Taking AIM on economic development.

An organization created by a consortium of business, governmental and educational institutions in Omaha, NE, is launching innovative programs to strengthen the region's position as a center of information technology.

Called the Applied Information Management Institute, or AIM, the group was founded to support and improve Nebraska's information technology infrastructure, thereby creating an environment where firms will be better positioned to expand, create new jobs and find the well-trained, quality work force they require.

In one of the group's recently launched programs, for example, The First National Bank of Omaha and the Union Pacific Railroad Company have selected Creighton University to provide a Micro Programmer Development Program to retrain their experienced information technology professionals. Working with these AIM sponsors, Creighton will develop a nine-course curriculum to prepare programmers currently in the mainframe environment for micro programming positions.

The program, coordinated by Creighton's University College, will begin in January and will eventually be offered to the general public. College credits will be granted for each course. A Certificate in Applied Computer Science will be awarded to those successfully completing all nine courses. Five of the nine courses can be chosen by candidates toward either of two master's degrees.

By facilitating the move from mainframe computing to networked micro-computing, this technology-based curriculum will enhance the global competitiveness of the participating firms. "We at First National Bank of Omaha realize the importance of higher education and the impact that technological training has on local businesses and their employees," said Jim Schmidt, Senior Vice President and Division Head of Data Automation at First National.

BUSINESS AND EDUCATION

"I am very pleased we can accomplish this on a cooperative basis right here in Omaha." added Joyce Wrenn, Vice President and Chief Information Officer of the Union Pacific.

This partnership between business and academia will also increase the relevancy of college curriculum. The Rev. Michael G. Morrison, S.J., President of Creighton University and AIM board member, states:

"We recognize the profound impact that information technology is having on both business and higher education. Creighton's partnership with the AIM Institute, First National Bank and Union Pacific Company in this program illustrates our commitment to staying on the cutting edge of computer technology and knowledge."

The importance of developing the information technology infrastructure was recognized recently by the Nebraska Legislature when it created a statewide commission on information technology and named Bob Sweeney, the executive director of AIM, as the chairman of the nine-member commission.

The commission is the result of the growing recognition that information is the commodity of the future, with telecommunications being the key to economic and cultural development in the coming era. Representatives from government, education and business will develop a strategy for state services, while providing a synergistic partnership with business, industry and consumers to stimulate economic growth.

Sen. Ron Withem, who played a key role in creating the commission, noted: "A state that recognizes the potential for telecommunications and then marshals its re- sources toward developing a communication strategy will have the competitive advantage in the emerging global economy."

OTHER AIM EFFORTS

AIM's efforts also include an intern program which has as its stated goals to:

* Develop quality internship and cooperative education services to expand the scope and effectiveness of existing programs.

* Provide a cost-effective mechanism for businesses and community agencies to recruit, train and evaluate qualified personnel.

* Facilitate, through effective student and faculty internship experiences, the evolution and relevancy of curriculum.

The program is designed to match applied internships for college and university students and faculty with area firms. Examples of positions include programming, analysis and local area network administration.

For students, the program offers the benefits of teaching them how to apply principles, theories and tools learned in the classroom to actual operating and problem-solving situations. It also strengthens their credentials, portfolios and personal networks and increases their chances of obtaining long-term employment directly with the host company or indirectly through extended personal networking and credential building.

Benefits of the internship program for industry are that it reduces costly recruitment campaigns for new entry-level employees, utilizes temporary relationships to observe potential employees in the work environment and provides qualified workers at a relatively low cost without long-term commitments.

The internship program also benefits the faculty in that it provides feedback on business issues and curriculum relevancy from students, helps them remain current on developments in the industry by interacting with business counterparts and enhances the classroom learning environment through the experiences of returning students.

HOW IT'S ORGANIZED

AIM is organized as a 501 (c)(3) non-profit organization with three main activities: continuing education, applied research and curriculum development. The AIM institute is funded by five-year commitments from corporate sponsors who contribute from $5,000 to $350,000 over the five-year period. Income is also generated through fees for AIM activities, and the organization is also looking into state and federal funding possibilities.

Among the many benefits it offers, AIM founders say, are:

* Continuing education programs including management and technology-related topics with 13 courses reaching over 1,000 individuals.

* Applied research including funded research projects for firms involving faculty from various colleges and universities covering relevant topics such as re-engineering complex systems, customer attitudes toward automation, and evaluating information technology investments.

* AIM-facilitated opportunities for businesses to retrain experienced information technology professionals. Among these, for example, is a micro programmer development course involving Tandem and UNIX systems training.

* The AIM Consortium, a series of face-to-face meetings between corporate information technology leaders and the academic community being held at business sites to facilitate dialogue between these groups.

Besides these activities, AIM arranges partnerships with sponsors and other institutions in writing grant proposals, provides ongoing promotion of alliances among local technology entrepreneurs and supports other state and local economic development initiatives.