Industry push to attract students
Australia's information and communications technology graduate numbers have halved in the past decade. Now Australia's research agency NICTA hopes to reverse the decline with the national rollout of an initiative that has helped boost enrolments by 50 per cent in Queensland.
Launched in 2007 by Simon Kaplan, former dean of science and technology at Queensland University of Technology, the program known as GroupX uses extracurricular projects and workshops to spark interest in ICT careers among the under-15s.
Backed by a consortium of government agencies, universities, industry associations and vendors, GroupX could take credit for Queensland enrolment numbers that have defied the gloomy national trend, said Mr Kaplan, who now runs NICTA's Queensland lab.
Offers for ICT tertiary courses in the state rose from 1171 in 2007 to 2000 in 2011; a trend the program's national manager Karsten Schulz hopes will be replicated Australia-wide within five years.
The number of students graduating from ICT courses nationally dropped from 9093 in 2003 to 4547 in 2012. Only 54.6 per cent of domestic entrants complete their courses.
Mr Kaplan said targeting students in years 5 to 10 yielded better results than trying to influence the tertiary choices of students in years 11 and 12, whose career aspirations were formed.
"It became quite clear early on that year 11 and 12 is too late," he said. "We need to be patient and prepared for really long latency. Education is a long-term business. We have to take a long-term view."
While GroupX's remit was about "increasing the size of the cake", Mr Kaplan said he was also working with institutions to make their curriculums more modern and engaging, a move he hopes will reduce dropout rates.
Academics and industry bodies say Australia will face a worsening technology skills shortage unless more young people are funnelled into the profession.
In July, Australia Workforce and Productivity Agency CEO Robin Shreeve warned that more foreign workers would be needed to make up the shortfall if dwindling tertiary enrolments were not tackled.
Some believe employers exaggerate the skills shortages to justify importing foreign staff who will work for lower wages than locals.
Australian Computer Society Foundation executive director John Ridge said low enrolment numbers reflected the lack of quality career advice available to students, rather than lack of interest in ICT careers.
The head of policy at the Australian Computer Society, Adam Redman, said the initiative would help deal with the country's "appalling lack of ICT skills".
"Digital literacy - how to use a laptop - is not the same as digital capability - understanding how it works - and through initiatives like GroupX we can help address critical brakes and risk to our digital economy," Mr Redman said.
GroupX will receive $6.5 million over four years from the Department of Communications and expects cash and in-kind assistance from major sponsors, including Commonwealth Bank, Optus and CSIRO.
Frequently Asked Questions about this Article…
GroupX is a program launched in 2007 by Simon Kaplan, designed to increase interest in ICT careers among young students through extracurricular projects and workshops. It has successfully boosted enrolments in Queensland by 50% and aims to replicate this success nationwide.
GroupX is a program launched in 2007 by Simon Kaplan to increase interest in ICT careers among young students through extracurricular projects and workshops. It aims to reverse the decline in ICT enrolments by targeting students before they make their tertiary education choices.
The decline in ICT graduates in Australia is attributed to a lack of quality career advice for students and a general decrease in enrolments in ICT courses. This trend has resulted in a significant drop in the number of students graduating from ICT courses nationally over the past decade.
The decline in ICT graduates in Australia is attributed to a lack of quality career advice for students and a general decrease in enrolments in ICT courses over the past decade.
GroupX plans to address the technology skills shortage by targeting students in years 5 to 10, sparking early interest in ICT careers, and working with institutions to modernize curriculums, thereby reducing dropout rates and increasing the number of skilled ICT professionals.
GroupX has significantly boosted ICT enrolments in Queensland, with offers for ICT tertiary courses rising from 1,171 in 2007 to 2,000 in 2011, defying the national trend of declining enrolments.
Government agencies, universities, industry associations, and vendors back the GroupX initiative. They provide support and resources to help increase ICT enrolments and address the skills shortage in the technology sector.
The long-term goals of GroupX include increasing the number of students pursuing ICT careers and modernizing curriculums to make them more engaging, ultimately reducing dropout rates and addressing the technology skills shortage in Australia.
GroupX distinguishes digital literacy as the ability to use technology, like laptops, while digital capability involves understanding how technology works. The initiative aims to enhance digital capability among students to better prepare them for ICT careers.
Targeting students in years 5 to 10 is crucial because their career aspirations are not yet fully formed, making it easier to influence their interest in ICT careers before they make their tertiary education choices.
GroupX receives $6.5 million over four years from the Department of Communications, along with cash and in-kind assistance from major sponsors such as Commonwealth Bank, Optus, and CSIRO, to support its initiatives.
If ICT enrolments do not increase, Australia may face a worsening technology skills shortage, potentially leading to a reliance on foreign workers to fill the gap, which could impact local employment and wages.
Targeting younger students, specifically those in years 5 to 10, is crucial because their career aspirations are not yet fully formed. Engaging them early increases the likelihood of them pursuing ICT careers, as opposed to targeting older students whose career paths may already be set.
GroupX plans to address the digital skills gap by enhancing digital capability through initiatives that go beyond basic digital literacy, ensuring students understand how technology works and can contribute to the digital economy.
If the ICT skills shortage is not addressed, Australia may face a worsening technology skills gap, potentially leading to increased reliance on foreign workers to fill the shortfall. This could impact the country's digital economy and competitiveness.
The major sponsors supporting the GroupX initiative include the Commonwealth Bank, Optus, and CSIRO, along with funding from the Department of Communications.
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