Why IT pays to be a cadet

An innovative scheme offers students the chance to improve their skills while studying - and get paid for it!

The program, offered to students of all disciplines at the University of Adelaide, is believed to be the first of its kind in Australia.

The Student Cadetship Program run by the university's Information Technology Services (ITS) gives students the opportunity to enhance their studies and help contribute to the university's IT maintenance and support.

Not only does this give students hands-on IT and project management skills, it also helps to provide benefits to the university community.

Cadets start employment with the Online Education Helpdesk for a contracted 12 months (12 hours per week); if their contract is renewed, they have the opportunity to transfer into other areas in ITS, helping to broaden their skills ever further.

One student who completed the cadetship, Alfredo Cuadros, has found major opportunities opening up for him in his home country of Bolivia.

"The small amount of time I've worked in ITS... has motivated me so much that I went fully into security," said Alfredo, who is a graduate of the University of Adelaide with both a Master of Information Technology and a Master of Business Administration.

On his return to Bolivia he started work, "first as a Security Analyst and now as the Security Officer of the biggest bank in my country".

Another student, Antonio Giordano, who is in his final year of a double degree in Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Engineering, became involved in the cadetship partway into his studies.

"I thought it would provide a good chance for me as a student to work in a professional environment within the University of Adelaide," Antonio said.

"From January this year I have been working in the area of IT Policy & Security, which involves writing IT policies that apply to staff and students of the uni."

He said he has gained many skills and would recommend the program to other students.

"Hours are flexible depending upon your [study] workload and timetable at uni," he said. "The people you work with are great, and especially for my study field, it presents me with some professional skills that you pick up from working in a professional workplace."