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     In this Edition:
  • ITPA response to damning DTA IT Procurement Report
     
  • The Long and Short of It - CPM Profile: Ben Short
     
  • Here is the Tax Commissioner's 2017 Hit List
     
  • From the Fifth Estate - a media watch on the IT industry
     
  • Don’t miss our Short Courses!
     
  • How to become a Certified Practicing Member
     
  • ITPA Advice Forums

Hi  <<First Name>>,

Our value proposition as an independent industry association representing the interests of IT professionals is continuing to strike a chord with people studying and working in the industry.
 
At the time of press, our membership tally has reached more than 16,000 just 12 months after less than 1,000 network and systems administrators that made up the old SAGE-AU organisation approved transitioning to one that covers the broader base of people we now embrace.
 
Clearly, we have reached out to a group of people who feel that their concerns have previously not been well-represented or that their collective voice has not been heard.
 
One of the main ways that we have been able to add value to the cohort that we represent is to provide free ongoing training and validation of that training through our Certified Practicing Member (CPM) program.
 
Our objectives from this program are to provide benefits to members that help them stay relevant to the industry through the attainment of skills that are in demand and to provide clear development pathways which facilitate meaningful careers for people working as IT professionals.
 
If you have yet to check out the courses we are offering, there is an item below that shows how popular they have been and how you can get started (or catch up on past courses that are still freely available).
 
Another important role that we can play on your behalf is to advocate for change regarding things that happen in our industry that are open to improvement and where we feel there is need to be involved in the discussion.
 
The ABS is just about to release a new trove of Census data which we will be analysing to identify trends that are relevant to IT professionals. We garnered a lot of information from the previous Census about who is working in the industry and what sort of skills are being imported because they were unavailable locally.
 
With this latest release due next month, we will be able to draw some conclusions about what has changed in the time since the previous Census data was published and once that has been identified we will be able to develop strategies that could lead to meaningful progress.
 
Finally, I would like to take this opportunity to invite all the 16,000-plus members we now have to become more involved in the ITPA community so that we can hear your voice and lobby for change where appropriate.
 
Whether it be getting involved with the online forums we facilitate on the website or through making a commitment to our CPM program, taking a free online course that expands your knowledge and makes you more valuable to the industry, we want you to engage.
 
My door is proverbially always open so if you have any concerns about what is happening in your workplace, any ideas on how we can make a difference to the lot of IT professionals in Australia or feedback on the value we re delivering for membership, feel free to email me via: president@itpa.org.au.

Join ITPA NOW!

Cheers.
Robert Hudson,
ITPA President

 
Effective investment by the Commonwealth in IT infrastructure, solutions and people is more important now than ever before. Unfortunately, the Government’s track-record on the way money is spent on IT in this country is not good.
READ MORE
Every so often the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) sends a ‘shot across the bow’ warning taxpayers where their gaze is focused. Last month in a speech to the National Press Club, Tax Commissioner, Chris Jordan did exactly that.

He said that part of the reason for this public outing was to highlight that the gap between the amount of tax the ATO collects and the amount they think should be collected has risen to well over 6 per cent according to the Commissioner.
 
READ MORE
It hasn’t always been easy for Tasmanian IT professionals to advance their careers through ongoing education but, according to Ben Short, ITPA’s new Certified Practicing Member (CPM) program has extended the opportunities and benefits of doing so.
 
READ MORE
 
What the Media is talking about
A somewhat irreverent look at some of the media chatter on the IT industry that has been happening over the last month.
READ MORE

ITPA short courses delivering
Value for Members


ITPA's free Cisco CCNA Course has Proven to be a Winner with Members 
The most recent free course offered to ITPA members proved to be highly popular with 7,563 people enrolling to expand their knowledge about Cisco CCNA (v3).

This Cisco CCNA v3 course, delivered via Charles Sturt University's online platform which is managed by ITPA partner, IT Masters, builds on content from previous CCNA short courses which are still available for free access.
READ MORE

Don’t miss our Short Courses!
 One of the exciting new services we will be offering as the ITPA is quarterly, free, online Short Courses. The courses will normally be five weeks in duration with four weeks of study followed by an optional assessment in the 5th week.

In most cases, they will be advanced ‘500 level’ courses designed for experienced IT Pros and will be delivered by senior ITPA Members and or third-party industry experts. 

ITPA's short courses are the foundation stones of our commitment to professional development an a pathway to Certified Practising Member status, so get keen and get registered.

So far, we are planning to run Short courses on the following: If you have ideas for other Short Courses you think will be relevant to skills development for the membership, get in touch with ITPA via: sponsorship@itpa.org.au
Membership Growth: ITPA is Delivering Value

Since launching in November 2016, ITPA's membership numbers have grown rapidly to now be over 12,500.

As part of our professional development and skills verification agenda ITPA offers an official certification program for practicing members.

In a similar way to which accountants or other professionals need to continue improving and demonstrating their skill sets to retain their accreditation, ITPA offers a Certified Practicing Member (CPM) level of membership.

With the cost of an individual membership only $165 per year, you should really think about making that commitment, getting involved with ITPA and taking advantage of the knowledge sharing and credibility benefits that come with being a member.

For all information on ITPA membership levels, see the dedicated section of the website including specific information about the CPM program.
READ MORE

ITPA Advice Forums

One of the most valuable services currently offered to ITPA financial members is the Advice Forums which are hosted on the MyITPA section of the ITPA website. This service offers members the opportunity to engage and share knowledge with other ITPA members through reading and contributing comments on a range of subjects that are industry-based, technical or otherwise of interest to members.
Once logged in, members can start new threads, pose questions, answer questions or just engage in conversation with their industry peers. This peer review ensures that information shared is accurate and up-to-date while the closed nature of the lists means that members can ask questions without fear of reprisal for sharing information in a public domain.
The Forums receive an average of 22 posts per day and this is expected to grow rapidly in line with an expanding number of financial members under the new ITPA umbrella.
Below are some recent topics that have been discussed:

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