Six students from Shetland will have the chance to mingle with leading figures in IT at a showcase conference this month.

The students - George Dickson, Matthew Fraser, Anthony Hedges, Peter Johnston, Alan Smith and Julie Walterson - are studying Computing at Shetland College in Lerwick and will attend the Highlands and Islands Information Technology Providers Conference 2003 in Nairn on Friday 28 March.

The conference has been organised by Highlands and Islands Enterprise to boost the capabilities and commercial performance of the area's IT providers - firms which provide e-business solutions in software, hardware, training or consultancy services.  More than a third of the region's 600 IT providers are expected to attend to get an insight into the latest industry developments.

The students will attend a series of workshops, talks and exhibits and most importantly, will have the chance to meet key figures from Hewlett Packard, IBM, Sun Microsystems, Orange, and Hitachi to get an insight into the latest thinking and developments in IT.

One of the students, Anthony Hedges, said:  "This is an exciting opportunity to see and listen to some of the leading authorities on e-business and commerce at the present time.  There will be a chance to meet with potential employers not only from Scotland but world-wide as some of the top speakers in the business gather for one of the largest IT conferences in years.  We are sure the conference will be a beneficial educational experience for us all and help many students decide which future career path to take."

Shetland Enterprise is offering to assist local IT providers to attend the conference with a travel cost subsidy, and Roy Longmuir, e-business adviser with the enterprise company confirmed that several Shetland businesses had already registered to attend.

"This first Highlands and Islands IT Providers Conference is a great opportunity for Shetland's IT professionals to meet and exchange ideas and discuss common issues with other members of the IT community in the Highlands and Islands," said Mr Longmuir. "This event should be not be missed, as the agenda includes world class speakers, practical workshops and plenty of opportunities to see the latest offerings from industry leaders at the trade stands as well as the possibility of making new business contacts."

Firms and individuals can register for the event through the conference website - www.hiitconference.co.uk