Future IT workers lack business know-how to stave off skills shortage warns Open University report
Research presented today by The Open University suggests that the IT industry and higher education must collaborate to improve the readiness of future professionals to succeed in the workplace and help mitigate the worst affects of an imminent skills shortage.
The report warns that as well as falling number of students
taking computer science and IT courses, 43% of employers highlight
a lack of business acumen amongst the potential candidates they do
see coming through.
Kevin Streater, co-author of 'Developing professionalism in new IT
graduates? Who needs it?' will present the paper at a High
Education Academy event in Derby called "Enhancing Employability of
Computing Students". The conference focuses on practical ways to
improve the employment opportunities for computing students,
looking particularly at computer games, computer forensics and
computer network students.
According to the CBI 62% of entrants to the IT sector draw on
managerial and professional business skills almost immediately. The
Open University paper suggests that for organisations to succeed
long-term, their IT graduate recruits must supplement their
technical skills with managerial and business skills through
continuing professional development.
The report calls on universities and higher education providers to
work alongside employers and construct flexible career development
tools that build on existing academic and technical expertise with
work based skills. At the same time employers must see staff
development as a long term strategic route to improved business
performance.
"With future UK IT growth likely to focus primarily on high-value
business focused roles, its vital for the future economic
contribution of our sector that work based learning is incorporated
into the development of our IT professionals right from the start,"
says Kevin Streater, Executive Director for IT and Telecom at The
Open University.
A recent example of this approach saw The Open University map its
courses to the CIO Executive Council's Pathways Framework. The
framework lays out step-by-step, the changing demands placed on IT
workers capabilities as they progress in their career. Through this
collaboration the OU has created a learning plan to help companies
improve the internal conveyor belt that turns entry-level staff
into the company's senior management.