6 Apr 2010

has seen it all. From flying the skies for 20-odd years in air races around Australia, to flying up the ranks at UTS to become Manager of Audio Visual Services (AVS). This month will mark Collins' 30 years of service at UTS. He started in 1980 as Technical Officer in the School of Humanities and Social Sciences' Media Centre at the then NSW Institute of Technology. Not bad for a guy who wanted to be an airline pilot. "I've seen a lot of transformation. The early 80s were turbulent times there was a lot of dissatisfaction from the student body for the quality of equipment and there were many protests. But there's been real growth since then. Any time UTS has taken one step back, it has rebounded to take three steps forward." Collins remains excited for what the future will bring. "Being able to work with the Facilities Management Unit on the development of new buildings and new technologies in those buildings has really grown our capacity as a unit and the skills set of our staff. UTS's masterplan is going to be a source of great renewal for faculties and the whole landscape of UTS." Such advancements, says Collins, will also change learning opportunities around the university. "In recent years, a lot of new technologies have gone into areas like nursing simulation, virtual engineering labs, digital media production, design and the built environment. "Often the technology is integral to the delivery of a course, and as such, the technology must be reliable and must keep pace with the pedagogical needs of the community." Collins maintains the real fulfilment from working at UTS comes from the team environment. "I find the people I work with including the academic community and support staff so inspiring and approachable in terms of collaboration. "We're working much more closely these days with faculties on the development of specialised technology, but we're also supporting the coalface so to speak being there if any issues arise. "The AVS client service team do a fantastic job in their responsiveness. The evolution of our front-line support and project support, I think, has been our signature for what AVS, as a branch of the Information Technology Division, is all about within the uni community." It's lucky for UTS that flying became a hobby rather than a profession for Collins, who jokes that they'll have to carry him out of here. His staff and colleagues will attest Collins is not only a top guy but a great manager though when pushed on this he remains modest. "My approach has always been to respect my staff in the first instance as people, to value their contribution. If that's what they say about me, I'm pleased. But my role is to deliver services and in my opinion they're whole-heartedly supporting that endeavour. To value their contribution is key because I wouldn't be where I am without their support, their encouragement and their dedication."Katia Sanfilippo Marketing and Communication Unit

Source: University Of Technology Sydney http://www.newsroom.uts.edu.au/news/detail.cfm?ItemId=20848