What is now known as STI Education Services Group offers the following: pre-school education through STI Prep School; basic education in elementary and high school through STI Academy; technical certificate courses for computer programming and other ICT courses through STI Education Centers; association and baccalaureate degree programs in computer science and other ICT fields through STI Colleges; computer-based tutorial sessions through STI.net; online ICT education through iAcademy (in partnership with Carnegie Technology Education); and, beginning this schoolyear, ICT literacy for professionals through STI Professional Colleges.
The move to diversify its product lines beyond the traditional ICT course offerings is a response to market demand. "ICT is not a skill only for programmers. We have to ICT-enable key professionals like doctors, nurses, engineers and accountants to make them competitive in the job market," said STI-ESG president and chief executive officer Chito Salazar.
By next year, STI is looking at branches in Saudi Arabia, Indonesia and Vietnam. "Despite a decline in the ICT market due to the dotcom bust, we believe ICT continues to be a key industry. It is not just for the New Economy. The growth of the old economy depends on how quickly it can use ICT as a resource. Banks need programmers; manufacturers need information managers. There is a demand for ICT and the industry is bound to boom again," he said.
That demand is seen in the rapid conversion of mall stalls and corner shops into ICT schools.
STI is, however, confident of retaining its competitive edge. For one, it’s not focused on vendor-based training, which can be costly. Instead, STI teaches generic skills such as data-basing and networking, which can lead to certification in a chosen technology. For another, it has its academic systems in place. This means the courseware is done centrally and so is the checking of key exams. Its faculty is not only trained in ICT skills but also in teaching skills.
"We have audit teams that make sure our faculty adhere to our curriculum and courseware in all our schools," he said.
Franchisees invest from P1.5 million to P5 million in establishing an Education Center or a Prep School. Return on investment averages three to four years. Among major investments are the building ( a minimum of 250 square meters for an Education Center and 180 sqm. for a Prep School), facilities and equipment.
"We know of some colleges that offer IT courses where students face the computer, which they share with 10 other students, only on their fourth year. That can never happen in the STI network," Salazar said.
Aside from STI’s current global push, Salazar said he is instituting a basic change by strengthening the communications component of all courses.
"When people complain of the lack of suitable ICT skills for the workplace, they’re not really complaining about the ICT skills but about basic education skills like communications or English proficiency."
Going forward, Salazar envisions the STI network as a lifelong system that can support the needs of its graduates as they try and make careers out of the education they have received. "