From salon owner to web designer: How Ainslie Koopmans took the leap into tech

We connected with Technical Web Designer alumna Ainslie Koopmans to learn about her unique journey into the field of web design. She’s now enjoying a thriving career in tech, after taking the long road into the sector – she retrained in the fast-track six-month program almost twenty years into her career. Why or how did … Read more

Computing students succeed at blockchain innovation

BCIT students love hands-on learning, which is one reason why sixteen Computer Systems Technology students participated at the inaugural 48-hour blockchain hackathon in Vancouver this summer. The software development students were able to explore blockchain technology and create innovative solutions to the problems presented, and they were rewarded with two top placements and a People’s Choice Award at … Read more

Building tech sector capacity across BC with a train-the-trainer approach

Along with a thriving tech sector comes the need to train more professionals for the industry. While BCIT Computing has been expanding both part time and full time programs, there is also a need to ensure younger students from the K-12 system graduate with plans to train for tech. That’s why BCIT hosted 19 teachers … Read more

First-year computing students impress at app showcase

It was a busy term for first-year BCIT Computing Systems Technology (CST) Diploma students, who impressed the audience with their final projects at the app showcase last week. The term projects were inspired by Metro Vancouver campaigns to reduce food and water waste, and launched by a visit from Metro staff Alison Schatz and Kris … Read more

Project week for CST: From AI to apps that build community

It’s project time in Computer Systems Technology (CST), and it’s tiring just trying to visit the student software development projects, let alone create them! With so much learning packed into their final terms, some term three and four students have participated in numerous year-end project activities, pitches, and demonstrations. Wide-ranging industry sponsored projects Project week … Read more

Flexible upskilling for tech sector: renewed Technology Support Professional program

Tech jobs have a lot of flexibility, so why not build that into the training? That’s one of the questions Orrett Morgan, the BCIT High Tech Professional Programs Program Head, addressed as he worked to transition the Technology Support Professional Industry Partnership Certificate Program (TSP) from a traditional face-to-face classroom program into a blended online model last … Read more

BCIT researcher helping to understand traffic patterns in cloud computing

Dr. Michal Aibin, BCIT

Nobody likes a traffic jam, even on the Internet. Yet while we rely on Internet connectivity constantly, most of us don’t stop and think about traffic management in the cloud very often. That’s not the case for BCIT Computing faculty member Dr. Michal Aibin (shown above), who presented his research on network traffic at the International Conference … Read more

Technical Programming students augment their project

Computer Systems Technology Diploma students took on an AR/VR project for the first time in their final specialization option course last term. The Technical Programming option culminates in a whole-class project to try to mimic what happens in industry. This year the class of 20 created a challenging city simulation project–City Sim–using several technologies including Microsoft’s Hololens, a … Read more

Why choose teaching? Q & A with Computing Program Head Trevor Lord

As the sector grows ever-hotter, instructors are needed to help build the next generation of tech professionals. We sat down with Computer Systems Technology (CST) Program Head Trevor Lord to hear what lured him from industry to a job in the classroom. Q: What’s your background and where were you before you came to BCIT? … Read more

Cybersecurity project receives international attention

Cybersecurity break-ins are a worldwide problem. With over 40 billion hacks each year through the World Wide Web, the numbers are mind-boggling. The costs are similarly high: governments and businesses can expect to lose roughly $400 billion annually in damages and property loss due to such attacks. As the number of devices grows with an … Read more