technologies Program Has Numerous Applications in Business

The world of computers, and particularly computer-related business, is constantly changing and growing, and it offers opportunities for well-paying employment. Vance-Granville Community College constantly reviews its computer programs and adds new ones that train students for interesting careers.

One of the college’s newest programs that fits those qualifications is Internet Technologies, which VGCC began offering in the fall of 2003. It is a two-year curriculum that awards an Associate in Applied Science degree to those who complete it.

Internet Technologies graduates are prepared for employment with organizations that use computers to disseminate information via the Internet – internally, externally or globally. Graduates will be able to create and implement these services.

“Everyone wants a website, which has become a big part of business,” said Evelyn Harris, one of the Internet Technologies instructors at VGCC. “This is a curriculum that works not only for jobs, but also for those wanting to do personal web pages.”

In the first year of the program, students are introduced to a variety of computer software programs and how to design web pages. They also learn security and the importance of preventing identity theft. How web pages interconnect and how to administer the web server are also part of the curriculum.

In the second year, students get advanced training in the first-year courses, and web data bases are introduced. Instructors are planning to bring more software into the curriculum that relates to the changing business world.

Tommy Edwards, another Internet Technologies instructor, said there’s a lot of technical instruction in the curriculum. “But there’s also a lot of creativity involved, and the students have fun while learning to create and manage a company’s web site.”

In addition to textbook instruction, students participate in a great deal of hands-on training. “The students work independently, and the instructors are there to help each student through the issues that arise,” Edwards said.

Internet Technologies students work on case studies designed for real-world situations and individual projects, and they learn how to make web sites interactive, such as ordering online. They learn how to work with more than one page on the computer screen at a time, how to put in movie clips, photo editing, and how web cams work. “There is so much more involved than just building a web page,” Edwards said.

The job market for graduates with Internet Technologies skills is growing constantly. More businesses are moving online as they try to sell to global markets. “Someone has to develop and manage these sites and networks,” Harris said. “The future is limitless; the technology is still in its infancy.”

About a dozen students will graduate from VGCC’s first Internet Technologies class in May. A new class will begin this fall. Anyone with an interest in this exciting new field should contact the counseling staff at Vance-Granville Community College today to find out how to get started.