Hewlett-Packard launches education centre

Hewlett-Packard recently opened an education centre for staff and customers, which will provide technical training on HP products and services and develop educational services such as e-learning portals and training outsourcing. The opening of the centre represents an increased push by HP into the education services arena, with more than 500 staff and thousands of customers expected to go through the centre during 2004. HP will custom develop education solutions while solutions on offer include consulting, outsourcing, education services and financing.

SoftLaw launches HR eXpert

The Public Employment Office and SoftLaw recently developed ‘HR eXpert’, an interactive web application designed to provide tailored advice and information about employment conditions and entitlements to 60,000 public sector employees in NSW. HR eXpert is accessible from the NSW Premier’s Department website and is driven by a rulebase which models relevant legislation and policy and generates questions for users about their conditions and entitlements. It currently covers maternity leave, study time, extended leave, recognition of prior service, leaving the service and voluntary redundancy.

Mantrack acquires Allegiance Systems

Payroll and management systems company Mantrack recently acquired Victorian-based Allegiance Systems. Mantrack provides services to more than 350 companies in Australia and New Zealand, while Allegiance Systems serves most Victorian health and other government departments, along with clients such as Orica, Daimler Chrysler and the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Allegiance is a major provider of SAP-based HR and facilities management services, and was privatised in 1997 after being formed by the Victorian State Government 30 years ago.

IT jobs up 30 per cent

First quarter online advertising for IT jobs is up by 30 percent as compared to the first quarter of 2003, according to research by Icon Recruitment. The Icon Index Internet Report Quarter 1 – 2004 is an analysis of online advertising data relating to IT employment. In its fifth year, the report looks at trends in IT skills, positions and salaries over the last year. During quarter one 35,484 IT positions were advertised, up from 24,700 in the same period in 2003. The Index shows that technical/engineering, support and sales/marketing positions are the highest demand positions respectively. The number of jobs in support and sales/ marketing almost doubled in 2004 from quarter one 2003.

ADP partners with Australian Retailers Association Victoria

ADP Employer Services recently announced a strategic partnership with the Australian Retailers Association Victoria (ARAV) that will see ADP delivering payroll and HR solutions to the Victorian retail market. The agreement provides ARAV’s 4000 members with access to ADP’s range of payroll and human resources solutions, as well as services and benefits designed to meet the demanding payroll needs of retail operators of all types and sizes. With the introduction of the new superannuation guarantee legistation, ADP’s director of marketing, Terri Hosking says that there is an increasing trend in the number of companies looking to outsource their HR and payroll.