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| The Global Information Technology Report 2012 (Photo credit: World Economic Forum) |
The computer and information technology field is one of today's highest demand employment fields.
The Federal Government projects an increase of 22% in the total number of jobs between now and 2020. The trend is expected to continue.
Industry experts say that private and public sector employers are searching for qualified people to work as web developers, security analysts, network administrators, computer support specialists and other specialized computer-related employment jobs.
College graduates with the skills and knowledge that are needed in information technology can have numerous job opportunities. The demand is widespread.
The fact remains, however, that colleges and universities in the United States are failing to prepare enough people to fill the vacancies. Evidence that employers are experiencing difficulty in finding qualified Americans to work in the computer-related occupations can be found in the continuing demand for H-1B visas for foreign workers.
The Brookings Institute reports that U.S. companies continue to face a shortage of available workers in the science and technology fields. Computer occupations remain among the job classifications for which H-1B visas are being sought. Brookings recommends that the Federal Government immediately adjust caps so that employment needs by region can be filled as soon as possible.
The Institute further suggests that the fees charged to apply for H-1B visa applications be spent on programs that train U.S. workers in the high demand occupations that are currently being filled by workers from other countries.
Cisco, a major global networking company, confirms that the demand for qualified workers exceeds the supply. Jeanne Beliveau-Dunn, vice president and general manager of Learning at Cisco, recently said in a Forbes magazine article, "Absolutely, there is a skills gap in I.T. It's where the jobs will be in the future."
William Kamela, senior director for education and the workforce at Microsoft's Law and Corporate Affairs Office, said "Nationally, there are about 40,000 computer science graduates a year but the nation needs 122,000." Kazmela adds, "Microsoft can't find enough people to fill all its positions."
The demand for information technology workers is high and the compensation for computer technology workers is above average. Modern society and economies are literally driven by computer technology. Hundreds of thousands of information specialists are needed to make it work.
A serious disconnect appears to exist among employment demand, educational institutions and students.
One educational leader says, "The educational system in the U.S. has failed to address employment demand. School administrators talk a good game but ignore reality. Existing undergraduate curriculum tends to be too broad. Students have to take the responsibility and inform themselves about career opportunities. Most schools avoid doing so. An individual who obtains the information technology skills and knowledge that are in demand can recession proof his or her future. The sky is the limit."
The facts confirm that the U.S. has a shortage of qualified information technology workers. The demand for such workers is strong. Industry leaders continue to complain that qualified workers are difficult to find. Universities and colleges are failing to fill the demand. The job opportunities in information technology are abundant.
Dr. William G. Perry is the publisher of The Learning Net (http://www.thelearningnet.com) and author of Top Jobs: Computer and Information Technology. Dr. Perry is an information technology specialist with significant experience as a university professor, author and contractor for various federal agencies. The Learning Net also publishes a computer security glossary (http://www.computer-security-glossary.org).
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