Bankowski, Bill

Bill Bankowski
Magnet coordinator
Technology tutorials.
Oracle Internet Academy program teaches students software basics.
by David Volz - Special Correspondent
Michael Thomas, a student at Blanche Ely High School in Pompano Beach, likes computer programming so much he now splits his days between Ely and Pompano Beach High in the afternoons so he can attend the new Oracle Internet Academy.
"We get a lot of real-world experience with the academy," said Thomas, a Plantation resident. "I enjoy the teamwork of setting up a computerized voting program, and I hope to get certified in Java."
The school is one of 30 in Florida that received a grant - valued at $300,000 - from the Florida Department of Education and Oracle Corporation, a software company, to provide training, materials and support.
Bill Bankowski, the magnet coordinator at Pompano Beach High, said he is impressed by Oracle's requirements.
"We have 10 students taking this class and it is very difficult. The work is high-level, but those who complete it and pass the certification tests find themselves in demand," Bankowski said. "I read that last year there were 900,000 technology job openings, but only 475,000 were filled. Here, students can earn entry-level certification from Oracle."
Gaining professional skills is the idea behind the program, according to Martha Craine, who teaches computer science at Cooper City High. She is one of several Broward County teachers who were specially trained by Oracle to teach two levels of their certification program to high school students.
Students are taught professional skills and can sit for certification exams before finishing high school.
"Our first course teaches the fundamentals of database systems," Craine said. "We look at the information and break it down. We look at the kinds of information and what relationships exist between pieces of the information. We also design models of databases."
During the second course, students learn data control and functions and Oracle Structured Query Language. This involves support from Oracle because in order to write and execute the programs, students must go online to the Oracle Web site. They also learn to write in Java, a programming language.
"Oracle provides the access and we do the programming," Craine said. "When their network is down, we can't do much in class. The Students learn to write the Sequel programs. These are programs they would use if hired as a programmer by a company."
Students are given the opportunity to take two Oracle certification tests. They can be certified in Data Base Administration and Java Applications.
"These are entry-level classes, but will help Students get internships when they go to college," Craine said. "They will be able to pursue good jobs with this training."
That sounds good to Raymond Thang, a Cooper City senior.
"I like the Java aspect of this program. This academy has shown me some basic application skills," Thang said.
David Volz can be reached at [email protected]
Source: San-Sentinel, Dec. 6, 2002.