IT careers: Less confusion means more students

Young people are not choosing technology careers because of confusion rampant across IT, according to senior industry figures.

According to Queensland government CIO Peter Grant, students today are no longer sure just what a career in IT entails.

Speaking at the Australian Computer Society's Great IT Jobs Debate yesterday, Grant said of a recent skills summit that some of the participants, especially the high school and university students, said they didn't choose careers in IT because they "couldn't figure out what it looked like".

It is "time for us to actually put on the table what a career looks like," he added.

According to a report from the Department of Education Science and Training, IT student numbers have been declining since 2001, with 2006 recording a 13.6 percent year-on-year decrease in new IT students.

Grant's solution to help define IT has been to create a framework detailing four different streams of jobs, which is now used in the public sector.

The first stream is having a career in "build[ing] stuff", where workers can be a programmer or an engineer. The second is working within the services industry, where they might work for firms such as IBM or Microsoft, or work in internal relations and IT office support. The third stream is change management, helping implement IT changes within an organisation. The final stream of IT work is planning how the architecture of the future will look like, not just the technology but also how it affects businesses.

Grant said that if the industry doesn't communicate how many people work in these sectors and what is being spent, then: "We are underselling just how wonderful and diverse an IT career is."

Charles Noble, IBM development executive for global technology services, told the event: "I don't think that we as an industry have really well communicated to the public the difference we make to life and the opportunities that are available to graduates."

According to Noble, there are graduates working for IBM in Australian research and development teams as part of worldwide projects to solve some of the world's most difficult problems. Among others, he talked of projects to find virus solutions in Africa, projects to conduct traffic management systems in Europe and Asia, and projects to better understand global warming.

Noble said that jobs in IT have diverged from the backroom coding stereotype. By the time people have completed 10 years within IT, Noble continued, they will have had two or three different careers.

"All the boundaries are blurring," he said.

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1. Lack of a future. Anonymous -- 09/11/07

   There is a lot of money in IT, sadly it’s not in the people, it’s in the licenses.
   
   People do not want careers in IT because of three simple reasons.
   
   1. You will be worked hard and maybe this year your department won’t be outsourced or off-shored. There is little to no future in the bottom rung of IT and little to no movement at the top. Additionally because computers run 24hrs a day there’s an expectation that the staff should too.
   
   2. Convoluted never ending reams of certification and endless examination prep for the latest marketing spiel for a number of different vendors that require annual renewals is not a great thing to look forward to in a career after finishing several years of study at university.
   
   3. With a resources boom in progress and investment banking delivering better salaries My advice to any student considering IT as a career option is don’t consider IT as a career option.

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   1. i agree Anonymous -- 09/11/07

      your spot on there particulalry 2.. youll also be taking orders form people who have no IT quals whatsoever (and yet they still manage to get into IT organisations) and expected to fit their ridiculous demands in on your weekends while your tradie mates are out at the local nightclubs shagging chicks.
      
      a carpenter learns how to build a house frame - thats a skill he has for life... an IT person learns Exchange 5 and in within no time its out of date and useless...
      
      do anything but IT - its a dead end...

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   2. negativity the problem Anonymous -- 09/11/07

      Negative views like the above are the problem. Very sexist response from above too. How will we get more girls into IT with men spouting that kind of rubbish?

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   3. oh yes its all roses isnt it? let play fairyland positives.. jim pappas -- 09/11/07

      ill remember my attitude is far too negative the next friday night i have to patch servers that cant be touched during normal hours while my friends are out having a good time..
      
      you cant polish crap.. and until IT realises that the drought will continue...

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   4. Negative? Surely not, Realistic deffinitely. Anonymous -- 09/11/07

      I've been working in IT for many years, and all I can say is that I feel very sorry for people entering IT now.
      
      Anyone entering the job has got to expect long, long hours and a lack of appreciation. When something is broken its your fault. When everything is working fine then you are doing nothing. When you pay your annual license fees you are a hole in the ground into which money is poured.
      
      And despite doing a good job your department may get outsourced, and multiple stories in the press about hundreds of IT jobs going to India certainly do not paint the impression that a career in IT is in anyway a secure career.
      
      The number of people I know who have lost relationships because of unrealistic expectations and the incredible demands put on IT staff is incredible. If you have a young family then this is the wrong place to be. Because at the drop of a hat, you could be recovering that exchange server (assuming you've sat your certification in marketi.. I mean support) at 3:00AM or you could be on your way out to a site.
      
      We've all been there answering the 03:00AM call and the best you will get out of it is a why was it broken not a thank you its fixed.
      
      IT is a terrible career choice, businesses dont understand it or appreciate it. The people you support dont think you're any good. And most professionals dont see IT as a profession.
      
      If you want a job in IT work for a vendor, not a user.

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   5. Wow Anonymous -- 15/04/08

      That's a generalisation if ever I have seen one. Or rather, make that three. I am not even going to bother trying to refute those claims. All I will say, is I work for a multinational IT company, and I have never had these issues, and I imagine I would find it quite difficult to find peers that have. Rather than asserting that every career in IT is going to be like this, how about you state that this has been your experience and let people decide for themselves?

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2. How wrong can they be? Anonymous -- 09/11/07

   I find myself completely blown away by this article. Is the CIO so ignorant as to think that a little clarification as to what an IT job means will make the skill shortage evaporate? Confusion over job specifications is not and has never been restricted to the computer world, and I would be surprised if any high school or university student has a grasp over exactly what any given career entails....
   
   Put simply, the entire business sector makes a living out of obfuscating job specifications in order to avoid having to pay the salaries that are stated for respective job titles. If they can put a sideways spin on the job title then they can avoid any claim of foul play by saying "its not quite the same'. Its in their best interest to remain as unclear and evasive as possible, and now its turned around and bit them hard.
   
   IT is an area where the penny-pinching business mentality hits home harder than most, as IT is still viewed as something that "enhances" a business but isn't absolutely necessary, though thankfully many areas are starting to realise it is vital.
   
   If your pipes burst or you need a light switch fixed, then you have absolutely no choice but to hire the appropriate person for the job. There are no alternatives, there is nothing you can do, or no "manual" way you can get around it, and thus you are slugged with an extorted amount not because of the demand for their services, but because they can and if they dont then their fellow tradie next to them will.
   
   To make matters worse... what if you need your taxes done or you need to be legally represented? Well these are two extremely critical areas where a bad job could result in serious personal consequences and loss of money, so these wonderful pillars of the community charge in 6 minute segments, again not because their services are in such high and respected demand, but because you have absolutely no choice unless you wish to risk serious consequences.
   
   So why then would a person go into an IT position, where they have had to complete a 3-4 year degree, and usually work their way through a 1-2 year "slavery"... erm I mean "graduate" program, just to get paid LESS than your average plumber or electrician???? Or an absolute pittance compared to your accountants, dentists or lawyers?
   
   Strangely enough... all of these professions are now made easier through the use of computers and the software written by skilled engineers who are wondering if they picked the right profession.
   
   Its bloody obvious Mr Grant. Why can't you see that?

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   1. view of IT by SME business managers Anonymous -- 09/11/07

      I especially agree with the view that, after all this time, IT is still often regarded as an "enhancement" when it comes to budgeting and resourcing rather than as a necessity, despite the fact that the businesses in question would grind to a halt without IT or, at the very least, operate with massively reduced efficiency and efficacy.

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3. As University Student and Consultant... Craig -- 12/11/07

   I do agree with the comments outlined here, but I will try and address
   
   this from a student going through University.
   
   I attend one of Australia's Go8 Universities in Victoria, and the
   
   course structure is just above abysmal. My skillset has derived from my
   
   own self study (reading, doing and many certifications I have chosen
   
   not to accredit myself with given I'd have to renew before I landed
   
   myself in a proper job) and experience with many corporations who
   
   believe as stated "it's your fault x isn't working" or "it's your fault
   
   that application x wont work with application y", so I believe I have a
   
   fair idea on what common duties are required within an organisation at
   
   a technical level.
   
   I have mates at supposedly leading TAFEs where they are completing more
   
   relevant education in Programming (both Web and Application),
   
   Networking (engineering, administration, planning and installation),
   
   Security (in terms of implementation) and other areas. Where the ones
   
   at TAFE can competently peice together an application to interact with
   
   an Oracle database using .NET technologies, my classmates cannot even
   
   comprehend what a 'form' is and how to write a simple SQL query.
   
   Although this degree is an Information Technology degree (not the
   
   common Computer Science degree), one could expect that an emphasis on
   
   Information Technology used in Organisations would be a key component
   
   of the course including exposure to a higher level of expertise in
   
   Oracle, Security, Programming, Information Management and Networking,
   
   when clearly it isn't. Units over a three year course include two
   
   programming in Java units (which with all due respect is just simply
   
   not up to an every day application - whilst useful programs such as
   
   OpenOffice have derived from Java, the overall stability of the
   
   platform is far from stable), Networking Units (I have just completed a
   
   semester whereby we were taught the process of review and submission of
   
   standards within ITEF, ISO, ANSI etc... and another based on using
   
   massive 10Mbps hubs - yes I said 10Mbps and the word Hub), Web Units
   
   (Three based on writing HTML using notepad which is useful as a
   
   background to the PHP and ASP.NET units; PHP unit dealt with Oracle
   
   databases instead of MySQL and ASP dealt with Access Databases instead
   
   of Oracle or MS SQL), Security Units (Units based on knowing the RSA
   
   algorithms, Why WEP is not considered good security *sigh* and What
   
   Caesar Cipher is *even more bullocks given most primary school students
   
   know how to key shift a letter*) and general Information Technology
   
   related units (IT Project Management which with all due respect
   
   requires years of experience - not a three month unit).
   
   I suppose the biggest problem I find is that the course material taught
   
   is either five+ years old (despite assessment requirements stating
   
   resources less than five years old are to be used) or completely
   
   irrelevant to the original purpose of the degree. Many of my class
   
   mates completed an Industry project this year (an IT Project whereby
   
   students *supposedly* move through all phases of the SDLC to produce a
   
   solution) without the project being relevant to what was taught. Some
   
   students were expected to program in languages unheard of in the unit
   
   outline, requiring students to investigate and learn new languages in
   
   such a short amount of time.
   
   It seems that classmates can't seem to do much more than read and
   
   interpret sourcecode from Java (again, something just about anyone
   
   could do), know the history of computing, know why databases are
   
   important and be utterly confused as per the purpose of IT Project
   
   Management.
   
   So what is my point in regards to the article? I don't believe the
   
   skill shortage is due to Information Technology being a confusing
   
   industry (granted, there are many different areas), I believe the lack
   
   of students entering University is due to better offerings at TAFE
   
   level, industry certification

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4. As University Student and Consultant... Craig -- 12/11/07

   I do agree with the comments outlined here, but I will try and address this from a student going through University. I attend one of Australia's Go8 Universities in Victoria, and the course structure is just above abysmal. My skillset has derived from my own self study (reading, doing and many certifications I have chosen not to accredit myself with given I'd have to renew before I landed myself in a proper job) and experience with many corporations who believe as stated "it's your fault x isn't working" or "it's your fault that application x will not work with application y", so I believe I have a fair idea on what common duties are required within an organisation at a technical level.
   I have mates at supposedly leading TAFEs where they are completing more relevant education in Programming (both Web and Application), Networking (engineering, administration, planning and installation), Security (in terms of implementation) and other areas. Where the ones at TAFE can competently peice together an application to interact with an Oracle database using .NET technologies, my classmates cannot even comprehend what a 'form' is and how to write a simple SQL query.
   Although this degree is an Information Technology degree (not the common Computer Science degree), one could expect that an emphasis on Information Technology used in Organisations would be a key component of the course including exposure to a higher level of expertise in Oracle, Security, Programming, Information Management and Networking, when clearly it isn't. Units over a three year course include two programming in Java units (which with all due respect is just simply not up to an everyday application - whilst useful programs such as OpenOffice have derived from Java, the overall stability of the platform is far from stable), Networking Units (I have just completed a semester whereby we were taught the process of review and submission of standards within ITEF, ISO, ANSI etc... and another based on using massive 10Mbps hubs - yes I said 10Mbps and the word Hub), Web Units (Three based on writing HTML using notepad which is useful as a background to the PHP and ASP.NET units; PHP unit dealt with Oracle databases instead of MySQL and ASP dealt with Access Databases instead of Oracle or MS SQL), Security Units (Units based on knowing the RSA algorithms, Why WEP is not considered good security *sigh* and What Caesar Cipher is *even more bullocks given most primary school students know how to key shift a letter*) and general Information Technology related units (IT Project Management which with all due respect requires years of experience - not a three month unit).
   I suppose the biggest problem I find is that the course material taught is either five+ years old (despite assessment requirements stating resources less than five years old are to be used) or completely irrelevant to the original purpose of the degree. Many of my class mates completed an Industry project this year (an IT Project whereby students *supposedly* move through all phases of the SDLC to produce a solution) without the project being relevant to what was taught. Some Students were expected to program in languages unheard of in the unit outline, requiring students to investigate and learn new languages in such a short amount of time.
   It seems that classmates can't seem to do much more than read and interpret sourcecode from Java (again, something just about anyone could do), know the history of computing, know why databases are important and be utterly confused as per the purpose of IT Project Management.
   So what is my point in regards to the article? I don't believe the skill shortage is due to Information Technology being a confusing industry (granted, there are many different areas), I believe the lack of students entering University is due to better offerings at TAFE level, industry certification or simply experience. I know for one that as a part-time consultant, if I was to look at expanding into a fo

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   1. Sounds like it hasn't changed Anonymous -- 16/11/07

      I did a full Computer Science degree in 91-94, and back then we were using Pascal with a bit of C (not C++, just C).
      
      One thing you come to realise is that any course is immediately outdated, and that the purpose is not to actually gain skills that you will directly use in your job (thats what TAFE is for), but to gain an education in the field which will allow you to not only know if you are suitable, but also give you the background through which you can actually learn useful stuff that will be used in your career.
      
      What seems to be missing from a lot of these courses now are things like software engineering, queuing models, algorithms, programming paradigms, teaching object-orientation, SDLC, UML, etc, etc, etc
      
      Unfortunately we have an industry where managers have been willing to hire "cowboys" because they are cheap. Then they get burned so they are reluctant to hire skilled people for the appropriate price.
      
      The problem we are facing is purely the perception and direction given by management, and by their innability to properly understand the benefit of IT to a company. The number of managers I have heard say "Y2K was a waste of time, we spent so much money and nothing happened" astounds me.... With these kinds of attitudes its no wonder the industry has problems.

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   2. 100% Correct Craig -- 20/11/07

      I did make this suggestion to a lecturer about the algorithmic approach, why we use object orientation, and a major one: Problem Solving in Programming.
      
      I know this stuff from years of mucking about with IT, but class mates struggle to write a basic Command Line application in Java that calculates a few numbers together, stores into an array and writes to a file. None of them think planning is important, and try to write "the application" rather than build it in smaller components :(

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   3. Heh Anonymous -- 20/12/07

      "Cowboys" hey?
      
      Sounds like someone is jealous that many people who have not wasted their time doing an IT degree yet are working in IT earn probably earn just as much if not more then him.
      
      Seriously, IT degrees are a waste of time. Get in on the ground level of some company, do a TAFE diploma and an industry certification or two and at the end of the 3-4 years you would have spent doing the IT degree you will be earning as much if not more then someone who did and have those years of experience to put on a resume to boot.
      
      Don't believe me? I took the non-degree route and now earn more then all of my friends who I have kept in touch with who completed their IT degree. I even hold a higher position then all of them, if they worked for the same company as me I'd be their boss :)

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5. Education & training Anonymous -- 19/11/07

   More companies need to look at TAFE students as well, ive seen some companies say for junior positions that they have to be Microsoft certified for a junior position is just rediculous. TAFE students have the on the job skills ready to go most of the time but are overlooked as they consider uni students better yet most uni's are theory based subjects with little to no prac. and some tafes actually use people in the industry to teach classes. IT needs refinement better explanation, better training, longer lasting certications (e.g. microsoft), better hours. better conditions & clarity as to what the job entails.

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6. teach them a lesson Anonymous -- 19/11/07

   Well there is always one way to teach all the buisnesses that IT is Important. We could all go on Strike to teach them that without us there stuffed.

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7. Cowboys Anonymous -- 20/11/07

   You do realise that one reason why companies are asking for more qualifications is that there are so many "cowboys" out there who are very charismatic and sure of themselves, they convince companies they can do the job only to get burned badly and left in the lurch.
   
   You can't put a light bulb in unless you have a qualified and certified electrician.... but there are no such standards or requirements for our industry, so anyone can do it. Anyone with a PC at home and who has knocked up an Excel spreadsheet thinks he can code what he wants and wastes valuable money in trying to fraudulently pass themselves off as a professional.
   
   There needs to be some kind of regulation, some means by which creditation (be it TAFE, Uni or otherwise) is evaluated and where people are paid fairly in accordance with their qualifications. Companies need to acknowledge the value in their IT staff having degrees and formal qualifications, and stop trying to cut corners by getting in cheap labour because they fail to see the value in IT.
   
   A case in point. One company didn't want to pay $50/hr... they felt it only deserved $30/hr. After a lot of grumbling they finally paid the appropriate price. The person moved on and was replaced by someone they got for $30/hr. It took the new person TWICE as long to get the job done as it did the more qualified and professional person at $50/hr. That means it effectively cost the company an extra $10/hr AND doubled their schedule.
   
   Managers need to start thinking more intelligently, rather than looking at a simple figure and judging it unacceptable. You get what you pay for in this world, and if they keep paying peanuts... they will only get monkeys.

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8. reality check Mr Business man Anonymous -- 04/12/07

   It really irritates me when you read articles like this. Rather that admitting that business itself by driving wages down and hours up have caused these problems.
   
   Recruiters and managers asking for University Degrees every certification under the sun, years of experience on every current flavour of operating system / software and offering a wage that does not even cover the costs of all the training you need to do.
   
   No this article is a typical Mr Business response to an expense, minimise or eliminate altogether, and then complain that they cannot get the skilled staff they need. This of course leads to the great answer of outsourcing to some third world country, and don't worry about the quality. This is the answer that Qantas came up with, you know that great Australian company that still calls Australia home unless of course you want a job in IT.

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9. Better than digging holes Anonymous -- 20/12/07

   For gawds sake - what other job can you get a 6 figure salary without any real responsibility or need to manage people? And if it goes bottom up the cause could be anything from incompatable libraries, to different vendor intrepration of standards to known bugs in this release etc.... ie: it doesn't need to be your fault.
   
   At the end of the say IT dudes seem to be stressed --why? because a field on a page that most users ignore has the wrong value. BIG DEAL, we not doing heart surgery, relax dudes and enjoy the ride.
   
   ...or perhaps you already are if you have time to read stuff like this all over the web

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   1. Av salary not very high John G -- 04/01/08

      What a stupid comment. The average salary is not six figures - it's about $70,000. And that comes with much less career certainty and longevity than other jobs.
      
      Yes there are many things that can go wrong, and it's usually the IT people who cop the blame for it.

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