Industry's first green IT training

EXCOM Education and Connection Research have joined forces to develop and deliver the industry's range of green IT training courses in Australia and New Zealand, with immediate expansion into international markets. The courses mark a cooperative effort between former foes in the IT analysis field.

EXCOM, one of Australasia's largest IT training companies, is headed by Jim Watson, former Asia–Pacific Managing Director for analyst group Gartner. Connection Research, an Australian sustainability market researcher, is headed by William Ehmcke, former head of rival Meta Group, later acquired by Gartner. Connection was founded by another former Gartner analyst, Graeme Philipson.

The green IT courses the two companies are developing are Australian firsts. "They fulfil a growing need for education in the green IT space," says Graeme Philipson, Connection Research's research director. "We are the first to enter this area in Australia and New Zealand, with courses based on real local experiences. We intend to expand the courses' coverage internationally."

"EXCOM's timing on offering this level of green courses is ideal from an industry perspective," says Bob Hayward, CTO for CSC and AIIA Board Member. "Green IT is here to stay and organisations must be prepared to address a variety of regulatory, cost and energy management opportunities, and this training is one key vehicle to accomplish this."

Three courses will be offered initially - a one-day introduction to green IT concepts and best practices, a two-day overview of green IT planning and implementation, and a one-day course on how to select a carbon emission management software (CEMS) tool.

"The courses will be based on the lessons we have learnt in our green IT research," says Philipson. "We recently surveyed over 250 Australian IT departments about their green IT practices and policies, so we are very aware of the level of maturity - or lack of maturity - of Green IT in Australia, New Zealand and internationally."

The courses will be launched with an 'Is Your IT Carbon Ready?' roadshow in June - a series of two-hour breakfast seminars that will explode some green IT myths, outline the course contents and provide clients with a green IT training roadmap.