Slide 1: Careers Teachers Seminar – Re-engaging Student interest in an ICT Career. A Dialogue Professor Doug Grant, FACS Dean, Faculty of Information and Communication Technologies
Slide 2: Context: Lots of good jobs and few students > ICT Job Ads at record high level. > Industry, governments (state & federal), universities agree : there is a major shortage of ICT professionals. > Australian student interest in studying ICT is at a record low level. > So … – Industry is off-shoring work and importing workers – Industry and Government are canceling projects – University IT departments are in danger of “going under” > What Can/Should We Do??
Slide 3: There are jobs there! >
Slide 4: The jobs pay well!
Slide 5: Official stats show a booming Industry > ICT labour demand > The Olivier Internet Job Index reports that the number of IT&T jobs grew by 43.37 per cent in the 12 months to September 2006. > The largest categories represented were software development (30.06 per cent), management and sales (19.74 per cent) and networks communications and security (11.88 per cent). > ICT vacancy index > The Department of Employment and Workplace Relations (DEWR) ICT vacancy index in October 2006 was 23.9 per cent higher than in October 2005. Since 2002 the ICT vacancy index has demonstrated a clear upward trend, rising by over 200 per cent to 304.9 (November 2002 = 100).
Slide 6: ICT matters to Victorian Government Victoria’s ICT Policy
Slide 7: But …..………..
Slide 8: Enrolments in Victorian IT Degrees
Slide 9: Swinburne BIT Degree > Guaranteed Scholarship of $11K pa > Scholarship is $18K pa if ENTER >= 95 > Guaranteed 40 weeks work experience in industry. > Pretty much guaranteed employment on graduation with top employers. > YET struggled to fill 40 places (ENTER cut-off in 2007 was 80) > And only 2 students with ENTER of >= 95 (despite scholarship of $18,000 per annum.
Slide 10: IT enrolments and jobs in the USA
Slide 11: Why not study ICT? > IT is just for nerds and I don’t want to be seen as a nerd! > New technologies require fewer skills > ICT jobs are all being sent offshore > IT is just for men > Globalisation will kill the local IT industry > ICT careers are boring - I want to work with people > ICT just isn’t sexy! > I really don’t know what ICT means! > IT is just part of my life - I don’t need to study ITC
Slide 12: Is THIS really the basic problem? “We tend to only see the stereotyped worker sitting at a computer, and that’s not me. I would like to see what other career paths there are as I am sure there are some very interesting ones…but I just don’t know”
Slide 13: The message that needs to be conveyed Software Development, Telecommunications and Network Engineering, Business Information System offer GREAT CAREER OPPORTUNITIES : > With HIGH SALARIES; > With TRAVEL OPPORTUNITIES; > Involve WORKING TOGETHER IN TEAMS with LOT’S OF INTERPERSONAL CONTACT; > offer the opportunity to be INVOLVED IN INNOVATION in ALMOST EVERY INDUSTRY IMAGINEABLE; > For WOMEN ESPECIALLY - industry is STRIVING FOR INCREASED FEMALE PARTICIPATION
Slide 14: What do you think?
Slide 15: What are we doing at Swinburne? > > > > > > > > Practical focus Very up-to-date curriculum Industry-Based Learning Lot’s of Team Project Work on REAL problems Broad range of ICT careers Uni has a strong commitment to ICT We have a whole faculty of ICT The centre for IT Research is one of the top 7 research centres in the University.
Slide 16: How can we help you? > > Support Programs for VCE teachers and students. We (our staff, our students, our industry partners) can come and talk to your students (IT, Physics, Maths, Commerce) We are happy to come and talk to you, and teacher colleagues, one-to-one. >