April 15, 1999
Contact: Ida Lee Wootten
(804) 924-6857


NEW PROGRAM WILL HELP ADULTS GAIN TECHNOLOGY SKILLS

			To help meet the huge demand for
technology-savvy workers, the University of Virginia Continuing
Education will start a certificate program in information systems
management this fall.
	U.Va.'s Continuing Education will offer an eight-course program
through a new partnership with Republic Research Training Centers, Inc.
(RRTC), a Microsoft-certified technical education center based in
Charlottesville. The program will prepare individuals for examinations
leading to certification as Microsoft-certified systems engineers.
	Courses will be offered on weekends and evenings to meet the
schedules of working adults. Classes will be held at RRTC's computer
training facilities and the Continuing Education regional centers in
Richmond and Hampton Roads. Financial aid for qualifying adults will be
available through Microsoft's Skills 2000 IT Career Loan Program.
	"The partnership between RRTC and U.Va. represents a commitment
to the highest level of technology training," said Dennis R. Parks,
associate dean in U.Va.'s Continuing Education.  "The partnership is a
natural outgrowth of our on-going efforts to meet the demand for
qualified technology employees."
	The new agreement allows RRTC to expand its educational services
for the first time to the general public. Until this venture, it has
only offered programming to corporations.
	"Despite mounting requests from individuals, RRTC has limited
its training and educational programs to corporate-sponsored clients,"
said Gregg Kendrick, RRTC president. "Working with U.Va. will allow RRTC
to expand its services to the general public."
	The agreement represents a trend in public-private partnerships,
Parks and Kendrick said.  In the last year several institutions,
including The Johns Hopkins University, Florida State University and the
California State University system, have entered into public-private and
international partnerships.
	RRTC, founded in 1985, has educational facilities in Arlington,
Charlottesville, Norfolk and Richmond.
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	U.Va.'s Continuing Education annually serves more than 30,000
enrollees in degree, certificate, professional-development and
personal-enrichment programs.  
	More information on the new program can be obtained on
Continuing Education's Web site, http://uvace.virginia.edu, or RRTC's
site, http://www.rrtc.com.

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	For more information, contact Dennis Parks in Charlottesville,
(804) 982 5207, drp5e@virginia.edu; Richard Hoehlein in the U.Va.
Hampton Roads Center, (757) 552-1890, hoehlein@virginia.edu; or Greg
Pels in the U.Va. Richmond Center, (804) 662-7464, gjp9y@virginia.edu.