[ILUG] Exams prior to ILUG AGM.

[Bill Quinn]

Morning Kevin

Has LPI or other similar groups looked at working with universities to improve their programs? The short answer is yes.

LPI-UK has recently secured recognition for LPI through eSkills so that the LPIC 1 is available through BTEC. LPIC 2 is being worked on as we speak for BTEC. That is primarily England and Wales. LPI-UK is also about to sign a Memorandum of Understanding with the Scottish Qualification Authority making LPIC 1 available through the HNC / HND Program in Scotland. The first intake of the Open Universities T155 Linux An Introduction had 476 students. The second intake (October 2010) is targeted at 750 students. The Open University Course is modelled on Linux + Powered by LPI. There was an article about the Open University Course in Linux Format recently.

There is a number of other initiatives being driven by my colleagues in Spain, Portugal, Germany, etc.

What about Ireland? I have had and continue to have a number of conversations with Colleges and Universities in Ireland. Ideally what I would seek is an umbrella agreement similar to the SQ or BTEC, but so far have been unsuccessful in making inroads - if people have contacts I would be very grateful. However if I could get a few Colleges or Universities on board, it would be a good start. Once Scotland is completed, my next target is Ireland.

Your concern about the quality, quantity and / or calibre of students leaving University in Ireland has been highlighted: http://careeradvice.loadzajobs.ie/industry-insight/it/it-jobs-skills-shortage-3249 and http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2010/0303/1224265501148.html.  

Again if people have contacts or suggestions who I should be talking with, I am happy to do so. A reasonable proportion of my time is talking to Colleges and Universities, attending events at Colleges and Universities, Talking to students - basically raising awareness of Linux, LPI and the value of Certification.

Finally the CW Jobs Survey of last year highlighted that the number one skill shortage in Ireland was Linux.

More than happy to talk further if you have a number I could call you on.

Bill

-----Original Message-----
From: Kevin Lyda [mailto:kevin at ie.suberic.net] 
Sent: 26 August 2010 00:35
To: Bill Quinn
Cc: ilug at linux.ie
Subject: Re: [ILUG] Exams prior to ILUG AGM.

On Wed, Aug 25, 2010 at 14:36, Bill Quinn <bill.quinn at lpi-uk.org> wrote:
> Just wondering if we have any interest in low cost exams on the day of 
> the ILUG AGM? Trying to gauge numbers.

Not an answer to your question but I get to talk to folks out of university about their unix/linux skills a fair bit.  And on the news yesterday I heard that there has been an uptick in enrolment in computing, math and engineering courses in Ireland.  The news has me hopeful but I'm, uh, less than happy about the knowledge acquired in university.

So there's this Unix FAQ: http://tonic.physics.sunysb.edu/docs/unixfaq.html

There are loads like it, but say I ask some questions like those found in sections 2 through 4 (and more modern variations of them).  I should not only get the right answer, I should get the impression that the person understands how unix systems work and why they work that way.  Graduates from many programs do not manage even the first part.

Has LPI or other similar groups looked at working with universities to improve their programs?  Particularly since uni students today now have multiple open source OSs to work with (Linux, Minix, *BSDs), multiple VM systems to run them on.  Practical labs, kernel experiments, distro experiments, test networks, etc.  All are possible, but I'm not seeing it.

Kevin