The 1st semester ended last week for the computer training offered by Silicon valley Company Stratus Silver Lining Inc .
And the lead instructor Michael Robinson says the local students were so ahead that he taught in 7 weeks what Silver Lining inc would usually take 15 weeks to teach.
He said it’s a testament to the computer knowledge and learning ability of local students.
Fifty students ranging from 14 to 62 registered for the course which is held four days a week. The majority have jobs while ten are high school students. Robinson who was hired from the mainland teaches the two courses .
One is taught at the American Samoa Community College and the other class is held in the centennial Building.
The tuition for the two semesters is $500 and Robinson says some of the students are paying their own tuition while others are being subsidized.
For the first semester the class leaned about Scratch and they finished with Java programs. There was excitement when they learned about video game applications.
Asked about attendance the instructor said there are a few who have missed classes because of changing work schedules or other commitments but overall the attendance hovered around 80%.
The CEO of Stratus Silver Lining Inc.
Dr. Alok Shama had said before the launch of the computer course that their company would line up internships for local students.
Robinson told KHJ News that Dr Sharma is working on this and there should be some information in the next semester which startS in January and will run till March.
Robinson is happy with the progress made in the first semester and it appears the students are too.
He said a survey at the end of the first semester had 91% of the students giving a positive rating to the computer course.
