• Wintel Systems Specialist
• ELECTRICAL CABLING AND WIRING -...
• Database Administrator - DBA
• Head of Business Intelligence -...
• NATIONAL SALES MANAGER. WIRELESS...

Demand for ICT professional skills reaches all-time high

Philip Argy, Information Age

17/04/2007 14:53:10

An encouraging shift has been the increase this year in applications for ICT degrees, with most universities reporting larger intakes than last year. Since this growth comes on the heels of three years of declining demand, we remain in deficit, but there is reason to hope that the tide has turned and that some of the measures aimed at encouraging more young people into ICT are proving effective.

However, women still only account for 25 per cent of tertiary students, so there is much more to be done.

Key strategies the ACS is promoting include:

• ICT education and training programs that are accessible to all Australian women and which ensure minimum levels of ICT literacy needed for a range of occupations;
• Clearly articulated career paths into ICT through traineeships and apprenticeships that avoid the need for a tertiary degree while recognising women's skills in business analysis, collaboration, communication and management;
• Measures to encourage women in other professions to transition into ICT as a second or subsequent career;
• Creative approaches to education that allow women to choose their own career path, including how technical they want to be, with universities and employers working together to provide different options for ICT education, such as on-the-job training.

I am greatly encouraged by the efforts of our own ACS-W Board and the way it is working with other women's networks, government and industry to advance the cause of women in ICT.

The potential rewards of our success in meeting this challenge are considerable.

Best wishes,

Philip Argy

Previous -  1  2