In partnership with the Commonwealth Government, RMIT has offered women and gender diverse people in paid employment in any industry the opportunity to study a part-time, online Diploma of Information Technology.
The cohort of 80 students commenced this semester. They are based across regional Victoria and Melbourne, and will study part-time over two years while they continue their careers.
The program offers valuable tech skills which students can bring to their careers and communities, or use to pursue a new career path or further study in IT.
Enriching regional and rural communities
Vicki Kane is one of the students in the program.
Based in Corryong, in northeast Victoria, Vicki is currently working as an education coordinator for Country Universities Centre Ovens Murry. In this role she supports local students studying remotely, working in a study space in the small regional town.
“I had a passion to learn something different and I've always been interested in IT,” said Vicki.
“I want to be more comfortable using IT where I work. I'm the only person on-site making sure the students can access their studies and complete assignments. This course has given me the confidence to solve IT problems and use different programs needed in assignments.
“Also, there's so many possibilities in the IT field. It's changing so quickly, and I thought I needed to catch up.”
These kinds of programs are vital for regional students, particularly women.
While studying the Diploma, connection with other students across the state and bringing her new skills back to her community have both been important for Vicki.
“I can study remotely and then use those skills back in my community, which I think is important for rural communities where skilled people, like IT specialists, are needed. I love that I get the best of both worlds; a beautiful, relaxed country lifestyle and access to top education at RMIT.
“I think it’s vital we can access remote learning. We're changing the way we study and work and keeping rural communities strong. We still need rich rural communities that provide a variety of jobs, especially for women.”
