Australian initiative aims to boost availability of engineering talent

Australian broadcasters and industry leaders are spearheading an industry initiative to develop a certification process that addresses the skill requirements for media technologists.

The initiative, known as Media Industry Technologist Certification (MITC) is intended to answer a concern in Australia that there is or soon will be a shortage of people with engineering skills, impeding growth and innovation in the broadcast industry.

There is a concern that the shortage impacts traditional broadcast activities, such as transmission management, and design and implementation, as well as emerging crossover areas, such as IT infrastructure and Web delivery of media.

The MITC initiative will be launched at this year’s SMPTE07 Australia Conference and Exhibition in Sydney July 17-20, 2007.

For more information, visit: www.mitc.tv or www.smpte.com.au.