Webmasters' creative IT flair can be seen daily as millions of people world-wide click on to websites.

Webmasters are also known as web site coordinators, web designers, web site programmers or web application developers.

In 2001, about 20 people enrolled in a Certificate III in Information Technology Website Support.

Each year, approximately 800 training places are offered in degrees majoring in an information technology discipline. Not all of these course graduates will choose to work as webmasters, opting instead for careers in software design, IT management, Internet system administration, or as an IT technician.

Have you ever visited a company website and been unable to navigate around the site? Blame the webmaster! Webmasters are responsible for the design and upkeep of websites and Internet/Intranet services for organisations. This can cover anything from writing, testing and designing software to support page layout, to ensuring the security of a company's website is not violated.

Like the web itself, the role of the webmaster is still evolving, and many webmasters may take on additional duties related to the management of these electronic services.



Mastering The Code

Once the webmaster has liaised with the client, and knows their specific requirements for the website, the webmaster can begin the designing and programming process.

Each page of an Internet website is governed by a series of commands. These allow the text and the graphics to be viewed and the links to other sites and pages to work. The webmaster writes the computer programming language, or instructs others to write the series of codes that make it all happen. This process is called scripting.

New scripting codes, computing tools, changes in graphic design and programming languages are developing each day, so it is important for a webmaster to keep up to date with these new trends and technologies.

''Webmasters must continually keep their knowledge and skills up to date and be aware of the ever changing technologies, techniques and ideas,'' says Michel Hedley, Career Awareness Advisor for the Australian IT and T Industy, part of the Australian Information Industry Association.



The Neverending Story

After a website is completed, a webmaster is involved in keeping the content up to date. A webmaster will recommend improvements to the site and provide advice on any equipment and software required to support the site. They also may monitor and analyse traffic to the site and recommend any necessary programming changes. A successful website is quick to navigate and is user friendly, often the addition of a FAQ section (frequently asked questions) and online order forms can increase customer satisfaction greatly, and bring users back to the site.

Some webmasters may instruct staff on the Internet and Intranet services available in their company, and how to use them. Staff feedback is also an essential component for improving and updating the website.



The Right Person For The Job

''Designing and maintaining websites is a great job. The work is creative and challenging. Webmasters must have good technical knowledge and skills, but at the same time they must be aware of the needs of clients and users,'' says Michel.

If you're considering this occupation, you need to be a team player and you need to be able to communicate well with others. Webmasters liaise with a range of people, including clients, writers, graphic artists and other IT staff.

A webmaster must have a broad knowledge of computer programming languages such as HTML, JavaScript (for programming), Perl (for CGI programming), TCP/IP (networking) and Unix/NT (server administration). Some experience in project management may also be required to gain a position as a webmaster.

Webmasters work on a freelance basis, or they may be employed by web design firms, large Internet service providers, and government agencies.

In small companies, webmasters will be actively involved in site design, programming and content management. In a large company, a webmaster will use their technical skills and knowledge to make decisions and coordinate the production and maintenance of the site, but graphic designers may undertake the design work and programmers will be responsible for the interactivity of the site.



Opportunities.Com

As with many IT-related occupations, there are sound employment prospects in this area for people with experience. Demand remains particularly high for people who can fill producer-type roles, however, overall employment opportunities are currently only average. Personnel in this area are responsible for the overall look and navigation of web sites.



Salaries for webmasters in Western Australian begin at around $40,000 and may go as high as $85,000 per annum for those with considerable experience.

Educational requirements vary with employers. In general, most positions require the completion of a computer science degree, or an information technology or multimedia diploma or degree course. It is also essential to have a vast knowledge of the Internet and its associated services. Programming experience in a number of programming languages such as Java, Perl, HTML, Visual Basic or similar are a necessary prerequisite.

TAFE and other registered training providers offer courses in multimedia design, information technology and programming such as Java and HTML.

Courses of particular relevance for webmasters are offered through various campuses of TAFE. They are as follows: Certificate IV in Information Technology (Website Design), Certificate IV in Information Technology (Website Administration) and a Diploma of Information Technology (Website Development).

The main prerequisite for the Certificate courses is a minimum C grade in four accredited Year 12 (E Code) subjects including an English and mathematics, or equivalent. Entry into the Diploma requires completion of the Certificate IV in Information Technology (Website Administration) or the Certificate IV in Information Technology (Website Design), or equivalent.

Three year Computer Science and Information Systems/Technology degrees are offered from Curtin University of Technology, Edith Cowan University, Murdoch University and the University of WA. In general, one TEE mathematics subject (discrete, applicable or calculus), along with a satisfactory Tertiary Entrance Rank (TER) is required for entry into the course. Contact should be made with a relevant university for specific minimum entry requirements.

Degree programs that allow you to major in multimedia are also offered from Curtin, Murdoch and Notre Dame Universities. Most courses are of three years duration. Entrance to some degrees may require an interview or presentation of a portfolio.

	Other Training Providers
	National Training Information Service website.
	TAFE Colleges
	Homepage links and contact details for all TAFE Colleges in WA.
	TAFE Handbook
	An online guide to full time TAFE courses available throughout Western Australia.
	Universities
	Homepage links and contact details for all Universities in WA.

Australian Information Industry Association (WA)
Executive Officer aiiawa@wantree.com.au

Australian Computer Society
Suite 4 342 Albany Highway Victoria Park WA 6100 Phone: (08) 9470 4878

WA Information Electrotechnology and Utilities Industry Training Council
207 Balcatta Road Balcatta WA 6021Phone: (08) 9240 2688

GetAccess Links Disclaimer

All links to other sites from this service have been pre-screened and assessed for appropriate content. However, GetAccess cannot guarantee that quality content standards will be maintained at other sites. Please notify GetAccess immediately if any sites display inappropriate content.

Her name may not be familiar to you, but Caite Nguyen is making waves on the international webmaster circuit. As one of the webmasters for the official, 'The Backstreet Boys website', she has joined a legion of other celebrity webmasters who design creative and informative sites for fans to access worldwide.

''I am a member of Celebrity Webmasters Network, the webmasters who do all the big names in show business. They asked me to join because the Backstreet Boys are such a huge band. We use chats (personal chat programs often known as 'messengers') to communicate with each other when we can, but because of the time difference (most fan clubs are based in the USA) we exchange e-mails. We share ideas about the websites and also trade secrets, even trading gossip that will never make it to the site, laughs Caite.

There is a lot of online interaction between webmasters, due to it being such a small workforce. Skills and language coding can be learnt and graphics and ideas borrowed from each other. Of course the sincerest form of flattery is when other webmasters ask if they can borrow your codes or graphics for their site.

Caite's career took off whilst she was studying at Murdoch University, undertaking a Bachelor of Science, majoring in Computer Science and Web Development. Although her degree has given her great theoretical grounding, Caite believes that a university degree is only one pathway into the career.

''A lot of what I learnt I picked up myself by reading books. I don't know if other people are willing to do the research themselves, but I was pretty well self-taught.''

Caite's webmaster resume goes further than just celebrity websites. She also creates the websites for small businesses and shops. Another recent client, The Returned Services League (RSL) gives her the scope to broaden her skills and meet a challenging set of criteria.

''You need to be able to meet the client's needs. For the RSL site they wanted a bigger font size (writing), and for me to use colours that weren't too bright to cater to their older client base.''

Caite believes it's a great occupation for those that wish to combine a love of computing with their creative flair. Some webmasters, like Caite, even get to manage their sites at home and stay in their pj's! Not a bad life.