Alberta and Microsoft Corp. team up to deliver cutting edge software to new centres of excellence at Northern and Southern Alberta Institutes of Technology
Initiative will help accelerate operational efficiency and global reach for small and mid-sized companies in oil & gas and manufacturing industries.
Redmond, WA, January 31, 2005 - Microsoft Corp. and the Alberta government announced two new centres of excellence focused on cutting edge technologies specific to the Alberta manufacturing industry. The centres will help Alberta-based manufacturers achieve new levels of operational efficiency and competitiveness. Students at the centres will gain the expertise necessary to help Alberta’s energy manufacturing sector reduce operational costs, improve customer service and gain a better understanding of globalization and outsourcing.
“Alberta has firmly established itself as a world leader in energy, oil and gas technology and innovation,” said Victor Doerksen, Minister of Alberta Innovation and Science. “The Centres of Excellence at NAIT and SAIT will enhance the province’s manufacturing capacity related to these sectors and ensure Alberta remains dominant in the area of technology innovation. We’re extremely pleased to have an industry leader like Microsoft as a partner on these projects.”
The Centres of Excellence will enhance the existing capacity of the manufacturing schools found at SAIT and NAIT, resulting in students trained in the most current business practices and related information technology. The centres will also have capacity to upgrade industry personnel skills and to conduct simulations of their operations. The students will work with Microsoft Business Solutions business management software to gain hands-on familiarity with solutions for financial management, supply chain management and customer relationship management.
“Microsoft is thrilled with the opportunity to demonstrate its ongoing commitment to supporting economic diversification and development in Alberta as the province takes an innovative lead with technology and education,” said Garth Dean, Director, Microsoft Business Solutions, Microsoft Canada Co. “Students campus wide at both NAIT and SAIT will be working with the Microsoft Business Solutions product portfolio as a part of their curriculum. Through hands-on experience they will have a strong understanding of how small and mid-sized businesses, large corporations and divisions of global enterprises leverage this leading edge software to help affordably design and plan strategies to become better connected to customers, employees, partners and suppliers by automating and streamlining their business processes. ”
The centres of excellence will provide a central location for small to medium sized Alberta-based manufacturers to model and simulate their current operations and collaborate with seasoned industry experts on how to make improvements to their business practices.
At SAIT, the Centre for Innovative Information Technology Solutions (CIITS) will have an initial focus on using information technology to streamline business processes but is positioned to quickly expand into the health care and construction sectors in the second phase of the project.
“Innovative partnership with business and industry is the cornerstone of SAIT’s approach to education. Today, with the support of Microsoft, the world’s leading software company, SAIT is able to launch its exciting new Centre for Innovative Information Technology Solutions,” said SAIT President and CEO Irene Lewis. “Put simply, this centre will allow SAIT to play a critical role in helping companies improve their productivity by modeling how new information technologies will operate within existing business processes. At the same time, it will give our students an opportunity to learn using leading-edge technologies and practices.”
The Manufacturing Software Solutions Centre at NAIT will work with manufacturers to analyze their business operations and improve their productivity. Additionally, the centre will have facilities for testing new solutions and will provide training to make the manufacturing industry more competitive in the global market.
“NAIT leverages the power of global partnerships to provide relevant skills training and give our students a competitive edge. Thanks to Microsoft’s vision and commitment, our Manufacturing Solutions Centre will have a real impact in Alberta, one of the strongest economies in North America, and around the world,” said NAIT President Dr. Sam Shaw. “NAIT provides an environment where organizations can embrace innovation, generate ideas and turn them into profitable ventures. The Manufacturing Solutions Centre will increase our ability to provide innovative solutions to business and industry - leading to increased profits, more jobs and a greater role in the global economy. It will also give our students even greater opportunities to access the hands-on learning for which NAIT is famous around the world.”
Funding for the first phase of the centres is expected to include over $8 million in software from Microsoft, a $1 million investment from the Government of Alberta and over $980,000 in support from NAIT and SAIT. Work will continue with other provincial and federal public and private partners to expand the scale and scope of the centres.
About Microsoft Business Solutions
Microsoft Business Solutions offers integrated business applications and services that allow small and midsize organizations, large corporations and divisions of global enterprises to connect employees, customers and suppliers for improved efficiency. The financial management, customer relationship management and supply chain management applications work with Microsoft products such as Office and Windows® to streamline processes across an entire organization, giving businesses insight to respond rapidly, plan strategically and execute quickly. Microsoft Business Solutions applications are delivered through a worldwide network of channel partners that provide specialized services and local support tailored to a company’s needs.
About Microsoft
Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq “MSFT”) is the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realize their full potential.
Centre for Innovative Information Technology Solutions (CIITS) at SAIT
The Centre for Innovative Information Technology Solutions (CIITS) will focus on using information technology to streamline business processes and provide continuous access to global markets for Alberta’s energy manufacturing sector. The centre will consist of two components:The Training Cluster – a state of the art learning environment, incorporating provisions for PDA, desktop, network, tablet and laptop hardware all within each individual learning station.The Solutions Simulation Pod (SSP) – a facility providing small to medium enterprises an opportunity to evaluate current business processes and assess the productivity value of incorporating an IT strategy.
Manufacturing Software Solutions Centre at NAIT
At NAIT, the Centre for Manufacturing Solutions will be a one-stop shop for manufacturers in Alberta. In the phase one deployment, the centre will focus on software solutions for the oil and gas manufacturing sector. The centre will work with manufacturers to analyze their business operations and improve their productivity. Additionally, the centre will have facilities for testing new software solutions and will provide training to make the manufacturing industry more competitive in the global market.
©2005 Microsoft Corporation. Microsoft, Visual Studio, Windows, Windows NT, Windows Server and Windows Server System are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other countries.
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