Transcript Higher Education What’s in it for me?

The IT Skills Gap
Andrew Tuson
Centre for Information Leadership
What I’ll be covering…
• Not here to advocate a
particular agenda/body.
• Aim is to set the debate in
context and stimulate
discussion.
• I draw heavily on outside
research, particularly e-skills
UK’s (excellent) Technology
Insights report.
• Need to make up your own
mind what this means for you.
What does the workforce look like?
The flow of jobs…
The profession is aging…
More graduates for now (from HEPI)
Chart 5: Effect of social class changes on HE entry
110
Entrants (2005 = 100)
105
100
95
90
85
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
Simple population estimate
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
Social Class segmented estimate
2018
2019
2020
Gender Issues
Where is the growth…?
Where should we up-skill (Table 19)?
Put another way…
The ‘Contractor Paradox’
• On forums this question often comes up.
• If there’s a need for IT skills, why can’t I find
work? (Usually as a contractor)
• Possible response: the IT industry is one in
constant flux and transformation.
• Effect of ‘creative destruction’?
• Do we equip our workforce for the long term?
• Are professionals trying to commoditize
employers (and vice versa)?
Schools
• An issue with IT in schools (Ofsted 2009):
• “...many students were following qualifications of
doubtful value.”
• “Students were spending considerable time
demonstrating proficiency in what they could already
do..., rather than being introduced to new and more
challenging material and skills.”
• Does problem lie in what teachers are required
to teach and league tables?
• Confusion between ‘use of IT’ and ‘IT as profession’
HE: prospects.ac.uk (1)
In UK employment
62.3%
In overseas employment
1.3%
Working and studying
4.6%
Studying in the UK for a higher degree
6.0%
Studying in the UK for a teaching
qualification
1.3%
Undertaking other further study or training
in the UK
2.4%
Undertaking other further study or training
overseas
0.1%
Believed to be unemployed
13.7%
Not available for employment, study or
training
2.7%
Other
5.6%
Source: Prospects/HESA
• Prospects is the careers
site for graduates.
• Unemployment for CS/IT
graduates (after six
months) is worse than
national average (7.9%)
• What about those
employed?
HE: prospects.ac.uk (2)
• Less than half enter the IT
profession!
• Some hidden in other categories?
• Some are not employed in
‘graduate’ positions!
• Over 10% in retail, catering, waiting
and bar staff (reflects all-subject
average).
• This is six months after
graduation, improves later on…
• But students’ expectations are within
that timeframe.
Arts, design, culture and sports
professionals
Business and financial professionals
and associate professionals
Commercial, industrial and public
sector managers
Education professionals
Engineering professionals
Health professionals and associate
professionals
Information technology professionals
Legal professionals
Marketing, sales and advertising
professionals
Scientific research, analysis and
development professionals
Social and welfare professionals
Other professional and technical
occupations
Numerical clerks and cashiers
Other clerical and secretarial
occupations
Retail, catering, waiting and bar staff
Other occupations
Unknown occupations
Source: Prospects/HESA
5.2%
5.1%
9.1%
3.0%
1.9%
0.2%
43.7%
0.1%
2.4%
0.1%
0.6%
2.6%
1.3%
5.9%
10.4%
8.4%
0.2%
HE: Degree Employability?
• My ‘quick & dirty’ analysis
• Grades account for 59% of
variation. The rest? A
point for debate…
Source: HESA/Independent
• Placements help – strong
evidence for this!
• Links with industry
• Differences in coverage
• Local IT employment
markets
• Social capital?
Some parting thoughts/questions…
• Schools/HE only a part of the picture?
• Macro level vs Micro level?
• Dangers of ‘tick-box’ training?
• Certifications – evidence they add value?
• Civil society/state/market failure?
• Is academic education the enduring skill?
• More at andrewtuson.blogspot.com
Key Sources
• Much of the data was taken from the eSkills ‘Technology Insights’ report series.
• www.e-skills.com
• Other useful sources are:
•
•
•
•
www.prospects.ac.uk
www. jobstats.co.uk
www.uvac.ac.uk
www.bcs.org/careers/
Further Reading
•
Wolf, A. (2002). Does Education Matter? Myths About Education And Economic
Growth, London: Penguin Press.
•
Wolf, A. (2009). An Adult Approach to Further Education, London: IEA.
•
Leitch, S. (2006). Prosperity for all in the global economy - world class skills:
Final Report of the Leitch Review of Skills. London: HM Treasury.
•
Brown, P. and Hesketh, A. (2004). The Mismanagement of Talent: Employability
and Jobs in the Knowledge Economy. Oxford: OUP.
•
Knight, P., and Yorke, M. (2004). Learning, Curriculum and Employability in
Higher Education, London: Routledge Falmer.
•
Morley, L., Eraut, M., Aynsley, S., McDonald, D., and Shepard, J. (2006). Needs
of employers and related organisations for information about quality and
standards of higher education. Bristol: Higher Education Funding Council for
England.