The city of Piła – The subregional IT center
The city of Piła is a natural leader in the northern part of Greater Poland. It has managed to secure for itself a solid position in the environment of regional economic entities, which facilitate the dynamic growth of the local IT sector and create the perfect conditions for its future development.
COMPUTER TECHNOLOGY AT ALL STAGES OF EDUCATION
In the contemporary world it has become almost impossible to function efficiently without at least an elementary command of computer technology. We are surrounded by inteligent machines both in our professional and private lives. As predicted by IT specialists, the further growth and development of computer technology is inevitable. The field of information technology is continuously expanding, in turn creating an ever-increasing demand for a qualified labour force in this field. The city of Piła endeavors to meet this growing demand. The process of educating future employees in the IT sector ensues at the stage of elementary school, where the core curriculum regarding IT is implemented. Currently, in elementary schools every student is educated in the field of computed technology. Further development at a more advanced level is possible at the local Middle Schools, which offer special classes devoted to IT. In the city there are altogether 35 middle schools, which besides the obligatory IT classes also offer courses dedicated to educating future IT specialists and computer graphic designers. What is more, during this year, the educational center “NAUKA” has introduced a new educational profile dedicated to information technology: the IT technician (military profile – speciality: unmanned aerial vehicles).
The expertise in the area of inteligent technologies can be further developed at the Stanisław Staszic University of Applied Sciences in Piła, which offers a course on Information technology in business and administration. The courses can be attended by students as either full-time or extramural programms. They include didactic tutorials, six weeks of professional apprenticeship, and two weeks of diploma apprenticeship. Graduates are expected to be capable of utilizing contemporary structured and object-oriented programming languages with the purpose of developing new software (including internet apps and databases). Moreover, they are skilled in the area of designing, configuring and managing local area networks (LAN), wide area networks (WAN) and database management sytems (DBMS).
UNIVERSITY COURSES MEETING THE NEEDS OF THE LOCAL JOB MARKET
Additionally, as a supplement to the courses available in this area, postgraduate studies are also offered. The nonresident didactic center in Piła together with the faculty of mathematics and information technology at the Stanisław Staszic University of Applied Sciences in Piła is launching in March a postgraduate Applied Information Technology courses at the UAM center in Piła. In the creation of the course, the local authorities cooperated with local companies operating in the IT sector. More than a half of the classes will be conducted by IT practicioners with years of experience in the IT sector. The course of the studies includes – among others – the ensuing subjects: programming, virtualization, algorhythms, data structe, database systems, internet technologies, the architecture of computer systems, and web infrastructure. Graduates will receive a graduate degree of Applied Information Technology at the Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań.
The postgraduate program can be attended by candidates who have previously sucessfully obtained either a bachelor’s degree, a master’s degree or an engineer’s degree and who have already attended at least 90 hours of information technology courses during their studies. The requirement of having participated in at least 90 hours of IT classes can, however, be substituted by 90 hours of documented apprenticeship in any area which requires the use and application of knowledge concerning information technology.
SUPPORT OF THE BUSINESS MILIEU
The support of the local authorities facilitates the immediate establishment and development of mutual trust. Support is offered to all investors from the beginning of the investment process. The authorities of the city of Piła create an environment supportive to all investors and economic entities in the area where procedures associated with servicing and supporting investors are executed. The establishment of such an auspicious ambience is brought about as an result of an efficient collaboration between the City Hall and Inwest-Park Ltd., a municipal company.
Inwest-Park Ltd. has been created in mind with facilitating desireable investment conditions and promoting the development of entrapreneurship in the subregion of Piła. The main tasks of Inwest-Park ltd. include the following: supporting inventive entrapreneurship, increasing the standard of competitiveness in the subregion of Piła, developing and improving the standards of business support institution networks (BSI) which operate in the subregion of Piła, and actively participating in the process of developing an innovative Greater Poland.
Strong support for entrapreneurs is ensured by the municipal self-governing entities and institutions functioning in the local business milieu, including: the Northern Greater Poland chamber of commerce, the sundry craftsmanship guild, the trade association, gastronomy services, and Piła’s branch of Grater Poland’s agency for entrapreneurship development.
SMART CITY PIŁA
The constant advancement of modern technologies, the ubiquitous computerization, and the constant expansion of communication can certainly bring about measurable benefits for the local urban facilities. The city of Piła follows world trends and aspires to become an inteligent, ecological city. The long-term financial projections established at the beginning of this year predict a couple of important operations and measures which must be undertaken with regard to improving the quality of life in Piła, these include the ensuing: introducing a dynamic system of electronical information at thelocal bus stops and equipping the residence of the city guards with novel surveillance devices.
The city is also developing with regard to the quantity of investments in the BPO/SSC and IT sectors. The influx of new investments into the capital city of Northern Greater Poland is perpetual; however, the city of Piła is ready and prepared, gladly welcoming the new, upcoming investments.
Piła City Hall
