IT Learning and Career Expectations survey: a first look- challenges for education

IT Learning and Career Expectations survey: a first look- challenges for

education

This is an overview of a survey of NZ computing intake and an employer survey, both in February 2014. Detailed statistical analysis is to follow. Cite as: Mann, S., Costello, K., Smith, N., Lopez, M. & Lopez, D. (2014) IT Learning and Career Expectations survey: a first look - challenges for education. ITx 2014. Keynote. Auckland Oct 8-12

Business Analyst

Business Development Manager

Database Administrator

Entrepreneur

Games Programmer

Mobile Developer

Network Administrator

Network and Systems Engineer

Programmer

Project Manager

Software Engineer

Software Tester

Support Technician

Systems Analyst

Systems Administrator

Web Administrator

Web Developer

0 10 20 30 40 50 60

27

153

93 ISDeveloperNetwork / Sysadmin

Twelve months after you have completed your studies, what do you expect to be earning per year? (Note: the one year after graduation salary for a primary school teacher with a degree is $46,000)

20K-30K

30K-40K

40K-50K

50K-60K

60K-70K

70K-80K

80K-90K

90K-100K

100K+0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

20K-30K

30K-40K

40K-50K

50K-60K

60K-70K

70K-80K

80K-90K

90K-100K

100K+0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

30K-40K 40K-50K 50K-60K0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

Thinking of a generic job suitable for graduates within your organisation, what percentage of the time would they be doing the following: ______ Working individually ______ Working as part of a team ______ Interacting with clients/customers/other external people

Working individually; 33

Working as part of a team; 41

Interacting with clients/cus-tomers/other external people; 27

Students

Working individually; 33


Interacting with clients/cus-tomers/other external people; 27 Working individually; 32


Interacting with clients/cus-tomers/other external people;

18

Students Employers

What would be your ideal mix of subjects within an IT qualification?

______ Programming (eg. Software Development)

______ Infrastructure (eg. Networks, Operating Systems, Hardware)

______ Communication Skills ______ Business Practice (eg. Accounting, Law, etc)

______ Multimedia ______ Business Analysis (including software

engineering)

Programming (eg. Software Development)

Infrastructure (eg. Networks, Operating Systems, Hardware)

Communication Skills

Business Practice (eg. Accounting, Law, etc)

Multimedia

Business Analysis (including software engineering)

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45

What would be your ideal mix of subject areas within your qualification?

Student Employer

Which of the following graduates has the best career prospects in IT and why? (assume everything else is equal)

Student Employer

Ashley is a average programmer and a poor communicator

1 0

Bryce is a poor programmer and an excellent communicator

9 28

Casey is an excellent programmer and a poor communicator

9 19

Dale is a average programmer and an average communicator

82 54

Eddie is a poor programmer and an average communicator

0 0


Student Employer


1 0


9 28


9 19


82 54


0 0


Student Employer


1 0


9 28


9 19


82 54


0 0

Only by communicating can someone in IT understand the clients real needs and have the client realise that their needs have been met. Excellent products done the way the programmer thinks they should be done, which isn't what the client wanted, and which the client doesn't appreciate the excellence of the result - is a total waste of time.

How do employers rank these skills/attributes?

Able to apply knowledge and skills in the workplaceAble to find and evaluate informationAble to solve problemsBeing able to think criticallyBeing able to use technologyBeing able to work in a teamBeing able to work independently

Demonstrating an understanding of social, environmental and economic sustainabilityKeeping up to date with new developmentsNumeracy skillsOral communication skillsRequired technical skills

Written communication skills

Student ranking (how they think employers would rank)

Required technical skillsBeing able to use technologyBeing able to work in a teamOral communication skills

Able to apply knowledge and skills in the workplaceAble to solve problemsBeing able to think criticallyBeing able to work independentlyAble to find and evaluate informationWritten communication skillsKeeping up to date with new developmentsNumeracy skills

Demonstrating an understanding of social, environmental and economic sustainability

Student

Student compared with employer ranking




Being able to work in a teamAble to solve problemsOral communication skillsRequired technical skillsBeing able to think critically

Able to apply knowledge and skills in the workplaceBeing able to work independentlyWritten communication skillsBeing able to use technologyAble to find and evaluate informationKeeping up to date with new developmentsNumeracy skills


Student Employer




Being able to work in a teamAble to solve problemsOral communication skillsRequired technical skillsBeing able to think critically

Able to apply knowledge and skills in the workplaceBeing able to work independentlyWritten communication skillsBeing able to use technologyAble to find and evaluate informationKeeping up to date with new developmentsNumeracy skills


Student compared with employer ranking

Student Employer

To what extent do you agree/disagree with the following statements?

Strongly Disagree (1)

Disagree (2) Neither Agree nor Disagree

(3)

Agree (4) Strongly Agree (5)

If it's legal it's ethical

The dignity and welfare of people should be the most important concern in society

Selfishness is the best guiding principle

Questions of what is ethical for everyone can never be resolved since what is moral or immoral is up to the individual.

Business is a special case, the ethics are different to personal life

To what extent do you agree/disagree with the following statements? Strongly

Disagree (1)

Disagree (2) Neither Agree nor Disagree (3)


As long as everyone is following "they are in it for themselves" society as a whole will

prosper

If I'm operating within the law I don't need to worry about ethics

It is never necessary to sacrifice others

What is ethical varies from one situation and society to another

My employer will protect me if anything goes wrong, so long as I've followed their

rules.

To what extent do you agree/disagree with the following statements? Strongly

Disagree (1)

Disagree (2) Neither Agree nor Disagree (3)


The existence of potential harm to others is always wrong, irrespective of the benefits to be gained

My job as a computer professional is to provide the technical solutions (code or infrastructure), my managers will have considered the ethical implications

There is no room in business for soft things like ethics, if your competitor does it then you can

Computing is largely theoretical or technical - with little consequence










My employer will protect me if anything goes wrong, so long as I've followed their rules.

As long as everyone is following "they are in it for themselves" society as a whole will prosper




0 1 2 3 4

agree

} Naïve legalism

} Naïve egoism

} Naïve agency

} Naïve relativism

} Naïve relativism in context

} Idealism














0 1 2 3 4

disagree agree














0 1 2 3 4

disagree agreeStudent Employer

studyin

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s (hours)

Caring f

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Active

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Household Ta

sks

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Trave

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Other (Plea

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Earn

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Voluntary w

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2

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(in a

job relat

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Household Ta

sks

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Other (Plea

se sta

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t gam

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(star

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ffensive email

27th Annual CITRENZ Conference

http://www.citrenz.ac.nz

Education

IT Learning and Career Expectations survey: a first look- challenges for education