When Oliver was exploring his study preferences in year 12, it was a family friend who recommended the Bachelor of IT Cooperative Scholarship to him.
Meet Oliver - Bachelor of Information Technology Cooperative Scholarship Student
The Scholarship builds confidence
It was the focus on leadership and innovation that really drew Oliver to the program. “I liked the idea of combining business and technology skills together to help shape my experience”. After completing a questionnaire on his passions in IT, Oliver was then interviewed for the program. On the day his ATAR was released, he got the exciting offer to join the scholarship. “It was exciting to receive my offer so quickly. I felt confident in the path I had chosen”.
As a part of the program, Oliver has received real world experience in information technology during his studies. “The main reason why a lot of students do the BIT program is the internships. You get two, six month internships at sponsoring companies and you get to choose whether to do technical or non technical work; it’s really engaging and enlightening, how the tech industry is, and shapes how you want to be in the tech industry in the future.”
Oliver has since gone on to complete an internship at the Australian Investment Securities Commission (ASIC) and is currently interning as a software developer at Origin Energy. The experience he gains from the internships provided are invaluable and will shape him to be industry ready in the future.
Being a part of the scholarship has also seen Oliver gain friendships within the program’s cohort.
That is one of the best parts of the program. We study together and hang out after class too.
Oliver's advice for studying IT
If Oliver were to tell his younger self anything, it would be to volunteer at small tech companies and involve himself more in the skillsets of technology. “Take opportunities to volunteer at different tech companies, whether that be participate in hackathons or host hackathons.” He says, “Even do some coding in your free time! Anything that helps to show your passion”.
The Bachelor of Information Technology Co-operative Scholarship Program enables students to gain an understanding of both business practice and technical skills in IT and computing and learning how to apply IT solutions to business changes. Now in its 35th year, the program has a unique blend of academic coursework and industry placements, supported by leading technology industry partners.
