EBizITPA unveils pilot on-line course

Businesses save time and money

ERIE, PA (May 13, 2004) --- Demonstrating the power of technology, eBizITPA is now offering its first on-line course, Reverse Auctions: Buyer Strategy. The self-paced course costs less and takes less time than the instructor-based live version of the same class.

“The time savings is a major benefit,” says Mickey Rathers, manager of training and research at the Center for eBusiness and Advanced Information Technology based in Erie, Pa. “What takes three hours in a live setting can be accomplished in about an hour and a half with the self-paced program,” he says. In addition, considering drive time, taking a live course generally means at least a half day away from the office.

“This is ideal for professionals from small and medium size businesses who find it difficult to fit in the time necessary for training,” says Rathers. Thirty-day access to the on-demand training, available 24/7, also costs just $50 as opposed to $80 for the training at the Center. Individuals taking the on-line version can stop and start the training at their convenience, picking up where they left off in a particular study session.

“The course is an interactive learning experience with quizzes and exercises that reinforce the important concepts,” Rathers explains. Designed to be both intuitive and user friendly, the course also allows students to type their own notes into each page of the lesson and print out both the notes and the transcript for future reference. The course is equally accessible to broadband and dial-up users.

Reverse Auctions: Buyer Strategy explains the basic reverse auction process from the buyer’s perspective and gives key insight on commodity selection, vendor qualification, and effective strategies. A short demo is available at www.ebizitpa.org by selecting web-based training from the learning menu.

Rathers is currently developing two more web-based courses: e-Selling: Strategies and Applications as well as Strategic e-Marketing, both of which are designed to help Pennsylvania businesses interested in learning how to leverage the Internet as a channel to successfully attract new customers. EBizITPA expects to release the new courses by early summer.

The Center for eBusiness and Advanced IT (eBizITPA) is a state-wide Ben Franklin Technology Development Authority initiative designed to help Pennsylvania
enterprises understand and use information technology and e-business tools
to be more competitive. It is headquartered in Erie, PA and located on the
Internet at www.ebizitPA.org.

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A Ben Franklin Technology Development Authority Initiative