Complaints aside, ICT graduates in demand, say teachers
Leon Sterling, dean of the ICT faculty at Swinburne University and head of the Australian Council of Deans of ICT, said debate about the issue was "distorted by a small minority of loud voices".
Professor Sterling said outsourcing did not spell bad news for new starters but instead led to the creation of additional opportunities.
"Far from removing jobs, there are more jobs," he said. "People may be nervous, as a result of getting the message that there are no jobs in ICT, but it's not true."
His comments follow the release last week of the Australian Workforce and Productivity Agency's ICT Workforce Study, which called for more young people to be funnelled into the sector to avoid a major skills shortage.
AWPA chief executive Robin Shreeve said use of more overseas workers on 457 visas was likely if the sector did not receive a big influx of new blood. The number of ICT workers holding 457 visas rose from 5327 to 9271 in the past two years. The number of tertiary ICT graduates dropped from 9093 in 2003 to 4547 in 2012, despite concerted efforts by academia and industry bodies to talk up the advantages of a technology career to school leavers.
About 90 per cent of Swinburne's 2012 graduates had found employment in the sector, Professor Sterling said.
It's a similar story at the University of Queensland, according to Paul Strooper, the head of the IT and electrical engineering school.
"There will always be offshoring of jobs but they're not the sort of jobs we train people for here," Professor Strooper said. Most UQ students had jobs before graduation, he said, with companies wanting to employ graduates often arriving too late.
Read the full story at
smh.com.au/it-pro
Frequently Asked Questions about this Article…
Yes. Academics quoted in the article say ICT graduates remain in demand. Leon Sterling from Swinburne reported about 90% of Swinburne’s 2012 ICT graduates found employment, and the University of Queensland’s head of IT said many students had jobs before graduation.
According to the academics in the article, offshoring does not necessarily remove local entry‑level roles. Professor Leon Sterling said outsourcing has led to additional opportunities rather than fewer jobs, and Professor Paul Strooper noted that the jobs being offshored are often not the kinds graduates are trained for locally.
The article cites AWPA chief executive Robin Shreeve warning that use of more overseas workers on 457 visas is likely if the sector doesn’t attract more entrants. It notes the number of ICT workers on 457 visas rose from 5,327 to 9,271 over the past two years.
Yes. The Australian Workforce and Productivity Agency’s ICT Workforce Study called for more young people to be funnelled into the sector to avoid a major skills shortage. The article also highlights a drop in tertiary ICT graduates as a contributing factor.
The article reports tertiary ICT graduates fell from 9,093 in 2003 to 4,547 in 2012. That decline is important because AWPA says fewer domestic graduates could increase reliance on overseas workers and risk a skills shortage down the track.
Universities cited in the article report strong outcomes: Swinburne had about a 90% employment rate for its 2012 ICT graduates, and the University of Queensland reported many students securing jobs before graduation.
AWPA’s ICT Workforce Study recommended more young people be encouraged into ICT careers to avoid a major skills shortage, noting the decline in domestic ICT graduates and the recent rise in 457 visa holders working in the sector.
Workforce trends can affect the tech sector’s long‑term capacity and costs. The article highlights high graduate employment rates alongside a falling supply of domestic ICT graduates and rising 457 visa use—factors that may influence labour availability and sector dynamics that investors often monitor.
Call 1300 880 160
Start a chat
Schedule a call
