[Year 12 IT Apps] What Future IT?

[timmer at melbpc.org.au]

Hello all

I don't believe the drop in numbers (in ITA at least) has much to do with 
the job market in IT. In my experience, students who chose IPM by and 
laege did not see themselves as going into the industry per se; rather 
they saw themselves as needing IT skills to support whatever job/career 
they had in mind. The difference, I think, between then and now is that 
students no longer see themselves as lacking IT skills and this, coupled 
with the lack of prerequisite needs re IT and Tertiary, means that they 
are no longer choosing it.

Also, I don't think the 'fun' factor is part of it - or, if it is, there 
is too much fun and not enough real work pre-VCE to give students an 
appreciation of what VCE IT is really about. Name me a VCE subject that 
is 'fun'; relevent and interesting perhaps, but a hard slog as well.

As I have have said before, I think the gloss has worn off and that VCE IT 
is finding its place as a 'technology' subject and that means lowish 
numbers.

Regards
Robert T-A
Brighton SC


> I have read with interest the many contributions to this ongoing
> discussion.
> The REAL situation out there in the workplace...
> One of my sons is a software engineer who has worked in the industry for
> around 10 years.
> They are desperate for skilled and qualified IT system engineers,
> programmers etc. People with the necessary qualifications can almost
> name the salary they want.
> I think that we are all suffering the extended backlash from the
> tech-bubble-bursting. Immediately prior to it, many hopeful
> wannabee-millionaires studied IT, some of whom were really unsuited to
> it either psychologically or intellectually or interest-wise, so some in
> the industry welcomed the clean-out that happened, but it has gone too
> far, and people's memories are long.
> Sorry, these observations are no solution, but I would like to know what
> is going on in the hundreds of brains who would have chosen IT in the
> past, but now are not.
> FACT - there are plenty of good-paying jobs out there for everyone who
> get IT qualifications.
> NEED -  we need to get this message through to all and sundry - career
> advisers, parents, friends & relatives who give ill-informed-advice, and
> the kids themselves.
> Cheers, Keith
> Keith Richardson
> 
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