The Number of Information Technology Graduates is still falling
May 31, 2007 · by Tammy Adler
This is a subject you’re going to continually hear me harping about.
During a UW-Whitewater Management Computer Systems Advisory Meeting in April, I was shocked by the IT Graduate national statistics. I thought I remembered the statistics being something like 40% less students (with a larger % decrease for women) graduating with IT degrees.
Imagine my SHOCK when the professors quoted a number of 70% less graduates since 2000, low numbers not seen since 1977. Now they had my attention, and we had some interesting conversation and debate. Our conversations centered around a couple of topics: (1) why are there less students going into the IT field, (2) how can we turn around the trend, and (3) what is the age of our current IT workforce.
Let me begin at the top:
(1)There is much speculation that parents are increasingly directing their children away from the IT vocation. Some experts believe this is because people are still shaken by the DOT COM bubble. Some feel the fear of off-shoring plays a part in the decision. Some feel there is a perception that IT is not a cool profession to enter into.
(2) Some in our group felt we must begin talking with high school students, their guidance counselors, and parents. This is a good idea, though I also believe it is critical we begin working with students when they first enter middle school, and continually educate them, their guidance counselors, and parents. If we wait until students are in their later years of high school, no doubt the decision will have already been made.
I discussed what I believe is a critical factor when educating students, guidance counselors, and parents about our field. Namely, what I consider the differences are between (a)information technology and (b)computer science.
(a) I truly believe information technology is a business field where we analyze, design, write, and test business applications. Applications we use every day, whether we’re talking about insurance (reporting online claims), banking (online bill pay), utility (online self-service for meter reading, residential moves, etc.), or applications for the gaming, music, or animation industry.
(b) Likewise, I believe computer science is the scientific side where professionals build electronic computer components, drivers, chips, etc.
(3) Some of the larger Wisconsin companies represented at this meeting said 50-70% of their IT workforce will be retirement eligible in the next 7-10 years. Think about this a minute. If 50-70% of the current IT workforce is nearing retirement, and there are 70% less students graduating in the IT field, what trajectory does that set us on in the very near future?
Information drives our world economy, and easy access to information is critical for each of us to succeed. As I mentioned in an earlier posting, of the 10 fastest growing and top-ranked jobs in the US, Information Technology (i.e., (1) Network Data Communications Analyst, (3) Computer Software Engineer, Applications, (4) Computer Software Engineers, Systems Software, (5) Network and Computer Systems Engineer, and (6) Database Administrator) is listed in 5 of the top 6. This is a clear indication of the importance these positions are predicted to play well into the future.
I’m very passionate about this topic, and will discuss it more in the future.
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