In this era of "hybrids" where many people are clamouring to purchase their own efficient, result driven and performance oriented hybrid vehicle, it is important to note that APIIT has gained a head start. The Applied Information Technology Degree programmes awarded by Staffordshire University, UK offered by APIIT, gears students to adhere to those same principles of being efficient, result driven and performance oriented. The Applied Information Technology graduate is multi-faceted and dynamic. Their key strengths lie in adapting to any business or IT environment and providing these environments with recommendations that cater to their business needs while applying the most efficient IT solutions. The programme caters to this by providing students with the practical know-how of both business and IT domains.

Applied IT Programmes offered by APIIT
APIIT will be introducing the following programmes in the category of Applied Information Technology, to cater to the needs of students and industry.

• BSc (Hons) in Business Information Technology
• BSc (Hons) in Business Computing
• BSc (Hons) in Database Administration & Management
• BSc (Hons) in Applied Information Technology

These courses will equip students for a career in virtually any sphere of business or industry that has a need for the efficient and appropriate use of IT in a business context. Recent graduates have gained employment in large organizations, both in management and in IT, or have even set up their own businesses.

The salient features of APIIT's
Applied IT Degrees

• Field visits to companies in order to observe their processes
• Workshops organized in collaboration with the industry on:
• Project Management
• Marketing
• Financial Management
• Information Systems Audits
• Soft Skill Development
• ERP systems
• Business Process Re-engineering
• Writing Academic Documents
• Web Application Development
• Object Oriented Design
• Research Methods
• Creativity & Innovation
• nCompetitions designed to bring out the entrepreneur in students while improving their communication skills
• Industry participation through career guidance and guest lectures

Hi- tech computer laboratories at the state- of- the art APIIT City Campus
Throughout the programme, students are taken through a series of projects and assignments that are focused on solving real world problems.

These problems involve developing computer based solutions that map to the needs of the business' stakeholders. It also requires students to provide process re-engineering solutions and strategic information systems, plans to make a business more proactive, efficient and effective while being enabled through IT. Project assignments are coupled with intense focus in nurturing their soft skills. The Applied IT graduate is therefore a business communicator with the ability to use IT tools to create communication media that can dazzle any audience.

Ashaff Hussain, a student who has just completed his degree in Business Information Technology shares his experience;

"This programme helped me in developing my academic knowledge and soft skills which are must haves in order to become competent in the corporate world. These skills are nurtured in a friendly and stimulating environment where the experienced and learned interact together to achieve a common goal"

The Faculty
The well qualified and experienced panel of lecturers in the Applied Information Technology programmes of APIIT use innovative and student centric teaching practices to ensure that students are geared to meet the needs of industries and commerce. The faculty of these degree programmes are constantly engaged in research and consultancy, with many of their papers being published in national and international conferences and journals. The students join the lecturers in conducting such research activities and have been successful in publishing joint research papers with the faculty.

During their final year, students embark on a research project under the guidance of an academic staff member, where they analyze the needs of a business organization, the public sector or society and develop an IT and process based solution to suit the requirement. A majority of these projects are commercially viable due to their practical nature and provide students with valuable exposure to the corporate world.

APIIT's well equipped library with access to digital libraries
Career prospects of Applied IT graduates
The graduates enjoy a very high employment rate with career paths to follow in areas ranging from business functions, IT functions and IT service provision. These graduates can embark on careers in commercial organizations as IT system analysts, business executives or in the technical domains of application development. Typical job areas are Business Analysts, ERP Consultants, SAP Consultants, IT Managers, Business Process Consultants, Business Systems Integration Consultants, Software Quality Assurance professionals, Project Managers, Web developers, IT marketing and pre sales professionals, Management Trainees and also entrepreneurs offering IT & Business services.
95% of APIIT's Applied IT graduates are employed in diverse fields, even before they receive their final results. Having secured jobs faster, the APIIT alumni are a testimony to the success of its programme. Within a short span of 5 years postgraduation, the APIIT alumni are heading large teams of successful businesses, leading organizations, being successful entrepreneurs and also continuing in the path of higher education in various fields, including software engineering.

Afzal Zainudeen, a successful SAP Consultant and a graduate of the Business Information Technology programme states:

"Education is not necessarily confined to collecting every single piece of information available in books; I feel it is more about learning and improving one's perspective and outlook towards the world, the society and its people. Based on this philosophy, APIIT-Sri Lanka is a place where ordinary men and women are turned into extraordinary citizens of the country."

With the growth in the IT/ BPO sector during the past few years, and the government's aim to make this sector the highest export revenue earner by 2015, graduates with IT qualifications are poised for an exciting time ahead. Armed with the relevant IT skills and essential business domain expertise they will prove to be a major asset to any organization.

Students wishing to experience the APIIT advantage and register for the next intake in October 2011, are advised to contact Yoga on 011 7675107/ 2675060 or info@apiit.lk for assistance.