BCIT Computing
3700 Willingdon Ave V5G 3H2 Burnaby, BC, Canada

We help students get jobs. That’s the gist of BCITs Computing mission. Listen to the podcast with BCjobs.ca in which Associate Dean Mike Starkey explains how our students have a competitive advantage over other candidates. bit.ly/BCITComputing_Mission

A week ago we organized the successful Industry Sponsored Student Projects Exposition. Check out the article for a recap. If you continue working as you have done, you’ll have wonderful careers. bit.ly/ISSP_RECAP

We’re excited to share with you the latest news from BCIT Computing! Read our Tech It Out Newsletter bit.ly/TIO_READ and subscribe bit.ly/TIO_SUBSCRIBE

How does AI apply to your organization? How could it help your community or improve your life? Applied AI for Non-Programmers starts online January 9, with Athena Pathways scholarships for female students

CST grad Stuart Budd is back at BCIT Part-time Studies expanding his range of expertise you might be surprised about what he says regarding the limits of data

There is still room in the new COMP 1021: Applied AI for Non-Programmers with scholarships for next term bcit.ca/study/courses/comp1021

The Industry Sponsored Student Projects (ISSP) Exposition was a huge success with 217 unique visitors! "A lot of effort was put into the presentations, and it was fascinating to watch all fifteen of them. This is really a great program," said the Computing Associate Dean Mike Starkey. His words were echoed by the Dean of the School of Computing and Academic Studies, Dean Hildebrand: "The ISSP is always a great reminder why we do what we do: giving students real-life problems ...to prepare them for the job market in the best possible way." Although every Computer Information Technology (CIT) student was a winner in their own right, it was team Smart Roster who ultimately won the grand prize The seven students helped BC Women's Hospital design a nurse scheduling web app to optimize schedules, ensure quality of patients care, and increase staff satisfaction rates. Meanwhile, we have 120 new projects to choose from for the ISSP January term. Onto the next!

There are lots of mentees waiting to match! The mentorship commitment is very modest and can be a very meaningful and rewarding experience - learn more below

Nichola Lytle is currently leading not one but two potentially groundbreaking tech start-ups, both of which she relied heavily on BCIT Computing‘s Industry Sponsored Student Projects program (ISSP) bit.ly/3piQfxC Students have such great ideas, they’re willing to take risks, and they also have the most up to date skillset, so ISSP is a valuable resource. Are you also interested in collaborating with our BCIT Computing students in January? Please submit your IT challenge before the end of the month. bit.ly/34VDnpk

Want to share your insight with students? Apply to be a BCIT Student Association industry mentor! As a mentor, you will be paired with a student in your industry for six months. Share your experience in career development and help your mentee understand employer expectations and job requirements. Check out the mentor requirements and application process today. https://www.bcitsa.ca/careerservi/employers-and-partners//

Check out the lovely businesses run by BCIT alumni

Tomorrow is the day! Please join us ONLINE on Friday, Dec 11, between 9 am and 3 pm (PST, drop-in anytime) to check out fifteen exciting Computing projects during the Industry Sponsored Student Projects Exposition. Just click on this Zoom link: bit.ly/BCIT_EXPO Remember when we showed a web application for the music start-up Dans L’Jardin? bit.ly/ISSP_JARDIN... Listen to Johann Roduit from TEDxAbbotsford on how he experienced his student team and how BCIT Computing can help make (commercial and non-profit) ideas into a reality. We hope to see you tomorrow!

Earlier this week, we spoke about the amazing work our Computer Information Technology (CIT) students did for the BC Women's Hospital bit.ly/Smart_Roster Please listen to stakeholder Ania Aibin on how the Industry Student Sponsored Projects (ISSP) helped with the hospital's scheduling work during these unprecedented times. Join us ONLINE in two days, on Friday, Dec 11, between 9 am and 3 pm (PST, drop-in anytime), to check out this and fourteen other exciting projects during ...the ISSP Exposition. Just click on this Zoom link: bit.ly/BCIT_EXPO #CITDelivers

TRIUMF, Canada’s particle accelerator centre, has partnered with BCIT to develop a multi-faceted work-integrated learning (WIL) program to meet the evolving needs of BC’s economy https://bit.ly/3l83kYt. This includes TRIUMF as a client for BCIT Computing Industry Sponsored Students Projects www.bcit.ca/issp. Projects are already underway, with more expected in the new year. Are you also interested in collaborating with our BCIT Computing students in January? Please submit your IT challenge before the end of the month https://bit.ly/34VDnpk TRIUMF

CIT grad and BCIT Cyber Security Analyst Gurjap Thandi helped compile some tips for consumers to be cyber aware this holiday season. Check out his suggestions for staying vigilant in safeguarding your privacy and personal information online.

A student team could work on your IT project check out what Clio - Cloud-Based Legal Technology has to say about their experience working with BCIT: British Columbia Institute of Technology Computing students on a remote format software project.

Scalability problems? Consider working with BCIT Industry Sponsored Student Projects (ISSP)! https://bit.ly/3lXfvqC In the last three months, our Computer Information Technology (CIT) students have been improving the infrastructure of ROOMVU - We Are Hiring! a Real Estate Tech startup that helps Realtors convert their audience to leads. What did the team do? Check out the video below.... Please join us ONLINE on Friday, Dec 11, between 9 am and 3 pm (PST, drop-in anytime) to check out fifteen exciting projects during the ISSP Exposition. Just click on this Zoom link: bit.ly/BCIT_EXPO #CITDelivers

Athena Pathways is looking for women who can help mentor the next generation in AI/ML and data science. Could it be you?

Congratulations to our BCIT: British Columbia Institute of Technology Computing Program Advisory Committee chair Fariba Pacheleh for being recognized by the RBC Top 25 Canadian Immigrant Awards! This is a well-deserved award for a tireless mentor.

Need an audio analysis tool with visualization? Let's work together! During the past three months, our Computer Information Technology (CIT) students applied Python scripts to perform denoising and in-depth audio analysis and created a beautiful web dashboard for Singular Hearing. Listen to the video below, to hear what CEO Bruce Sharpe thinks about the BCIT Industry Sponsored Students Projects (ISSP) bit.ly/36T3sGz... To see the complete product, and fourteen other ones, join us this Friday, Dec 11, for the ISSP Exposition. The event takes place throughout the day from 9.00 am till 3.00 pm. There is no registration, and you can drop-in at any time. Just click on this Zoom link: bit.ly/BCIT_EXPO See you Friday! #CITDelivers

Our instructor Carly Orr has been passionate about helping students find a computing career path for many years. Most recently she’s been working with the Microsoft TEALS Program to help ensure educational resources for high schools are tailored to the Canadian audience:

Computing skills can be applied to all areas and automate a variety of processes. A beautiful example is BC Women's Hospital. Our Computer Information Technology (CIT) students are currently working with them to create a nurse scheduling solution that will help create optimal schedules, increase the quality of care for patients and staff satisfaction rates. The entire process will be fully automated and integrated with genetic algorithms to account for nurses' preferred ass...ignments. Next week Friday, Dec 11 you can see their complete presentation, and fourteen other projects that came to fruition. The event takes place throughout the day from 9.00 am till 3.00 pm. There is no registration, and you can drop-in at any time. Just click on this Zoom link: bit.ly/BCIT_EXPO #CITDelivers

The BC tech sector is the fastest-growing sector in North America! Thanks for putting this together BC Tech Association

"TSP provided me with all the skills which are highly sought after in the industry. The way in which the program was structured, incorporating online instruction and skilled professors, is what ultimately enabled me to secure employment within my field, even in the midst of a pandemic." -Seshan Nair, IT Service Delivery Specialist and TSP Grad BCIT's intense 10-month Technology Support Professional program has been offered in an online format for years. Find out more at our August 20th online information session. https://www.bcit.ca//technology-support-professional-tsp-/

This new partnership helps us offer real-world cybersecurity training so students can graduate ready to apply their skills in the workplace.

We're proud to be a member of the important Athena Pathways initiative. And our first affiliated course with Athena Pathways scholarships is almost full! www.bcit.ca/study/courses/comp7405

Interested in what our Computing Students can do for you? DANS L'JARDIN is a platform that brings musicians and music lovers together. They needed a responsive web app, and within 15 weeks, our Computer Information Technology (CIT) students delivered. See the video below for a sneak preview. In little more than a week Friday, Dec 11 you can see their complete presentation, and fourteen other projects that came to fruition.... The event takes place throughout the day from 9.00 am till 3.00 pm. There is no registration, and you can drop-in at any time. Just click on this Zoom link: bit.ly/BCIT_EXPO

Internet traffic is growing at an exponential rate, yet Internet infrastructure is struggling to keep up. Dr. Michal Aibin's Computer Information Technology (CIT) students recently presented results of their research on maintaining high-quality Internet connections while increasing energy savings

Thinking about a career change into tech? The next information session for the Technology Support Professional intensive program is on August 20. Find out why grads say things like "TSP gave me a great foundation to what I would tackle in the everyday IT world. The instructors have so much knowledge and experience and are genuinely passionate about what they teach." - Karina Chan, Support Specialist, Nucleus Networks

"It would be a pleasure to work with any of you again. I think you have bright futures ahead of you," says Lead Developer Devon Girard of Vanilla Five Creative Inc., a Vancouver-based digital design studio. The compliment followed the computing students’ presentation of their Industry Sponsored Student Project (ISSP): www.bcit.ca/issp During ten weeks, the students took on a highly innovative venture aimed to revolutionize social media. "The goal was to enrich online exper...iences with physical bonds, bridging the digital world with real personal connections," says student Melody Oh. Devon: "You jumped in with both feet, and you did what was required, so I was impressed with what you brought to the table." If you have a project that needs a push to get it jumpstarted, or finished, ISSP's are a low-cost way to go free for non-profits! We're accepting proposals till August 13 www.bcit.ca/issp.

After a successful Information Session for BCIT Computing Part-time Studies last Thursday, we decided to organize another one at the end of August bit.ly/3jNnypM. Don’t hesitate to tune in, it’s not too late to register for many of our Fall courses bit.ly/330idFG. We’ll make sure to answer all questions that you have. See below some of the feedback we got from our attendees: Thank you so much. Best information session ever. Nice to hear the concept behind courses!!... Thank you very much for the info session, and thank you very much for taking the time to answer all the questions. Thank you. This was a very informative session. This has been incredibly informative.

Do you know a charity or non-profit organization who could use some tech help? Find out what Pathfinder has to say about their recent experience working with BCIT Computing students on a remote project. Pathfinder Youth Centre Society Pathfinder Youth Centre Society *Sponsorship & Volunteer* Vancouver Foundation

For BCIT students and recent alumni: develop a business idea and win a $1,000! bit.ly/32OpV5W The challenge: develop and submit your idea for a viable business that you could start from home this summer. Given the constraints of COVID-19, this challenge is about coming up with a workable and creative business idea that you can start from home. Your concept should consider the limitations and reality of the current situation. Your submission must reflect a new idea, not a bu...siness you have already started. The winning submission will be awarded $1,000, and the video will be shared on the SA’s social media channels. Deadline: August 17. Good luck! bit.ly/32OpV5W

Good news from our partner Athena Pathways!

Computing Part-time Studies is now offering information sessions online! Here's what one student told us about studying in a remote format this past term: "It’s gone well so far. The recorded lectures help a ton. I re-watch the recorded lectures, and enjoy the option to rewind explanations for certain topics. It is very convenient and ensures my full understanding for each lesson. I prefer the online format." -Chris Noble, BCIT Computing PTS student

How can the Internet of Things (IoT) measure air quality? That was the question posed by four Computing students during their Industry Sponsored Student Project (ISSP). They planted IoT devices in strategic locations throughout their homes, and one device alarmingly indicated a level of 400 times over safe limits. The future will have more IoT devices that connect the physical world with the digital world. bit.ly/2Bvg3Tq

Interested in connecting with other BCIT alumni for some summer reading?

How do you keep educational programs relevant? You have a great industry Program Advisory Committee (PAC)! The PAC, with Fariba Pacheleh at the helm, joined BCIT: British Columbia Institute of Technology Computing staff on Zoom today to help guide our programs, from short-term boot-camp style reskilling programs all the way to full-time bachelors programs.

The new Full-Stack Web Development Diploma program (FSWD) presented its first showcase of interdisciplinary student projects (IDSP) on May 22. Students from the School of Business and Media, and BCIT Computing and Academic Studies collaborated on four different projects for four months. The partnership is part of BCIT's Educational Plan launched in 2019, emphasizing the importance of IDSP. "You've done an incredible amount of work in the midst of a virus outbreak." Read the full article on BCIT News bit.ly/37Td82B

CST grad Rob Schulz is trying to fill a need that’s become even more pressing in these times of COVID with Shop First Nations

Some of our campus spaces, different than you might remember

Athena Pathways has Mentorship Opportunities available for BC Women! Whether you are just starting out and looking to enter into the fields of AI, data science or machine learning, or you are an established woman in one of these fields and would be available to mentor someone, let them know. Apply to become a mentor or mentee with Athena Pathways

Impressive work by our colleague in BCIT Physics, Dr. James Booth -- a quantum metrology discovery with a number of possible tech applications

What happens when 270 first year computing students channel their creativity into an app to make life better during a pandemic?

Put @BCIT Computing students to work for you! The Industry Sponsored Student Projects (ISSP) program puts BCIT Computing students to work on your tech projects. From DevOps and networking to website and mobile application development, and from machine learning and algorithms to games. If you have a project that needs a push to get it jumpstarted, or finished, ISSP's are a low-cost way to go free for non-profits! We're now accepting proposals for the September term (deadli...ne July 30) bit.ly/32OPKAA. Need more information? Head to bcit.ca/cas/issp. We're looking forward to working with you! BCIT Alumni Association / BCIT: British Columbia Institute of Technology

Four Academic Institutions, One Common Goal. Courses and workshops are available through BCIT, Northeastern, SFU and UBC who have all partnered to help address gender imbalance in AI, including our new PTS Course. Are you a woman looking to get into Artificial Intelligence or Data Science? Apply now for a $500 scholarship for women! Check out the Education page on www.athenapathways.org and our new course www.bcit.ca/study/courses/comp7405

So impressive! CST alumnus Kris Dickie and his team at Clarius Mobile Health have developed a wireless ultrasound device that has become an essential frontline tool for triaging COVID-19 patients

Thanks to Gordon Hamilton, BCIT: British Columbia Institute of Technology Computing Part-time Studies instructor, Electronic Arts Canada Senior Data Quality Specialist, and local data leader for the insight on the critical importance of data quality, especially when it comes to health care decisions. "You just don’t know what’s going to come out of the data!

There’s an alarming link between COVID-19 and domestic violence. CST student Mattias Henders took his concern to the #TogetherVSVirus hackathon. The result: an online tool that can possibly be used all over the world, and an innovation prize.

Computer skills are needed more than ever. Hone yours so you can collaborate in a 2020 work environment. Find out more at an online information session. After over 20 years working in an industry with a very specific skill set, I felt I was not qualified for another occupation, and was at a loss even where to start. The BCIT Office Administrator with Technology (OAT) program helped upgrade my computer and business skills required for employment, and identified transferrable skills demonstrated on a comprehensive resume. I would highly recommend it to anyone seeking training for employment or retraining for a new career. -Annabelle Addems, OAT Grad

How did the transition to remote learning go? Here’s the inside story from two instructors. Despite everything going on in the world, it’s still a good time to gain new skills.

Computing students developed an app to increase community engagement for ISACA Vancouver. Watch them present their product: You guys rock (http://bit.ly/2VIDVsP). Your company could be next. The project submission deadline is August 1! (http://bit.ly/2VJtAg7)

We're pleased to support this upcoming nationwide hackathon seeking solutions to our worldwide crisis - participants and mentors still welcome to join

We caught up with Quan Nguyen to find out more about his career path since completing the Technology Support Professional (TSP) program. Interested in learning more? Join us for an online TSP info session on Thursday, April 23 from 5:30 pm - 6:30 pm. More information: bcit.ca/e/technology-support-professional-tsp-info-session/

Do you have solid IT industry experience and an interest in teaching? Check out our fall faculty openings

We're taking infosessions online! The CIT and Full-Stack Web Dev diplomas will be co-hosting one tomorrow at 5:30.

Fall programs are on schedule and we've successfully transitioned to online training for as long as needed. Read more about how our students are solving complex industry problems. You can also learn more about education for an IT career at our online information session taking place on April 1: www.bcit.ca/event/cit-fswd/

The "show" goes on! We love that the Data for Good Vancouver Chapter DataThon went ahead in virtual format this weekend, even though it couldn't be held on campus

Some insight on the current crisis from Math instructor Brenda Fine