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Irvine, CA (PRWEB) November 21, 2007 -- Have you ever spent three hours banging your head against the wall while you tried to solve a problem with the network, computers, or perhaps e-mail, until you finally gave up, called an IT professional, and they solved the problem in less than a half hour? The reason for this apparent magic is more than experience - it's a way of thinking about technology, and according to Owen Scott, founder of the Open Source Academy of California (http://www.socalosa.com/), it's a skill that can be taught. "After seventeen years of helping businesses of all sizes deal with the challenges of technology, we've decided to start teaching people how to fish, so to speak, instead of delivering truckloads of seafood," Scott said. "Small and mid-sized companies spend hundred of millions of dollars each year outsourcing IT solutions that they can solve in-house with just a minimum of training. We aim to deliver that training in a concise and directed format." The Open Source Academy (http://www.socalosa.com/), founded in 2006 by a group of seasoned IT engineers, is known for its rigorous 1-year, comprehensive IT training program aimed at technology professionals and career-changers who are serious about careers in Information Technology, but this is the first time the school has reached out directly to the small business community. Their flagship class of their Business Outreach Program is titled 'Essential IT for Small Business,' and it promises the would-be student a 'comprehensive, but accessible' learning experience. The school's website lists seven areas that will be covered in four weekly half-day classes: 1. Computer and Network Administration 2. Internet Connectivity and Troubleshooting 3. E-mail Issues, such as Spam, Failed Message Notifications, and Filtering 4. Printing and Scanning Problems 5. Security, Profiles, Permissions and Spyware 6. Application Issues 7. Computer Use and Productivity Enrolled student Crystal Capelle, an administrative assistant for a local mortgage company says, "It seems like a lot to absorb, but they tell me that they will cover just what I need to know -- not a ton of theory. That's good, because I'm not big on theory. I just want to make this stuff work for the fifteen people I'm responsible for." Owen Scott says that Capelle's attitude is common. "Most of the people who are responsible for Information Technology in small business today are not trained IT professionals, and they don't want to be. Nor do they need to be. They just need a good, solid road map of how to proceed when things go wrong. IT consultants often like to hold their cards pretty close to their chests, mainly to keep their positions secure, and that's one reason there's a high level of frustration associated with technology. People like Crystal have a wide gap in knowledge. Our job is to bridge that gap." Classes are set to begin in January, and will be available on a first-come, first-serve basis. Enrollment is possible online (http://www.socalosa.com/enroll.html), as well as by phone.
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