Sun Microsystems and the NSW Government are offering 15 scholarships - each worth AU$135,000 - to students within NSW, in an attempt to address the shortage of Java programmers in Australia.
"The scholarships are one part of a comprehensive program to address the ICT skills shortage in the State. The Java training courses will help meet demand for skilled programmers in business," Minister for Information and Technology Kim Yeadon said.
Latest statistics by industry bodies estimate that by 2003, there will be a shortage of 180,000 skilled IT workers in Australia. The NSW Department of Employment, Workplace Relations and Small Business has also reported a national shortage of Java programmers, particularly in NSW.
The announcement is part of the NSW Government's Information and Communications Technology Skills Action Plan.
The high school and TAFE winners will be trained in the Java programming language at Sun's Sydney training facility and through virtual classes delivered via the Internet.
"Java has become the language of the Internet because of its ability to run on any machine irrespective of the manufacturer. These scholarships are part of Sun's ongoing commitment to fostering the use of open standards to help Australians harness the power of the Internet," Sun Microsystems Australasia Managing Director Jim Hassell said in a statement.
In addition to the grant, Sun is running an open national contest to promote online learning in Australian primary and secondary schools. The four winners of the grant will receive AU$400,000 worth of education.
