Missouri businesses are having difficulty finding qualified employees with programming skills necessary for today’s web driven market.  This is according to one Missouri employer.

The students leaving Missouri colleges lack the current knowledge and skill-set.  They are taught only the fundamentals of traditional computer programming.  This is the assessment of Josh Kayser, who assisted in the launch of Suretybonds.com.

Read the piece in the Columbia Daily Tribune.  It is striking that a small business owner has looked for months for qualified candidates in the field of technology.  This illustrates the shortage of candidates entering into the sciences within the higher education system as a whole.

Missouri State University of Columbia has caused a stir over the requirment of iPhones as part of the journalism program.  The impression that immediately comes to mind is the university is in bed with Apple.

The school iterates making it a requirement allows for the students to purchase the iPhone with federal grants.  Many question why any type of hand-held device is not allowed.   It is not like the younger generation is unfamiliar with them and cannot mandate a MP3 or two.

Either way, the university made the decision.  The main benefit from here isn’t how you can cleverly get around the system, but rather it’s recognized as an important part of profession and life in general.  We state that supporting the devices made by any company and not just Apple.

University of Missouri, Columbia’s School of Journalism is requiring all students to have an iPod Touch or iPhone starting in FALL 2009.   The school promotes the use of the device to assist in delivery of content.  The issue is causing a mild controversy amongst the students.

The new policy has sparked a bit of criticism.  The School of Journalism will post educational material for the student on Apple’s iTunes University.  The service is free for all educational organization.  Apple stands to profit from this program.  This is via the sales of the iPhone or iPod Touch.

The school boasts how the student can take advantage of federally financed education by making the products a requirement.  The school’s website states….

Students with documented need (as determined through the FAFSA filing process) may include the cost in financial aid packages because it is required.

Now if yor computer dies and you cannot afford to repair it just whip out your iPhone and iTouch.

The West County Computer Center is offering free web design seminars at their open house.  The seminars will provide how to make better use of the web to communicate with customers and within the company between associates.

The seminars will offer hands-on training with both legacy and newer technologies to create and deploy a successful website.  The West County Computer Center, hosted by the University of Missouri, will hold the “Web Design Night” on Jan 28th at 6:00 p.m.

You can obtain further information at center’s website or call 314-984-9000.