Last month, parliamentary deputies decided to discontinue subsidies to elementary schools for Internet access. Could this affect computer literacy in the future?

Internet access at schools is, in my opinion, as important as a water main. And it seems that more people understand that. The effect of [the recent decision] will be delayed, and it will be visible when the current elementary school children take final exams in high school.

Generally, computer literacy has been on the rise, especially thanks to the dropping prices of information technologies, including computers and mobile phones, and also thanks to the spread of fast Internet.

GOPAS has been a member of an international IT training chain, so you can compare computer literacy here and abroad. Why do you think it is so low compared to West European countries?

I believe there are multiple reasons. Apart from higher costs of IT products, it is also the poor business strategy of Český Telecom [now Telefónica O2] that is to blame. A few years ago, Český Telecom began offering overpriced and slow ISDN connections. And it was only after the arrival of alternative connections — CDMA, free Wi-Fi, UMTS — that broadband prices went down and a broadband connection is now affordable even for households. And there is one other important factor: People here tend to expect that someone will force them to learn and will even finance it.

I'd like to defend the government on this point. Over the past two years, the government subsidized an education program that enabled people to get basic computer knowledge at acceptable prices. However, we do not focus on individuals, but rather on corporations that are striving for fast and effective lessons for their staff.

It's interesting to watch the rising share of foreign investment in IT. Do you believe foreign investment and private capital could, on their own, secure sufficient development in the Czech IT industry?

The state should strive to create a quality business environment, so that university education is available to as many people as possible. Then, it is the task of dynamic private subjects to ensure ongoing lifetime education tailored to the needs of particular technologies. This is because private companies are capable of responding immediately to market demand.

Who are your typical customers?

Typical customers are banks, insurers, telecommunication operators, IT companies and manufacturers. Actually, computer training of employees is an issue for almost any business firm that works with larger IT systems. We lecture about 17,000 students per year.

Which lectures are most in demand?

It's difficult to pick out a few from the more than 400 lectures we offer. In the field of user programs, for example, advanced courses for the use of Excel are in heavy demand. And, as far as Microsoft's server products are concerned, there is a sizeable interest in SQL Server.

Have you experienced the predicted decline in classical training courses and an increase in online lectures?

E-learning courses copy the previous development of lectures on TV, video cassettes and CDs. It has been predicted that those would push classical courses away from the market. In contrast to previous technologies, e-learning is becoming a supplementary training method in fields that don't require too much student interaction. Even companies that have implemented e-learning courses send us trainees for more advanced and specialized courses.

To teach the latest software, you need to stay ahead of the curve. How difficult is it to secure financing for software and hardware innovations?

Equipment-related costs are high but not the highest. The most expensive are salaries for our employees and IT specialists. When we want to lecture other IT specialists, we need to hire the best experts with sufficient communication skills. A lecturing company is mainly about having a good team of experts.

As for cooperation with IT producers, we collaborate on the basis of so-called authorizations. After meeting strict technological, personal and quantitative demand, we get access to the software and know-how for the authorized courses.

Do you experience any kind of competitive lobbying from software companies the way that the pharmaceutical companies lobby doctors?

The situation in the IT sector is different. Software and hardware producers attempt to offer products directly to customers or via business partners, but at the same time make the possible switch to competing products more expensive. If it works, customers then keep buying new versions and upgrades from the same producer.

People working in the IT industry often tend to use various IT-related vocabulary even in regular speech. Do you have that problem?

Well, my vocabulary is also affected by managerial slang. However, having worked as a lecturer in the past, I'm well aware that it's important to use such expressions that ensure the best possible communication. As a result, I try to use different slang in different departments within our company. And, similarly, I use different vocabulary when talking with representatives of our customers, based on whether they are company directors, finance managers, HR specialists or IT experts.