The course, which is designed to help students pursue a rewarding career in the technology sector, will welcome its first intake of students at Port Macquarie in March 2021.

To celebrate the introduction of this new course, CSU is hosting a virtual information event on Thursday, October 29 for prospective students to learn more about the IT industry and the course from industry speakers and CSU academics.

Course director and associate head of the Charles Sturt School of Computing and Mathematics, Dr Jason Howarth, said the new course offering comes at an ideal time as demand for IT professionals is greater than ever and he looks forward to welcoming the course's first cohort of Port Macquarie students next year.

"Australia is forecast to need an additional 100,000 tech workers by 2024, and the tertiary sector is not currently graduating enough students to meet that need," Dr Howarth said.

"The Bachelor of IT at Port Macquarie will help employers and students alike take advantage of the massive growth in the sector we are currently experiencing.

"If you are a high school student, particularly if you are in year 12 and about to sit your HSC, or if you are interested to learn more about a career in IT, I encourage you to attend our special information event."

The Bachelor of IT at Port Macquarie can be studied on campus, online, or by a mix of both options, and is fully accredited by the Australian Computer Society.

Students can specialise in different technology areas, including computer programming, web development, computer security, and computer networking.

According to Dr Howarth, computer security qualifications are particularly attractive right now, with the federal government pledging $1.35 billion in funding to recruit cyber security specialists over the next 10 years.

The course also includes a work placement subject, where students will work with an employer to gain valuable hands-on experience.

The online event runs from 7pm to 8.30pm.

It will be hosted via ZOOM, open to the public and is free. Attendees can register their interest online via CSU's Zoom webpage.

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