Communications of the ACM
More Demand, Fewer Grads Mean Tech Careers Continue to Boom
Credit: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Demand for technology professionals continues to rise, as the technology industry remains one of the fastest growing career fields. Broader use of cheaper, more easily available technology by a variety of industries, combined with an imbalance in the supply and demand of technology professionals, means technology will continue to be a hot career choice. According to the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO), employment in the computer sciences and math fields increased by 78% over the most recent tracking period, while employment increased by only 17% in non-science and tech fields. Going forward, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics expects information technology careers to remain in high demand in coming years.
Tomorrow's computer technology careers will increasingly be outside the computer or technology industry itself. In fact, the Information Technology Association of America found that 92% of IT graduates work outside the IT industry. This is a trend that is expected to continue as technology continues to expand to all realms of life. The future IT worker won't be a technology specialist but rather a generalist, with the ability to establish careers in a wide variety of fields, ranging from health care to business to finance. In addition, as more complex technologies continue to develop, companies will seek employees who stay up to date with new technologies. Many workers are already signing up for computer technology courses because they want to stay on top of advances in the field.
Employers are increasingly looking for employees not just with computer knowledge, but also with the computer know-how to solve problems, as well as employees with hands-on experience in a range of real-world applications. E-commerce and cybersecurity are also expected to influence tomorrow's computer technology careers. As more companies and individuals do business on the Internet, companies are finding they need to build and maintain databases to store important information on their customers, products and sales. Companies increasingly store sensitive information electronically, and as a result, they need to protect that information. But some express concern that the United States may not be prepared for this wave in the technology industry. In fact, the GAO found that graduates in science, math, engineering or technology fields actually decreased from about 32% to 27% of all graduates between 1994 and 2003.
From Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
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