UTS Update Part 1

Last Thursday I was out at UTS at their annual Careers Advisors Day. Just like I have reviewed the University of Sydney days and UNSW days, this is a highlights reel of UTS (part 1). I have to say the vibrancy, proximity to city-based partnerships, the new buildings, and the energy of the staff, not to mention the creation of degrees to meet the future workforce needs, make it such a desirable place to study. Last year we had our highest ever UTS preferences, with 24% of our Year 12 cohort choosing UTS.

Speaker 1 – Dr Wayne Brookes – New Bachelor of Technology and Innovation (BTi) 

“New faculty of Interdisciplinary Innovation”  – this was developed throughout 2016 and launched this year. It is a new broad range of disciplines with a real breadth of exposure. They developed this to address the future of the work situations for new graduates, which is affected by:

• Extreme longevity
• Living in a Computational world
• Super-structured organisations
• Rise of smart machines and systems
• New media ecology
• Globally connected world.

 So what skills do we need?

1. Sense making
2. Trans disciplinary skills
3. Social intelligence
4. Computational thinking
5. Cognitive load management – how to manage
6. Visual collaboration
7. Design mindset

So what is the BTi  (Bachelor of Technology and Innovation)?

The following are features of the new degree:

• Small cohort – 35 students this year
• 100 or more next year
• Three year degree, and stand alone unlike the Bachelor of Creative Intelligence (BCII) which is a combined degree.
• ATAR of 84.8 cut-off this year
• No lectures!!! (only workshops)
• No exams!!! (only projects)

What careers can you do with this?

Possible careers are: Technology Fusionist, digital experience curator, intelligent system designer, innovation change manager, augmented reality designer, social entrepreneur (preparing for jobs that have not been developed yet). This degree does not replace the Bachelor of Information Technology (the BIT) – it is a generalist degree with a future thinking approach.

A Diploma of Innovation is also something that students can do without adding any additional time to their degree.

Speaker  2 – John Chalmers – Head of Marking & Communications 

John spoke about the UTS rankings. For a very young University (29 years old) they are ranked 1^st in the Young Universities sector.

• In the Times rankings UTS has jumped up by 64 places
• UTS has been awarded 5 stars for excellence across all 8 categories
• They have the second highest completion rates of degrees after University of Sydney
• The only University in 2016 to grow in the 1-3 numbered preferences through UAC.

 They predict that in the future 40% of all current jobs are going to disappear, with 50% of jobs that are around in 2030 having not been developed yet. UTS is addressing this by introducing:

• New degrees such as the BTi, the MBA (Entrepreneurship), the Diploma of Innovation and the Bachelor of Creative Intelligence and Innovation
• The new Hatchery Program of start ups and innovations
• A revised Careers Service
• Partnerships with new and growing businesses such as Animalogic (http://www.animallogic.com/)
• UTS and Moore Park Precinct with the SCG, and Australian Rugby Union – a whole sport specific precinct
• UTS Central open in 2019 – with an amazing new library and teaching space.

 UTS – New Course Updates 

 Bachelor of Management (new major in Digital Creative Enterprise) ATAR 85.2

The digital space is now worth $19bn in NSW alone. They already run a B. Management in Events/Tourism/Sports and this is their new major. Careers for graduates include:

• Creative technologies enterprises
• Digital marketer
• Digital strategist
• Channel manager.

Bachelor of Computer Science (new in 2017)

Aspects of this new course are:

• Intake of 40 students this year
• Focus on high tech companies
• Careers as a software developer, researcher, computer scientist
• Jobs earning $60k – $110k
• The earning in Data Science is nearer to $130k a few years out from University
• They aim for a IT/Computer Science and Maths underpinning
• There are not enough computer science graduates in Australia currently.

There is a stronger focus on Mathematics relevance to computer sciences and greater focus on understanding computing and algorithms. Assumed knowledge is 2 Unit Mathematics.

Notices

Notre Dame: Medicine Information Session

This will be held on 26 March 2016, 12pm, 160 Oxford Street, Darlinghurst for those interested in studying medicine in 2017. Information will be provided on the admission process and an overview of the course. There will be tours of facilities and an opportunity to speak to current students. 
www.nd.edu.au/events/2017/medicine-information-session

 UTS Bachelor of Accounting (BAcc) Co-op Scholarship – Information Evening

This will be held on Tuesday 16 May, 6.30 – 7.30pm, at the Aerial Function Centre, UTS Building 10 (level 7), 235 Jones Street, Ultimo. Closing date for Round 1 applications is Friday 2 June 2017.

Closing date for Round 2 applications is Friday 20 October 2017. (Places for Round 2 applicants will be limited)  www.bachelorofaccounting.com

 UTS Update Part 2

www.iftf.org/fileadmin/user_upload/images/whatwedo/IFTF_FutureWorkSkillsSummary.gif

 

Bachelor of Engineering – New Major – ‘Software’

Aspects of this degree include:

• 5 years in duration
• ATAR 85 cut off for 2017
• Careers as a software engineer – salaries from about $60-70k for a junior role starting out in the field
• More skilled people needed to design, develop, deploy and support
• World class degree, 1^st of its kind
• Designed to meet the future of the industry needs
• Intended to be the best software engineering course in the world!

 New Major – Data Engineering – New in 2017 – ATAR 87.35

Aspects of this new major are:

• More data engineers are needed
• It’s a new degree for a new profession
• Careers are advanced with roles as data engineers and data scientists
• Enables graduates to collect, understand, process and analyse data
• US Salaries are between US$88K – US$110K
• Mixes with ‘the internet of things’
• Also encompasses the hardware – data collection points
• The three players in the data world are:
  1. Data engineers who collect, transport and process Data
  2. Data Scientists, who build models, do statistical testing and machine learning
  3. Data Analysts who generate reports, explore data and test hypotheses.

 Electronics Major – ATAR 87

There is a growing demand  for this which cannot be supplied at the moment.

 Bachelor of Forensic Science – ATAR 85.35 – New in 2017

Careers are:

• Government and private forensic drug detection, quarantine services, Environmental Protection Agency, Chemical industries, DNA testing etc
• There are big changes in the current needs
• New CSI Major and Digital Forensics major
• Opportunities for internships.

Why study this?

• It is the most established forensic science program in Australia
• It has strong industry connections
• It is the only undergraduate digital forensic course offered in Australia
• It is based on a science aptitude test if English brought a student down in the ATAR.

 Bachelor of Biotechnology – ATAR 85.4 (New)

 

This includes:

• Any application of biology
• Society/Business/Technology – very broad with a wide range of interests
• Careers in Research and development in chemicals, pharmaceuticals, manufacturing, communications, public health, mining, technology … and more. The research path is not the only career progression.

Why was this degree introduced?

• In order to bridge the gap between science & business
• Biotechnology needs to understand products and have some business acumen
• Biotechnology careers will be affected by business decisions
• Majors:-
  • Medical
  • Environmental
  • Computational
  • Biosensor technology

Masters of Physiotherapy (new degree, 50 students)

• This degree turns out ‘practice-ready’ graduates
• There are extensive clinical placements (hospitals, community, industry) 700+ hours
• There is an academic mentor initiative
• There are close relationships with professions

Why UTS Physiotherapy?

• It is practice-based, industry fed and includes case study learning with good facilities in a new Moore Park precinct
• There are clinical placements of 4 x 5 week blocks
• There are real world projects for research.