Transcript Cell Phones, Video Games and the Environment: Computer

IT Labour Disconnect:
High Demand / Low Supply
Daniel L. Silver, Ph.D.
Jodrey School of Computer Science
Acadia University,
Nova Scotia, Canada
7/20/2015
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Outline
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High Demand for Skilled Labour
Low Supply of New Talent
Reasons / Solutions for the Disconnect
Recent Findings
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High Demand for Skilled Labour
Unemployment: ICT < 3.5%; National average > 6.5%.
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High Demand
(thousands)
NORTEL
Source: Industry Canada website:
Quarterly Monitor of the Canadian ICT Sector - Q2, 2008
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A Landscape of Opportunity
Small Systems
Admin. and Support
Programming
System Installation
and Technical Support
CS + Application area X
Interdisciplinary Specializations
Computer Science
Project Management
Programming
Software Development
Research
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System Analyst/Design
Technical Expert
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Outlook – Even Higher Demand
• ICTC Outlook 2008-2015 Report (Oct 30, 2008):
– 125,000 to 175,000 ICT workers needed
– 15,795 to 22,345 per year
• 50% of hiring because of retirements
– 40% Fed. IT workers eligible for retirement in 2008
• Half of all hires:
– Systems analysts and software engineers
– Computer programmers and interactive media developers
– User support technicians
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Outlook – Even Higher Demand
• From 2008 – 2015:
– 7,200 university graduates per year needed (min.)
– 5,100 domestic capacity (BSc, BEng)
Workforce
Requirements
– 2,100 through immigration
Other
… students will pick their job!
23%
Univ.
47%
College
30%
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Source: ICTC 2008-15 Outlook
October 2008
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Most
needed ICT
talent in
Canada?
37% of sector
= 700,000 jobs
in 2008
(Data from Feb, 2006)
Source: ICTC 2008-15 Outlook
October 2008
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Where are the ICT Jobs?
37% of sector
700,000 in 2008
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Where are the ICT Jobs in NS?
Source: NSCC Survey of Nova Scotia’s Information Technology Industry, June 2008
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An Optimistic Future in NS for IT!
Source: NSCC Survey of Nova Scotia’s Information Technology Industry, June 2008
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Nova Scotia’s best kept secret:
Entrepreneurial opportunities here at home
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Subtotal
HB Studios
Concertia
InfoInteractive - AOL
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Nova Scotia’s best kept secret:
Entrepreneurial opportunities here at home
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Nova Scotia’s best kept secret:
Entrepreneurial opportunities here at home
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Nova Scotia’s best kept secret:
Entrepreneurial opportunities here at home
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Nova Scotia’s best kept secret:
Entrepreneurial opportunities here at home
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Low Supply of New Talent
Graduates
1998
40%
2002
2005
Canadian
IT Being
Off-shored !
Low Supply – Just in a cycle?
Change in Enrollment in North America
Source: CRA
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Low Supply – Just in a cycle?
Change in Enrollment in Nova Scotia
1.0
0.9
0.8
0.7
0.6
0.5
0.4
0.3
0.2
CS students enrolled in NS universities
(mean proportion of maximum)
0.1
0.0
2001
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2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
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2008
2009
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Reasons / Solutions
for the Disconnect
• Lack of Public Awareness of Problem
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• $57.6 B (4.7%) of GDP in
2007 on IT bust
Since 2003 media has focused
• Up 4.4% from 2006,
• Most recently Nortel, Bell,compared
Intel, MStolayoffs
2.5% total GDP
• Similar
last 5 yearsfuture
Public unaware of IT impact
on rise
economic
• Solutions:
– ICTC, ITANS, CIPS, ACM, CRA mounting campaigns
– Require industry & gov’t involvement and funding
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Canadian ICT Sector Output
• $57.6 billion of GDP (2002 dollars) in 2007
• 4.7% of overall GDP, up from 4.2% in 2002
• Rose 4.4% from 2006, compared to 2.5% for
overall GDP (similar performance last 5 years)
• Led by the software industry (7.5%), ICT
services industries increased by 2.9% in 2007
Source: Industry Canada - ic.gc.ca
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ICTC – Information and Communications
Technology Council of Canada
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Reasons / Solutions
for the Disconnect
• Cultural Challenges
– What does a computer scientist do? Youth,
parents, teachers know little about IT careers
– Few role models – Geek image dominates
– Few girls interested
• Solutions:
– Robotic / Programming competitions & mentoring
– School councilor & teacher workshops
– Out the “Closet Geeks” / Women in IT associations
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What is a Computer Scientist?
• Designs computers and the computer software
• Develops information technologies for
application in business and industry
• Tackles complex problems
• Often working in groups
• Loves to innovate, create solutions
• Loves to learn – changing , exciting field
• Good concentration and attention to detail
• Methodical, logical, good communication skills
 Project leadership and managerial positions
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ICTC Awareness Campaign
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Decline of Women in CS
26% of IT workers are women, 13% of students in CS are women
• Early childhood influences - early social/cultural factors contribute
to girls growing up less interested in technically oriented fields
• Lack of role models - few women computer scientists in high
positions at the departments of computer science from whom newly
admitted female students can gain inspiration
• Negative stereotyping - a computer specialist is typically portrayed
as a boring and nerdy person who doesn't enjoy life to the fullest
• Lack of resources for girls - Statistics Canada indicate that girls don't
have as much access to computers and the internet as boys do
• Career difficulties - some perceptions that the fast pace of IT would
place women at a disadvantage if they take time off for children
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Reasons / Solutions
for the Disconnect
• High School Educational Challenges
– CS is part of Tech. Ed. and not Science curriculum
– Mathematics has not been a priority in Canada
– Typically one CS course / Few trained educators
• Solutions:
– Offer 1st year Intro CS courses to high schools
– Accept students based on challenge exams
– Offer Cert. / Masters in Math and CS Education
– Seed & feed CS teacher association
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Reasons / Solutions
for the Disconnect
• Demographic Challenges
– Youth population growth in Canada is declining
• Solutions: - Viagra, International recruitment
• Industry Disincentives:
– “3-5 years experience” on job adverts
– Only 25% of ICT sector is women
• Solutions: - Apprentice program tax incentives
– Priority: Immigrate high quality female talent
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Reasons / Solutions
for the Disconnect
• University CS Department Challenges
– Curricula need revision
– CIPS endorsing applied CS curriculum
– Need for more scholarship funding
• Solutions:
– Listen to Industrial Advisory Board
– Computer Science plus Domain X
– Engage alumni / industry in scholarship campaign
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What are employers looking for?
• Core technical skills (CS, Datacom)
• Experience with domain applications and
computing platforms
• Experience with specific business processes to
which ICT is a solution
• Great communications
• Great team‐work skills
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Educational Paths
The Interdisciplinary Advantage
Degree programs in computer science are
expanding to applied interdisciplinary areas
Computer science + Domain X knowledge
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E-Commerce and Business Informatics = CS + Business
Environmental Informatics = CS + Env. Science
Mobile Computing = CS + Handheld technologies
New media / Game Development = CS + Entertainment
Health Informatics = CS + Health Care
Bioinformatics = CS + Molecular Biology
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2008 UK Study – Attitudes of
Undergrads on Careers in IT
• Web-based
questionnaire
• Snapshot of opinions two week window
• Respondents:
– 1144 computing/IT
students
– 749 non-computing
students
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2008 UK Study – Attitudes of
Undergrads on Careers in IT
• Computing students confident about careers
– 79% felt certain they had made the right choice
– 90% plan to work in ICT sector
• Main influencers
– Personal interest and abilities
– Exciting projects, chance to apply knowledge
– Females - opportunity to effect society, environment, keep
options open
– Salary and career prospects – but lower on list
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2008 UK Study – Attitudes of
Undergrads on Careers in IT
• Perspective on IT promotion in schools
– 50% of computing students felt IT not well promoted in
schools
– IT teachers had little impact on degree choices
• Major reason for non-computing students not
entering computing degree
– Expect work to be boring, repetitive, not involving
interesting people and projects
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2008 UK Study –
Some Surprising Findings
• Students had few fears of sector decline due
to dot.com bust or off-shoring of labour
• Negative images of sector/professionals do
not translate into reluctance to enter sector
• Do so few females in IT turn girls off?
– 70% of female computing students say this is not an
important influencer
– 40% of female non-computing students had no opinion,
21% were ferociously opposed to idea
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2008 UK Study – Attitudes of
Undergrads on Careers in IT
• Exposure to/Promotion by employers/sector
– 32% of computing students and 49% of non-computing felt
sector did not promote careers
– 41% of computing students and 59% of non-computing felt
IT employers had a lower profile than those of other
sectors
– However … 70% of students undertaking work experience
found it a major factor for confirming degree choice
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2008 UK Study –
Recommendations
• Best strategy:
– Campaign to overcome false perceptions of IT
careers – boring, repetitive, isolated
– Engage employers in campaign
– Work with employers to create and foster work
terms … Co-op
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Q/A and Discussion
cs.acadiau.ca
[email protected]
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Thank You!
cs.acadiau.ca
[email protected]
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