Online Education

CONTINUING EDUCATION
Southern Arkansas University Tech (SAU Tech) began offering an online Electronic Data Storage Certificate of Proficiency program in the fall semester of 2010. The program, created in collaboration with PRISM International, Garner, N.C., consists of six courses:
• CS1124 – Introduction to Data Storage;
• CS1314 – Data Storage Management, Planning and Architecture;
• CS2114 – Business Continuity & Disaster Recovery;
• CS2224 – Database Design & Management;
• CS2246 – Enterprise Support Technician; and
• CS2333 – Data Storage Regulations & Standards.
 

Bill Archer, SAU Tech aviation program coordinator/technology division chair, says, “The program is geared toward someone who is already in the computer field and needs additional training toward data storage. The coursework was designed for Internet delivery only at this time, since we felt the market was much further reaching than just on a local scale.”

PRISM International got involved with the program through one of its members who was involved with SAU Tech and proposed the idea to the association’s Data Protection Task Group, says PRISM International Executive Director Jim Booth. “Members of our task group who were operators helped to brainstorm some strategies and have volunteered to be ad hoc lecturers and to place interns from the program.”

Booth says current employees of PRISM International member companies offering or seeking to offer data protection services are among those showing the most interest in the program. “That being said, the structure of the curriculum is broad enough to have appeal to companies managing data centers and other related industries, as well,” he adds.

SAU Tech is in its second semester offering the coursework, Archer says, at the pace of two courses per semester. “We felt that with the majority of our potential audience already working in the field, this would be a part-time status for most of the students. Therefore, it would take three semesters to complete the coursework.”

Archer says the initial response has been slow. “The school is committed to giving this program a good chance to be successful, since we feel it should be a very viable program for many.”

He says tuition and feels cost approximately $110 per credit hour, with a total of 23 credit hours for the program.

PRISM International’s Booth says the association is hoping to expand on this proficiency program in 2011. “Our initial focus is a basic self-certification program focused on secure document handling practices,” he says. “This is a high priority for our 2011 President Chris Pearson and we are working hard to get a program developed and operational during this calendar year.”

He continues, “The current business environment is becoming more and more hazardous due to an increasing volume of complex regulatory issues. Having a better trained workforce is one strategy to minimize human errors associated with information management services.”