Seminar Series at UC Irvine Extension is First in Orange Country to Address Needs of Business Analysts

Seminars complement the school’s innovative certificate program that reflects the growing demand for business analysts within the IT industry

IRVINE, Calif. – April 11, 2005 – UC Irvine Extension will host a “Business Case Development” seminar for business analysts and other information technology (IT) professionals who perform the business analyst role within their companies, including those in the technology (hardware), aerospace, homebuilder, land developer and financial service industries. The seminar, open to the public, will be held Wednesday, April 27, from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., at the Atrium Hotel near John Wayne Airport.

Seminar attendees will learn how to use business case analysis to their advantage, how to structure an effective business case that to build consensus for project initiatives, and how to demonstrate return on investment and benefits to the company. Panelists presenting business cases include John Lafare with The Capital Group, Dale Minney from Conexant and Anne Nuttall with The Irvine Company. The panelists will offer practical advice and tips, as well as discuss the various elements of a successful business case.

 “This seminar provides a unique opportunity for local business analysts to network and share ideas,” said Stefano Stefan, assistant director of Business, Management, Legal and IT Programs at UC Irvine Extension. “Our goal is to foster pride and a sense of community in this exciting and growing profession.”

The UC Irvine Extension is the only school in Southern California to offer a Business Analyst certificate program. The program has been active for a year and continues to experience increased enrollment due to a growing demand for the specialized skill set it offers. Completion of the certificate expands the career tracks available for professionals working in business, such as product managers or marketers; and for IT specialists who want to retrain or acquire new skills that can’t be outsourced.

At a time when many CEO’s are demanding a better return on investment for IT budgets, the business analyst offers concrete methodologies to positively impact a company’s bottom line. According to the research firm Meta Group, “poor requirements gathering, analysis and management are directly responsible for 70 to 80 percent of project failures.” The business analyst solves this problem, acting as a liaison between business and IT departments to identify business requirements and develop appropriate solution strategies.

“Business systems analysts play a critical role at the Capital Group Companies. We’re a multinational investment management firm and we depend on our analysts for help in such crucial areas as portfolio management, stock and bond trading, foreign exchange orders, accounting and client marketing,” said Chuck Freadhoff, a spokesperson for The Capital Group. “As our company grows, our need for analysts increases. We’re currently looking for business systems analysts in all of our Southern California locations – Downtown L.A., Brea, Irvine and West Los Angeles.”

To register for the seminar, please contact Jackie Badwah at (949) 824-3413 or jdbadwah@uci.edu. The fee to attend is $25. UC Irvine Extension’s Business Analyst certificate program offers courses both online and in the classroom. For more information on course requirements and details, visit http://unex.uci.edu/certificates/business_mgmt/business_analyst/.

As the continuing education arm of UCI, UC Irvine Extension is dedicated to providing a university-level learning experience for students, offering thousands of exciting courses and programs to local, regional and global constituencies. UC Irvine Extension offers a rich array of academic and community programs to support a diverse audience, from a wide selection of academic programs to numerous campus activities. For more information, please visit www.extension.uci.edu.