Commenting on
Microsoft research into the skills needed for future business
success,
Bill Gates highlighted that the high-fliers of tomorrow will be
those that continue to develop a strong and diverse skill set. "If
you look at the most interesting things that have emerged in the
last decade, they all come from the realm of science and
engineering, but communication skills and the ability to work well
with different types of people are very important too", he
said.
What Gates identifies is that a combination of skills will be
key to future business success - something that is born out by the
research. The research has found that top business leaders still
view IT aptitude as more relevant to future generations than those
currently in employment. Whilst they acknowledge its importance,
business decision-makers do not currently value IT skills as much
as others, choosing instead to highlight the importance of a number
of other attributes, such as team working and interpersonal
skills.
Importantly though, this view was held by the older generation
of managers currently in senior positions, rather than the younger
ones coming through.
This research highlights two major themes: firstly, the industry
still has a problem with its image in the boardroom and secondly,
there is a generational gap in how IT is perceived.
But the challenges we face go deeper and I think IT has an image
problem. Of the IT graduates the UK nurtures, 70% choose
alternative activities or jobs outside of the IT profession. This
is set against a backdrop of an IT industry growing at five to
eight times the national growth average and requiring 150,000 new
entrants each year to meet demand.
But between 2001 and 2006 there was a drop of 43% in the number
of students taking
A-levels in computing. Clearly something is going wrong.
We may hear this story often enough, but what is the industry
doing to address the challenge? Reassuringly, there is a consensus
that we need to work together, and there are a number of things the
industry is doing to meet the issues we face.
For instance, companies including Accenture, LogicaCMG, BBC,
Apple and John Lewis and Microsoft are co-operating on the
"Revitalise IT" initiative. Supported by the Higher Education
Funding Council (HEFCE) and led by E-Skills UK, this scheme brings
together employers, universities and schools, and is expected to
involve more than 40,000 students. It looks to address the skills
challenge on two fronts: an "Ambition" prong aims to transform the
views of young people towards IT, whilst the "Catalyst" pillar
looks to support universities in creating and promoting a
curriculum that reflects the needs of the IT industry.
A group of industry leaders has also been working with E-Skills
UK to develop an IT Diploma as part of the Government's flagship
strategy for 14-19 education. The Diploma will transform the way 14
to 19 year olds learn about technology. Combining general education
and applied learning, the Diploma will prepare young people for
university and work, whatever their ability or career
aspirations.
But alongside the efforts of industry, government and academia,
I believe it is incumbent on each and every one of us to evangelise
about IT. When we are at a dinner party and someone asks us what we
do, we should feel proud about having a career that enables us to
contribute to some of the most important and exciting developments
in people's lives. This way I think we will start to dispel some of
the negative misconceptions people have about IT.
The key to success in meeting the skills challenge is the
ability to change both the perception of the industry as well as
working in partnership with academic institutions to build courses
that excite students and work for industry. What is clear is that
this kind of approach will only be successful if we work together
as a sector in collaboration with government, academia and,
ultimately, the young people who will shape the future of our
industry.