Net-work-ed was designed to provide educators, employers and students secure access to a site-specific bank of School-To-Work opportunities. Net-work-ed takes advantage of the internet with its ability to be updated and refined by the progress of the World Wide Web. This method eliminates the costs of continued application programming.

The data management functions needed for School-to-Work are easily accessible with a standard Web browser, using simple fill-in forms and processes.

The system incorporates the much needed database functions of student and employer record-keeping with the search and matching capabilities of a Web-based search engine. Records are kept in such a way as to provide for concise report generation. Data fields required for State and Federal reporting can be tracked throughout the system.

Net-work-ed utilizes the powerful web integration features of Microsoft Windows NT. NT provides the most cost-effective and widely accepted 32-bit web server platform in the industry. Allaire's ColdFusion is the engine behind all database connectivity. ColdFusion is rapidly emerging as the chosen platform for developers worldwide. All elements of the system work together to provide secure, efficient access to very powerful database functions at a reasonable development cost.

The History of net-work-ed

Net-work-ed is the result of a desire for a simple, web-based interface for School-to-Work data management. School-to-Work transition has placed specific needs on individuals responsible for placements as well as student and employer management not addressed by most applications.

The initial release of this system began as a cooperative effort between South Coast Education Service District and LOGIZTIX (DBA, Logistix Productions, Inc). The development team at LOGIZTIX approached SCESD with a plan for a statewide solution to STW data collection. With the deployment, training and support assistance of SCESD, the predecessor to Net-work-ed is currently utilized in 12 of the 15 School-to-Work regions in Oregon under the name I.D.E.A.L. (Internet Driven Education Access Link.) The concept of I.D.E.A.L. has been re-engineered from the ground up to utilize the latest in web database technology from industry leaders. Net-work-ed uses 4th generation ColdFusion technology with powerful remote management capabilities.

The improvements made to the system's design have been the result of user input and direction. Gatherings take place frequently to discuss the direction of the software amongst developers, educators and business community representatives. The development team is involved in user training sessions as a means of collecting valuable feedback. We welcome and encourage the ideas of those who use our applications.

While the level of effort that has gone into development usually translates into an expensive product, our pricing is well within reach of individual partnerships. Our base system, complete with 1-year support plan is around $15,000 (including server, and 'single-server' license of all software). There are no 'site' or 'per-user' fees!