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Building Australian ICT skills Report of the ICT skills foresighting working group

May 2006

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Building Australian ICT skills Report of the ICT skills foresighting working group

May 2006

‘…in order to realise the predicted productivity benefits it will be necessary to support an appropriate level of investment in skill formation and in ICT related R&D…

The introduction of new ICT technologies involves an extensive learning process that generates significant knowledge and innovation...’

Forecasting Productivity Growth 2004 to 2024, DCITA, 2006

Contents

Executive summary...........................................................................................................................................................1

Key findings and recommendations...........................................................................................................................5

Industry.leadership..............................................................................................................................................................7

ICT.labour.market.intelligence..........................................................................................................................................7

Upgrade.of.the.IT.Contract.and.Recruitment.Association.placement.data.collection.........................................8

Access.to.information.on.ICT.skills,.occupations.and.careers...................................................................................8

ICT.workforce.retention,.retraining.and.up‑skilling......................................................................................................9

ICT.workforce.attraction.....................................................................................................................................................9

Research.on.ICT.skills.in.schools...................................................................................................................................10

Background.........................................................................................................................................................................11

1.1.Building.ICT.Skills.as.a.Strategic.Priority.............................................................................................................13

1.2.Formation.of.the.ICT.Skills.Foresighting.Working.Group..................................................................................13

The Key Strategic Role of ICT in Australia’s Economy.....................................................................................15

2.1.ICT.as.a.major.driver.of.economic.growth............................................................................................................17

2.2.Technology.trends......................................................................................................................................................17

2.3.The.Structure.of.the.Australian.ICT.Industry.......................................................................................................18

Major ICT labour trends and issues.........................................................................................................................21

3.1.ICT.Employment........................................................................................................................................................23

3.2.The.changing.nature.of.ICT.employment.............................................................................................................23

3.4.Demand.for.non‑technical.(‘soft.or.employability’).skills..................................................................................27

Role of Education in ICT skills supply.....................................................................................................................29

4.1.ICT.skills.development.in.schools..........................................................................................................................32

Career.Advice.Australia.................................................................................................................................................33

4.2.Role.of.the.VET.sector.in.ICT.skills.development...............................................................................................33

VET.in.Schools.program...............................................................................................................................................33

4.3.Role.of.Universities.in.ICT.skills.development....................................................................................................34

University.ICT.course.enrolments...............................................................................................................................35

ICT.graduate.employment............................................................................................................................................36

4.4.Articulation.of.course.pathways.between.university.and.VET.sectors............................................................36

Skills development in the marketplace.................................................................................................................37

5.1.The.role.of.employers................................................................................................................................................39

ACS.ICT.staff.training.survey.......................................................................................................................................39

5.2.Outsourcing.and.off‑shoring....................................................................................................................................40

5.3.Skilled.migration........................................................................................................................................................41

Future ICT skills demand..............................................................................................................................................43

6.1.Challenges.and.issues.in.ICT.skills.foresighting.................................................................................................45

6.2.Forecasting.and.technology.trends.........................................................................................................................45

6.3.ICT.skills.forecasting.in.Australia...........................................................................................................................46

6.4.Modelling.the.future..................................................................................................................................................47

6.5.Current.modelling......................................................................................................................................................47

The future ICT professional.........................................................................................................................................49

Conclusion...........................................................................................................................................................................53

Appendices..........................................................................................................................................................................57

Appendix.A..........................................................................................................................................................................59

ICT.Skills.Foresighting.Working.Group.Membership.and.Terms.of.Reference.................................................59

Appendix.B..........................................................................................................................................................................60

Overview.of.the.ICT.industry.in.Australia..................................................................................................................60

Appendix.C..........................................................................................................................................................................62

Overview.of.ICT.employment.in.Australia.................................................................................................................62

Appendix.D..........................................................................................................................................................................73

Overview.of.ICT.Skills.Supply.in.the.Higher.and.Vocational.Education.Sector................................................73

Endnotes...............................................................................................................................................................................79

Executive summary

Building Australian ICT skills

May 2006

Executive summary•. Targeted.and.decisive.action.is.required.to.enhance.Australia’s.level.of.information.communication.

technology.(ICT).skills.and.capability.in.order.to.maintain.competitiveness.and.maximise.the.potential.of.ICT‑generated.productivity.growth.across.all.sectors.of.the.economy..

• Research.by.the.Department.of.Communications,.Information.Technology.and.the.Arts.and.the.Productivity.Commission.has.demonstrated.that.ICT.has.played.a.major.role.in.Australia’s.productivity.growth.in.recent.years,.highlighting.its.potential.to.support.further.sustained.growth..

• Australia.must.ensure.that.these.productivity.gains.are.secured.and.built.upon.by.increasing.ICT.labour.force.participation.levels.and.building.the.ICT.skills.base..A.highly.skilled.ICT.workforce.is.the.key.to.business.productivity.improvement.through.innovative.use.of.ICT..This.in.turn.provides.businesses.with.the.capability.to.compete.successfully.for.export.opportunities.

•. The.ICT.Skills.Foresighting.Working.Group,.chaired.by.Keith.Besgrove,.Chief.General.Manager,.Information.Economy.Division.of.DCITA,.has.analysed.prevailing.trends.and.identified.a.number.of.major.inhibitors.which.threaten.Australia’s.future.ICT.skills.development,.productivity.gains.and.competitiveness..These.are:

–. inadequate.coverage.and.access.to.quality.data.on.demand.for.skilled.ICT.occupations;

–. poorly.defined.systems.of.classifying.occupational.skills.leads.to.gaps.and.inconsistencies.in.available.data.series;

–. apparent.declines.in.industry.investment.in.workforce.retraining.and.up‑skilling;

–. flow.on.effects.within.the.ICT.industry.of.intergenerational.social.and.demographic.factors,.such.as.the.ageing.workforce,.changing.workplace.attitudes.and.generational.patterns.of.work;

–. outmoded.and.negative.perceptions.of.ICT.occupations.and.careers.due.to.a.poor.understanding.in.schools.and.across.the.community.of.the.diversity.of.ICT.occupations.and.opportunities;

–. evidence.of.a.tightening.ICT.labour.market.and.the.emergence.of.recruitment.difficulties.for.some.ICT.skills;

–. falling.entry.level.job.numbers.for.new.ICT.graduates.and.a.marked.decline.in.ICT.course.enrolments.in.the.university.and.VET.sectors.all.suggest.a.declining.pool.of.local.ICT.workers.in.the.medium.to.longer‑term;.

–. the.variable.nature.of.ICT,.over.time.and.across.industries,.that.requires.ICT.professionals.to.regularly.redefine.and.reassess.their.roles,.functions.and.skill.requirements;.and

–. lack.of.multi‑jurisdictional.cooperation.in.regard.to.the.issues.outlined.above.

Unless.these.issues.are.adequately.addressed.they.will.lead.to.a.severe.constriction.in.the.supply.of.skilled.ICT.workers.and.increase.the.risk.of.sustained.skills.shortages.

The.recommendations.in.this.report.suggest.key.areas.to.be.addressed.by.government,.industry,.and.education.and.training.providers..Working.together.to.improve.the.way.ICT.is.represented.to.parents.and.young.people,.to.encourage.higher.levels.of.ICT.workforce.participation.and.to.improve.understanding.of.the.nature.of.ICT‑related.work.throughout.the.economy.

Key findings and recommendations

May 2006

Key findings and recommendations

Industry leadershipOne.of.the.major.issues.identified.by.the.Working.Group.was.the.lack.of.public.and.private.sector.cooperation.on.many.of.the.issues.challenging.the.ICT.industry..While.a.vast.amount.of.data.was.available.on.the.issue.of.skills.across.the.ICT.industry,.there.was.no.evidence.to.suggest.it.was.being.coordinated.adequately.or.effectively..The.recent.partICipaTion.Summit.also.came.to.the.conclusion.that.efforts.being.made.by.individual.organisations.would.be.maximised.if.they.could.be.aggregated.and.managed.under.a.single.industry.leadership.group.

Recommendation 1The.Working.Group.recommends.the.formation.of.an.industry.leadership.group.to.develop.and.facilitate.improved.ICT.information.and.participation.in.ICT.occupations.and.careers.

ICT labour market intelligenceThere.is.currently.a.lack.of.consolidated.useful.data.and.information.on.ICT.skills.market.intelligence..This,.along.with.the.poor.dissemination.of.the.detailed.information.which.is.available,.prevents.labour.market.participants.gaining.a.well.informed.understanding.of.the.ICT.skills.market.and.future.skills.demand..

The.Online.and.Communications.Council.and.the.PartICipaTion.Summit.also.identified.shortcomings.in.current.statistical.collections.and.access..Improved.information.on.skills.in.demand.and.ICT.occupations.and.careers.are.needed.by.industry,.employers,.ICT.professionals,.students.and.education.and.training.providers..This.information.will.enhance.training.and.career.planning,.course.and.curriculum.development,.and.assist.government.policy.development..

Recommendation 2The Working Group recommends that the proposed industry leadership group take on improved market intelligence as one of its main activities and work with government to:

•. assist.industry.to.implement.a.national.ICT.nomenclature.and.job.description.framework.consistent.with.the.new.Australian.and.New.Zealand.Standard.Classification.of.Occupations.(ANZSCO).occupational.classification;.and

•. adapt.and.implement.policies.being.established.overseas.to.improve.information.on.skills.in.demand.and.thereby.assist.government.policy.development.

May 2006

Upgrade of the IT Contract and Recruitment Association placement data collectionThe.IT.Contract.and.Recruitment.Association.(ITCRA),.in.conjunction.with.Multimedia.Victoria,.has.established.an.internet.based.data.collection.of.IT.placements.with.data.supplied.by.32.of.its.members..The.data.is.currently.published.for.Victoria.only..However,.with.a.relatively.small.effort.the.data.collection.process.could.be.greatly.improved.to.align.the.data.with.the.new.ANZSCO.occupation.classification.and.published.for.all.states.and.territories.

Recommendation 3The.Working.Group.recommends.that.the.Australian.Government.fund.the.establishment.of.an.open‑access.National.ICT.Skills.Tracking.and.Monitoring.System.based.on.the.Multimedia.Victoria/ITCRA.model..Any.information.collected.should.be.presented.in.a.manner.consistent.with.recommendation.four..

Access to information on ICT skills, occupations and careersThere.is.currently.a.lack.of.public.access.to.data.about.the.ICT.skills.labour.market,.largely.due.to.the.poor.dissemination.of.the.quality.data.already.available.

The.new.Skills.Australia.(web/online).portal.being.developed.by.DEST.and.DEWR.appears.to.be.the.most.obvious.initiative.to.address.this.issue..The.website.will.provide.information.on.skill.shortages,.industry.skill.needs,.future.employment.growth.and.education,.and.training.opportunities.across.all.occupations..It.will.include.a.specific.ICT.module.

Recommendation 4The.Working.Group.recommends.that.the.Australian.Government.work.with.key.stakeholders.to.improve.access.to.quality.data.and.analysis.on.ICT.skills.and.jobs.by.aggregating.and.maintaining.weblinks.and.data.on.the.ICT.skills.market..This.would.include.analysis.of.ICT.labour.market.trends.and.projections.as.well.as.information.on.career.structure.on.an.upgraded.Skills.Australia.website.

May 2006

ICT workforce retention, retraining and up‑skillingThere.is.a.perception.that.industry.investment.in.ICT.workforce.retraining.and.up‑skilling.has.declined,.but.there.is.little.data.on.this.important.issue.for.either.the.ICT.industry.or.the.broader.ICT.labour.market.

The.combined.impacts.of.the.ageing.workforce,.changing.generational.patterns.of.work.and.the.apparent.failure.of.many.employers.to.upgrade.workplace.skills.could.mean.that.Australia.risks.being.unable.to.sustain.key.ICT‑based.economic.capabilities,.operations.and.services.in.the.future.

Recommendation 5The Working Group recommends that the Australian Government, in cooperation with industry stakeholders, fund additional research into staff retention, retraining and up‑skilling issues and practices. This could include:

• ACS.and.AIIA.undertaking.regular.review.of.investment.in.and.attitudes.towards.staff.retention,.retraining.and.up‑skilling.as.part.of.their.regular.surveys.and.consultations.with.members;.

• CompTIA.Australia,.possibly.through.the.new.IT.Pro.Australia.website,.undertaking.a.survey.into.investment.in.and.attitudes.towards.vendor.training;.and

• DEWR.including.questions.in.its.ICT.skills.shortage.surveys.on.employer.investment.in.and.attitudes.to.staff.retention,.retraining.and.up‑skilling.

ICT workforce attractionThe.Working.Group.identified.as.a.major.concern.an.outmoded.and.negative.perception.of.ICT.occupations.and.careers,.and.a.poor.understanding.in.schools.and.across.the.community.of.the.diversity.of.ICT.occupations.and.opportunities..

The.Working.Group.concluded.that.there.is.an.urgent.need.for.action.to.address.negative.perceptions.of.ICT.careers.in.the.community.which.lead.many.young.people.and.those.who.influence.their.career.choices.(such.as.parents,.teachers,.career.advisers).to.underestimate.the.opportunities.available.in.ICT.and.thus.to.turn.away.from.considering.a.career.in.ICT.

Recommendation 6The Working Group recommends that the Government work with industry, the education and training sector and State/Territory governments to re‑focus the way ICT is presented by:

• jointly.funding,.developing.and.delivering.a.National.ICT.Awareness.Campaign.consisting.of.a.national.communications.campaign.addressing.negative.perceptions.of.ICT.and.highlighting.the.opportunities.and.attractiveness.of.ICT.careers;

• enhancing.ICT.careers.promotion.and.outreach.efforts.to.schools.by.leveraging.the.new.Career.Advice.Australia.(CAA)..In.particular.this.would.include:

–. forming.strong.links.with.the.network.of.National.Industry.Career.Specialists.(NICS).and.Regional.Industry.Career.Advisers.(RICAs);

–. providing.them.with.information.and.advice.on.the.modern.ICT.workplace,.jobs.and.careers.and.ICT.skills.in.demand.and.in.shortage;.and

• promotion.and.marketing.of.the.ICT.module.of.the.Skills.Australia.website.as.part.of.the.above..

May 2006

Research on ICT skills in schoolsThe.Working.Group.expressed.concerns.that.the.quality.of.ICT.teaching.in.schools,.and.the.outmoded.image.of.ICT.work.presented,.may.be.deterring.students.from.considering.ICT.as.an.option.for.further.study.at.university/TAFE.and.as.a.career.choice..This.was.an.issue.that.also.received.considerable.attention.at.the.partICipaTion.Summit..

In.particular.the.Working.Group.raised.concerns.about.the.teaching.of.ICT.as.a.specialised.subject.in.the.later.school.years..The.Working.Group.considered.that.the.focus.should.be.on.teaching.fundamental.ICT.principles,.useful.as.a.foundation.for.further.study,.rather.than.on.specific.programming.areas.

Recommendation 7The Working Group recommends that action be taken to review and enhance the teaching of ICT in schools. The working group suggests that:

• government.fund.detailed.research.on.school.ICT.teachers.to.assess.the.characteristics.(e.g..gender,.age),.qualifications.and.challenges.of.ICT.secondary.and.high.school.teachers;.and

• ICT.industry.bodies.and.leading.ICT.vendors.work.with.education.agencies.and.professional.bodies.to.assist.and.support.school.ICT.teachers.and.teaching.staff.in.universities.and.TAFEs.

1Background

May 2006

1. Background

1.1 Building ICT Skills as a Strategic PriorityBuilding.and.maintaining.a.sustainable.and.world‑class.ICT.workforce.and.ICT.skills.base.is.necessary.to.meet.the.current.and.future.needs.of.the.economy.and.ensure.that.Australia.continues.to.achieve.strong.productivity,.economic.and.social.benefits.from.ICT..

As.part.of.its.fourth.term.commitment.the.Australian.Government.recognised.the.need.to.support.future.economic.growth.by.addressing.Australia’s.growing.demand.for.skilled.labour.and.the.challenges.of.skills.shortages.and.mismatches.

Research.by.the.Productivity.Commission1.and.the.other.government.bodies2.predicts.future.declines.in.labour.force.participation.as.the.Australian.population.ages..Increasing.labour.force.participation.through.ongoing.skills.development.for.young.and.prime.age.workers,.and.ensuring.older.workers.maintain.their.skills.and.employability.are.a.major.priority.

In.its.2004.election.policy.statement,.Information Technology: Connecting an Innovative Australia,.the.Australian.Government.highlighted.the.reskilling.of.ICT.workers.as.an.important.issue..Furthermore,.Online.and.Communication.Council.Ministers3.agreed.at.their.August.2005.meeting.to.collaborate.on.a.more.coordinated.approach.to.Australia’s.ICT.capability,.particularly.ICT.skills,.and.to.improve.the.quality.and.range.of.key.data4..

These.commitments.recognise.that.Australia.faces.an.ongoing.challenge.to.ensure.that.the.available.ICT.workforce.is.in.line.with.the.changing.needs.of.the.ICT.industry.as.well.as.industries.across.the.Australian.economy..

1.2 Formation of the ICT Skills Foresighting Working GroupIn.February.20055.the.Minister.for.Communications,.Information.Technology.and.the.Arts,.Senator.the.Hon.Helen.Coonan,.established.the.ICT.Skills.Foresighting.Working.Group.to.contribute.to.the.portfolio’s.consideration.of.the.Australian.ICT.labour.market..

The.Working.Group.analysed.the.current.trends.and.potential.developments.of.ICT.technologies,.the.applications.of.technologies,.and.their.implications.for.the.ICT.workforce.and.its.skills.development..This.included.a.review.of.the.ability.to.accurately.forecast.future.ICT.workforce.demand,.the.fit.between.industry.skill.needs.and.existing.training,.and.possible.options.for.better.forecasting.the.future.workforce.needs.of.industry..

� EconomicImplicationsofanAgeingAustralia,PC2005www.pc.gov.au/study/ageing/finalreport/index.html

2 Forexample:Workforce Tomorrow—Adapting to a more diverse Australian labour market,DEWR2005www.workplace.gov.au/wt

� OnlineandCommunicationCouncilismadeupofFederalandStateMinistersresponsibleforInformationTechnology.

� JointMediaStatement,TwelfthMinisterialmeetingoftheOnlineandCommunicationCouncil,2�August2005:p.2Building Australia’s ICT Capability

5 MediaRelease,Building future skills in Australian ICT,February2005www.minister.dcita.gov.au /media/media_releases/building_future_skills_in_australian_ict2

May 2006

The.Working.Group.focused.on.ICT.skills.development.directly.related.to.the.ICT.industry.as.well.as.the.ICT.skills.needed.in.other.industries.in.the.economy..However,.the.Group.did.not.concern.itself.with.broader.basic.ICT.skill.levels.required.in.business,.government.and.by.people.in.the.Australian.community..In.addition,.issues.such.as.off‑shoring.and.skilled.migration.were.not.given.detailed.attention.as.they.were.areas.which.fell.outside.of.the.Working.Group’s.terms.of.reference..

The.members.of.the.Working.Group.as.well.as.its.terms.of.reference.are.provided.at.Attachment.A..

2The Key Strategic Role of ICT in Australia’s Economy

May 2006

2. The Key Strategic Role of ICT in Australia’s Economy

2.1 ICT as a major driver of economic growthThere.is.a.strong.consensus.both.internationally.Organisation.for.Economic.Co‑operation.and.Development.[OECD].and.in.Australia.that.ICT.is.a.major.driver.of.economic.growth.and.productivity,.principally.through.its.capacity.to.enhance.efficiency.and.innovation.

ICT.provides.the.communications.infrastructure.and.the.means.to.access.and.store.data.and.to.manipulate.it.to.provide.information.critical.to.business,.government,.research,.education.and.community.operations..

Innovations.using.ICT.that.capture,.transmit.and.display.data.and.information.electronically.have.become.a.central.ingredient.to.the.growth.of.national.productivity..Over.the.past.two.decades,.up.to.85.per.cent.of.productivity.growth.in.the.manufacturing.sector.was.due.to.technology,.of.which.ICT.was.a.significant.part.6

Recent.research.by.DCITA,.Productivity Growth in Service Industries.2005,.has.found.a.strong.correlation.between.productivity.growth.and.ICT.use.and.intensity..ICT.intensive.services.that.have.experienced.high.productivity.growth.include.communications,.electricity,.finance.and.wholesale.trade.

ICT.transformation.and.innovation.is.a.broader.social.process.encompassing.technological,.organisational.and.cultural.change..The.DCITA.commissioned.study.Achieving Value from ICT: Key Management Strategies�.demonstrated.that.regardless.of.the.business.size,.organisational.structure.or.industry,.those.that.combine.their.ICT.investments.with.good.management.practices.achieve.the.greatest.value.from.their.ICT.outlays..The.essentials.of.good.ICT.management.consist.of.being.ICT‑aware,.possessing.a.strong.change.management.philosophy,.a.strategic.organisational.culture,.and.providing.effective.leadership.

The.rising.role.of.ICT.in.economic.activity.has.made.it.critical.to.the.achievement.of.Australia’s.national.goals,.for.example,.future.economic.growth,.national.security,.dealing.with.demographic.change,.environmental.management,.education.and.health..As.ICT.is.a.collection.of.many.constantly.evolving.technologies,.the.continuous.process.of.technology.migration.and.the.emergence.of.new.solutions.require.frequent.renewal.of.the.economy’s.technical.know‑how.

2.2 Technology trendsBusiness.demand.for.ICT.and.ICT.innovation.are.interdependent,.and.ICT.take‑up,.infrastructure.capability.and.level.of.integration.in‑turn.influence.the.adoption.of.other.ICT.technologies.

Current.ICT.technology.trends.can.be.grouped.into.those.related.to.infrastructure.and.those.related.to.the.business.enterprise..Infrastructure.technologies.experiencing.the.highest.growth.are.broadband.networks.and.wireless.systems,.which.form.the.communications.backbone.of.business.enterprises..

� www.dcita.gov.au/ie/publications/2004/march/productivity_growth_in_australian_manufacturing

� Achieving Value from ICT: Key Management Strategies, DCITA2005 www.dcita.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/25466/Achieving_Value_from_ICT_‑_Key_Management_Strategies.pdf

May 2006

Enterprise.technologies.that.businesses.are.investing.in.are.those.that.run.applications.internally.and.manage.linkages.with.other.businesses,.such.as.e‑commerce.and.supply‑chain.systems.(e.g..Enterprise.Resource.Planning).

Developments.and.improvements.in.core.ICT.technologies.such.as.processor.speeds,.miniaturisation.and.bandwidth.are.fuelling.rapid.changes.in.the.capabilities.of.the.communications.platforms.and.the.services.they.provide..For.example,.digitisation.is.blurring.the.boundaries.between.communications.infrastructure.and.services.such.as.television.and.telephony..Devices.which.attach.to.these.platforms,.such.as.3G.mobiles.and.games.platforms,.are.acquiring.functionality.which.cuts.across.traditional.industry.distinctions..

ICT.is.facilitating.change.in.business.models.and.allowing.new.business.models.to.emerge.which.have.implications.for.skills.demand..For.example,.the.customisation.of.software.is.reportedly.declining.in.favour.of.proven.off‑the‑shelf.business.processes.

2.3 The Structure of the Australian ICT IndustryThe.Australian.ICT.industry.is.a.source.of.internationally.competitive.products.and.services.that.contributes.to.a.significant.percentage.of.productivity.growth.across.the.Australian.economy..In.2002–03.the.value.of.Australian.production.in.ICT.goods.and.services.by.ICT.specialist.firms.is.approximately.$48.�.billion,.of.which.$2.9.billion.was.ICT.goods,.$16.5.billion.computer.services.and.software,.and.$29.3.billion.telecommunication.services..More.detail.is.provided.in.Attachment.B.

ICT.Research.and.Development.(R&D).is.also.important.to.future.economic.and.employment.growth..Most.sectors.of.the.economy.spend.a.significant.portion.of.their.R&D.effort.on.ICT.R&D.(Table.1)..This.figure.as.high.as.��..per.cent.in.the.finance.and.insurance.sector..The.supply.of.high.level.research.skills.is.a.fundamental.input.to.the.success.of.industry.research.and.these.skills.are.most.fully.developed.by.post‑graduate.research.training.

May 2006

Table 1

Industry ICT Employment for Industry Sector Aug 2005

ICT Capital Expenditure Share of Industry Sector

Expenditure 2003–04 (%)

ICT R&D Share of Industry Sector

R&D Expenditure 2002–03 (%)

Number employed % share

Mining 4.250 1.3 3.9 0.2

Agriculture,.forestry.and.fishing .540 0.16 �.� *

Transport.and.storage �.650 2.3. 15.8 31

Manufacturing 22.390 6.� 16.2 16

Construction 12.880 3.9 16.3 16

Retail.Trade 14.920 4.5 21.6 33

Health.and.community.services 6.420 2.0 25.5 np

Wholesale.trade 13.960 4.2 26.1 41

Accommodation,.cafes.and.restaurants

.380 0.1 26.6 np

Property.and.business.services 124.030 3�.2 33.6 63

Personal.and.other.services 2.�20 0.8 35.0 np

Government.administration.and.defence

25.620 �.� 42.0 52

Education 16.300. 4.5 43.� 83

Cultural.and.recreational.services 6.660. 2.0 44.4 np

Electricity,.gas.and.water.supply 9.460. 2.8 68.4 39

Communication.services 42.580. 12.8 89.1 42

Finance.and.insurance 22.810. 6.8 90.1 ��

All.industries 333.5�0. 26.�

.Source. ABS.collections.Notes. *:.Data.not.collected. np:.Data.not.published

3Major ICT labour trends and issues

May 2006

3. Major ICT labour trends and issues

3.1 ICT Employment In.February.2006,.Australia.employed.approximately.356.600.ICT.practitioners.across.all.sectors,.representing.3.6.per.cent.of.the.total.workforce..The.Australian.ICT.industry.accounts.for.some.40.per.cent.of.ICT.professionals..The.remaining.60.per.cent.are.spread.throughout.ICT‑user.industries.across.the.economy..This.reflects.the.development.of.a.broader.ICT.capability,.greater.reliance.on.ICT‑based.services.and.integration.of.ICT.in.virtually.all.economic.activity..Intensive.ICT‑user.industries.include.the.communications,.electricity,.mining,.manufacturing,.financial.services.and.services.sectors.(Table.1)..More.detail.is.provided.in.Attachment.C:.Overview.of.ICT.employment.in.Australia

3.2 The changing nature of ICT employmentThe.roles.that.ICT.professionals.perform.are.becoming.increasingly.diverse.and.cause.constant.change.in.the.job.tasks.within.ICT.occupations..The.work.of.an.ICT.professional.can.now.encompass:.

•. management.of.significant.ICT.contracts.with.major.vendors;.

•. development.of.application‑oriented.solutions;.

•. implementation,.management.and.support.of.ICT.systems;.and

•. selling.of.ICT.products.and.services;.and.undertaking.consultancies..

The.skills.required.vary.considerably..They.range.from.very.specific.in‑depth.technical.knowledge.and.expertise.to.others.where.broader.technical.ability.is.needed.alongside.good.interpersonal.and.project.management.skills.

Converging.technologies.and.capabilities.driven.by.ICT,.and.consequent.changes.in.markets.and.business.models,.is.continuing.the.rapid.and.spreading.adoption.of.ICT.technologies.by.business.and.governments..Distinctions.between.‘old’.and.‘new’.economies.are.now.blurred.as.many.older.industries.are.becoming.hybrid.industries.with.a.strong.ICT.dependence..It.is.increasingly.difficult.to.distinguish.between.ICT.service.and.hardware.providers.and.companies.providing.specialist.electronic.hardware.or.software.solutions..For.example,.in.the.areas.of.robotic.equipment.or.toll.related.financial.services.the.outputs.are.predominantly.ICT‑based.yet.wouldn’t.be.considered.as.ICT.output.in.the.traditional.sense.

As.ICT.is.increasingly.embedded.in.all.aspects.of.business.and.government.operations,.ICT.professional.skills.and.competencies.are.becoming.core.elements.of.many.occupations..This.trend.has.increased.the.need.for.a.clear.understanding.of.the.fundamentals.of.business.and.markets.as.a.necessary.part.of.the.ICT.professional’s.skills..As.ICT.professionals.now.work.in.multi‑disciplinary.teams.dealing.with.complex.problems,.they.also.require.problem‑solving.abilities,.negotiation.skills.and.a.capacity.to.understand.the.needs.of.customers.and.project.colleagues.

May 2006

Figure.1.seeks.to.illustrate.the.multiple.career.pathways.and.influences.on.skills.supply.for.the.ICT.workforce.

Figure 1: Key Pathways and Influences on ICT Skills Supply

May 2006

3.3 Demand for ICT skillsFigure.2.shows.the.indexed.long.term.employment.growth.of.ICT.professionals.compared.to.all.professional.occupations.and.all.occupations..It.demonstrates.the.significant.growth.the.ICT.profession.has.undergone.since.1986..Figure.3.shows.the.breakdown.of.this.growth.amongst.the.three.largest.ICT.occupations.and.demonstrates.that.computing.professionals.have.had.the.most.substantial.increase..

Figure 2: Long‑term employment growth for ICT Professionals*, compared with Professionals and All Occupations: 1986 to 2005

Aug-86 Aug-88 Aug-90 Aug-92 Aug-94 Aug-96 Aug-98 Aug-00 Aug-02 Aug-04

ProfessionalsICT ProfessionalsAll Occupations

*Source:.ABS.Labour.Force.Survey‑.IT.Managers.and.Computing.Professionals.(DEWR.trend.data).

May 2006

Figure 3: ICT Professionals Employment February 1996 to February 2006

Feb-96 Feb-97 Feb-98 Feb-99 Feb-00 Feb-01 Feb-02 Feb-03 Feb-04 Feb-05 Feb-06

ICT Professionals

Computing Support Technicians

Information Technology Managers

Computing Professionals

Source:.DEWR.2006

In.the.lead.up.to.2000.(Y2K).ICT.employment.was.driven.by.the.pressure.to.upgrade.computer.software.combined.with.strong.growth.in.ICT.investment.by.communication.service.and.the.finance.and.insurance.industries..Also.in.2001.the.world‑wide.ICT.industry.suffered.a.sharp.contraction.in.demand.in.many.markets.and.this.led.to.a.substantial.restructure.of.large.international.firms.such.as.Nokia,.Motorola.and.Ericsson..

Australia.felt.some.of.the.repercussions.of.this.development..Following.a.strong.period.of.growth.between.1994.and.2003,.the.slowing.of.demand.for.ICT.products.and.services.led.to.a.levelling‑out.and.then.fall.in.growth.of.professional.ICT.in.February.2005..The.strong.rise.in.the.past.year.has.taken.employment.of.ICT.professional.to.a.new.Australian.peak.with.206.300.ICT.professionals.employed.in.February.2006..

There.are.many.and.varied.reasons.for.skill.shortages.in.ICT..In.particular.the.demands.for.specific.skills.related.to.specific.technologies.can.happen.with.both.new.and.outdated.technologies..A.sudden.lack.of.employees.with.skills.in.new.technologies.can.outpace.the.supply.if.enterprises.and.governments.suddenly.adopt.new.technologies.and.their.applications..Equally,.businesses.using.older.ICT.technologies.can.sometime.find.the.recruitment.of.practitioners.difficult.because.the.needed.skill.sets.are.becoming.rare.

Several.technologies.are.often.employed.to.develop.a.solution,.and.increasingly.they.are.being.combined.to.inject.innovation.into.products.and.services.provided.by.older.industries.and.other.fields.of.research..Many.industries.and.areas.of.research.are.becoming.increasingly.dependent.on.the.advances.in.ICT.to.support.their.leading.edge.research.and.applications..For.example,.the.convergence.between.nanotechnology,.biotechnology,.information.technology.and.cogitative.science.is.widely.acknowledged.as.an.important.area.of.research.which.is.expected.to.yield.significant.innovation..

May 2006

Each.technology.has.a.pool.of.skills.related.to.it,.ranging.from.electronic.hardware.to.software.and.systems.know‑how..There.are.well.over.a.hundred.recognised.and.evolving.ICT.skills.currently.in.demand.in.the.Australian.labour.market..These.skills.will.continue.to.change.as.business,.government.and.consumers.find.new.ways.to.improve.productivity.and.make.product.and.service.innovations..

Furthermore,.demand.for.ICT.skills.changes.as.ICT.tools.and.enhancements.change.business.models.and.firms.grow.and.move.up.the.value‑chain..This.stimulates.demand.for.different.skills.and.skill.sets..These.systemic.changes.in.business.can.create.‘skill.deficiencies’.or.‘skill.gaps’..A.mismatch.of.skills.demand.and.supply.can.result.in.there.being.both.ICT.unemployment.and.skills.shortages.(structural.unemployment)..Outsourcing.and.off‑shoring,.the.continuous.growth.of.ICT.products.and.services,.and.the.diffusion.of.these.new.technologies.to.other.industry.sectors.contribute.to.these.dynamic.changes.

The.forecasting.of.potential.skill.shortages.is.particularly.difficult.because.of.the.lack.of.fine.detail.in.the.data.on.ICT.in.the.labour.market..The.DEWR.annual.Australia‑wide.ICT.skills.shortage.survey.is.as.comprehensive.as.possible.in.analysing.ICT.skills.in.demand..In.undertaking.the.survey.in.2005.DEWR.contacted.90.recruitment.agencies.and.124.employers..Any.improvements.in.the.quality.of.data.obtained.from.these.recruitment.agencies.and.employers.will.assist.in.improving.the.quality.of.the.survey.and.its.overall.findings.

3.4 Demand for non‑technical (‘soft or employability’) skillsEmployers.of.ICT.professionals.are.now.requiring.these.professionals.to.possess.a.broader.skill.set.in.addition.to.technical.expertise..

A.report.prepared.by.the.Austrian.ARC.Systems.Research.Centre.for.the.European.Union,.The Human Resource Factor in the Information Society Future, reviewed.a.wide.range.of.sources.and.identified.a.number.of.trends.as.characterising.the.emerging.needs.of.the.European.ICT.market..Significant.trends.identified.include:

• increasing.need.for.employees.with.broader.skills.sets,.in.addition.to.technical.expertise;

• businesses.identifying.ICT.tools.with.the.potential.to.positively.influence.productivity;

• increasing.demand.for.more.specialised.technical.skills;.

• rapid.change.means.that.ICT.professionals.need.to.be.flexible.and.open.to.continuous.learning;

• organisational.structures.and.workplace.cultures.require.flexibility.and.responsiveness.to.facilitate.learning;.and

• the.rate.of.growth.of.the.industry.means.that.more.skills.of.all.kinds.will.be.needed.

4Role of Education in ICT skills supply

May 2006

4. Role of Education in ICT skills supplyIt.is.now.generally.acknowledged.by.governments,.leading.industry.and.professional.associations,.employers.and.the.education.and.training.sector.that.there.is.an.urgent.need.for.improved.targeting.of.information.and.advice.on.ICT.courses.and.careers.to.school.students.

A.recent.Victorian.Government.study,.Attitudes to ICT careers and study among 17–19 year old Victorians8.found.that:

• �2.per.cent.claim.that.they.don't.know.very.much.about.ICT.courses.offered;

• 86.per.cent.agreed.that.specialising.in.ICT.opens.doors.to.careers.in.many.types.of.industries.or.businesses;

• 40.per.cent.of.interviewees.showed.at.least."some.interest".in.pursuing.an.ICT.career,.with.10.per.cent.expressing.a."strong.interest";

• 59.per.cent.agreed.that.the.greatest.disincentive.to.working.in.ICT.was.being.stuck.in.front.of.a.computer.all.day;

• 6.per.cent.plan.to.do.an.ICT.course.at.university.but.none.of.these.are.female;

• the.major.influences.on.decisions.related.to.young.people.undertaking.courses.(in.the.order.of.influence.are.word.of.mouth,.parents,.teachers,.careers.advisers,.friends,.TAFE.and.university.open.days,.careers.expos.and.careers.guides;.and

• when.asked.about.the.best.methods.to.promote.ICT.careers.to.young.people:

–. 94.per.cent.considered.work.placements.or.job.experience.in.an.ICT.company.would.be.effective;

–. 90.per.cent.considered.schools.visits.and.information.sessions.by.young.people.who.have.been.successful.in.ICT.would.be.effective;.and

–. 90.per.cent.considered.competitions.sponsored.by.ICT.companies.to.encourage.innovation.and.technology.in.schools.or.universities.would.be.effective.

Strategies.to.improve.advice.on.ICT.courses.and.careers.to.school.students.could.include.improved.research.and.marketing.and.new.approaches.in.order.to:

• address.commonly.held.public.misconceptions.about.the.nature.and.scope.of.ICT.work.and.occupations;.and

• improve.the.understanding.of.school.students.at.all.levels,.and.of.teachers,.career.advisers.and.parents,.of.potential.career.and.study.opportunities.in.ICT,.in.particular.that.approximately.40.per.cent.of.ICT.professionals.work.outside.of.the.ICT.industry.

The.Working.Group.concluded.that.there.is.an.urgent.need.for.action.to.address.the.negative.perception.of.ICT.careers.in.the.community.which.is.turning.many.young.people.away.from.considering.a.career.in.ICT.

� www.mmv.vic.gov.au/year12research

May 2006

The.supply.and.development.of.ICT.skills.within.the.education.sector.is.influenced.by.a.multitude.of.factors,.the.principle.being:

• the.capacity.and.role.of.formal.education,.training.institutions.(schools,.universities.and.VET).and.vendor.training.in.skills.development;

• the.ability.to.attract.new.entrants.into.ICT.education/training.and.into.ICT.careers;

• ICT.course.enrolments.in.universities.have.a.lagged.impact.in.four.years.time.when.currently.enrolled.students.graduate;

• graduate.employment.which.is.the.first.step.to.building.experienced.practitioners;.and

• low.demand.for.graduates.can.discourage.future.course.enrolment.

The.following.sections.of.this.report.describe.these.major.sources.of.ICT.skills.supply.and.further.explore.some.of.these.issues.and.concepts..

4.1 ICT skills development in schoolsThe.development.of.basic.ICT.literacy.skills.for.students.and.teachers.in.schools.falls.outside.of.the.Working.Group’s.terms.of.reference..However,.the.Working.Group.identified.as.relevant.the.related.issues.of:

• the.overall.level.of.understanding.by.teachers.in.schools.of.ICT.jobs.and.careers;.and

• the.quality.of.teaching.of.VET‑based.ICT.subjects.in.schools.

These.two.issues.in.particular.were.identified.as.having.a.possible.impact.on.students’.understanding.and.attitudes.to.considering.further.study.or.employment.in.ICT‑related.areas.

The.Working.Group.noted.that.there.are.already.significant.commitments.and.initiatives.at.the.Australian.and.State.Government.levels.targeting.these.areas,.in.particular:

• Partnerships in ICT Learning.is.a.project.that.will.equip.teachers.to.focus.on.the.technology.related.needs.and.challenges.for.different.groups.of.Australian.teachers;

• Making Better Connections.project.focuses.on.teachers’.professional.development.in.their.use.of.ICT;

• Teaching Australia ‑.Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership.supports.and.advances.the.effectiveness.and.standing.of.the.teaching.profession..ICT.will.be.addressed.in.this.context;.and

• Australian Government Quality Teacher Programme.focuses.on.the.renewal.of.teachers.and.leaders.skills.and.understanding.within.a.range.of.priority.areas.including.literacy,.numeracy,.mathematics,.science,.and.technology.(including.ICT),.vocational.education.in.schools.and.the.National.Safe.Schools.Framework.

However,.the.Working.Group.found.that.while.considerable.research.has.been.funded.into.the.generic.ICT.skills.of.school.teachers,.no.specific.research.has.been.undertaken.into.the.skills.and.understanding.of.school.teachers.who.teach.ICT.to.students.through.vocationally‑oriented.ICT.courses,.including.as.part.of.the.VET.in.Schools.program..

The.Working.Group.also.noted.the.submission9.made.by.the.Australian.Science.Teachers.Association.to.the.DEST.audit.of.science,.engineering.and.technology.skills..The.submission.stated.that.the.teaching.profession.was.facing.particular.challenges.in.relation.to.the.aging.population.of.science.teachers.

� ASTASubmissiontoAuditofScience,EngineeringandTechnologySkillswww.asta.edu.au/resources/skillsaudit

��

May 2006

adapting.to.ICT.within.the.curriculum..In.addition.the.submission.stated.that.there.was.a.need.for.the.provision.of.financial.and.infrastructure.support.from.government.and.industry.to.broaden.the.reach.of.existing.professional.learning.opportunities.available.to.teachers.

Career Advice AustraliaThe.Department.of.Education,.Science.and.Training.(DEST).presently.funds.a.range.of.career.development.and.advisory.initiatives.targeted.at.schools.across.Australia..The.Working.Group.noted.that.it.would.be.desirable.for.leading.ICT.industry.and.professional.bodies.to.work.with.DEST.through.these.existing.initiatives.to.improve.understanding.and.promotion.of.ICT.careers.to.schools,.teachers.and.career.advisers..There.is.an.ideal.opportunity.for.leading.ICT.industry.and.professional.bodies.to.work.with.DEST.on.the.early.development.of.the.recently.announced.Career.Advice.Australia.initiative,.in.particular.the.new.National.Industry.Career.Specialists.

4.2 Role of the VET sector in ICT skills developmentThe.vocational.education.and.training.(VET).sector.plays.a.primary.role.in.the.provision.of.training.for.ICT.workers..VET.is.delivered.within.a.range.of.training.environments,.including.TAFE.institutes,.a.range.of.schools,.agricultural.colleges,.universities,.community.education.providers.and.private.providers.with.a.focus.on.the.teaching.of.skills.required.in.the.workplace..The.VET.sector.provides.a.wide.range.of.opportunities.for.a.diverse.student.population.and.demand..

IT.in.the.VET.system.incorporates.Computer.Science,.Information.Systems.and.other.Information.Technology..A.new.National.IT.Training.Package.(ICA05).has.been.endorsed.by.industry.and.replaces.the.former.National.IT.Training.Package.(ICA99).which.was.developed.in.1999..The.new.framework,.developed.in.close.consultation.with.the.ICT.industry,.provides.a.far.more.highly.developed.and.structured.system.of.qualifications.and.pathways.to.better.reflect.the.current.and.emerging.ICT.skills.needs.of.industry.

In.2005.NSW.TAFE.developed.an.associate.degree.in.cooperation.with.several.universities.and.industry.associations,.including.the.Australian.Information.Industry.Association.(AIIA)..The.associate.degree.is.being.piloted.initially.with.overseas.students.and.aims.to.be.comparable.with.two‑year.university.courses..NSW.TAFE.is.negotiating.to.ensure.students,.who.complete.the.associate.degree.and.then.want.to.move.on.to.a.three.to.four.year.university.degree,.can.secure.significant.credits.for.the.work.already.covered.10

Also.in.2005.Box.Hill.Institute,.a.Victorian.TAFE.institute,.received.accreditation.to.deliver.three.degrees.in.the.ICT.industry:.a.Bachelor.of.Computer.Systems.(Networking);.an.Associate.Degree.in.Computer.Systems.(Networking).and.an.Associate.Degree.in.Software.Development..This.was.a.first.for.the.TAFE.system.for.a.TAFE.Institute.to.be.able.to.offer.a.Bachelor.program.in.its.own.right.serving.the.ICT.sector..Each.Degree.had.industry.leading.the.design.phase.and.focuses.being.applied.and.practical.in.line.with.industry.specifications.

Further.details.in.regard.to.the.Vocational.Education.and.Training.sector.are.provided.in.Attachment.D.

VET in Schools programVET.in.Schools.is.defined.as.a.program.which.allows.students.to.combine.vocational.studies.with.their.general.education.curriculum..Students.participating.in.VET.in.Schools.continue.to.work.towards.their.Senior.Secondary.School.Certificate,.while.the.VET.component.of.their.studies.gives.them.credit.towards.a.nationally.recognised.VET.qualification..

�0 www.tafensw.edu.au/tafeunicredit/

May 2006

Outcomes.from.students.studying.ICT.as.part.of.the.VET.in.Schools.program.provide.mixed.results..Analysis.of.data.obtained.from.DEST.(May.2004.survey.data).on.student.participation.in.and.outcomes.from.the.VET.in.Schools.program.found.that:

• Of.all.students.participating.in.structured.workplace.learning.(i.e..work.placements.under.the.program),.11.per.cent.were.in.ICT.work.placements.and.of.this.number.33.per.cent.were.female.students.

• ICT.had.the.highest.outcomes.of.students.going.onto.either.full‑time.work.or.study.(��.per.cent).post.placement.but.with.the.main.outcome.related.to.full‑time.study.(55.per.cent).and.22.per.cent.onto.full‑time.work.[the.data.does.not.specify.whether.or.not.the.full‑time.study.is.ICT.related].

• Female.ICT.students.more.likely.than.male.students.to.go.onto.full‑time.study.rather.than.full‑time.work..

• The.overall.trend.in.participation.and.outcomes.from.2001.to.2004.has.remained.stable.

The.program.appears.to.provide.a.pathway.option.for.some.students.into.further.study.although.the.precise.nature.of.the.study.cannot.be.determined.from.the.survey.data.

4.3 Role of Universities in ICT skills developmentUniversities.are.a.major.source.of.new.ICT.professionals..However,.the.rapid.rate.of.technological.change.creates.challenges.for.universities.to.keep.pace.with.the.skills.needed.to.build.and.maintain.new.technologies..Traditionally,.the.cycle.for.review,.development,.and.implementation.of.new.curricula.takes.five.to.eight.years..This.is.severely.misaligned.with.changing.technology.cycles.which.can.be.counted.in.months.rather.than.years.

This.nexus,.between.the.capabilities.of.universities.and.other.higher.education.bodies.and.industry.needs,.relies.on.effective.linkages.and.collaborative.approaches.between.industry.and.universities.to.avoid.misalignment.in.the.demand.and.supply.cycles.

A.number.of.universities.have.openly.stated.their.preference.for.focussing.on.providing.foundation.skills.to.ICT.students,.rather.than.focussing.on.specialised.narrow.skills,.which.they.argue.might.quickly.become.redundant.as.market.demand.changes..

The.conclusion.drawn.by.leading.academics.working.in.the.ICT.field.is.that.it.is.not.possible.for.universities.to.respond.to.narrow,.short‑term.technical.specialisations..This.is.compounded.by.the.fact.that.only.four.universities.have.IT.Faculties.(Monash,.UTS,.QUT.and.Wollongong)..Of.the.remaining.39.universities.ICT.is.often.located.in.a.department.or.school.within.the.Faculty.of.Engineering.or.Business.

There.is.debate.about.whether.freestanding.ICT.Faculties.will.be.sustainable.in.the.future.given.the.strong.trend.towards.ICT.graduates.with.a.strong.understanding.of.business..Indeed,.even.those.universities.with.freestanding.ICT.Faculties.are.pursuing.more.broadly.based.multidisciplinary.ICT.programs.and.degrees..For.example,.the.UTS.has.a.combined.technology‑business.degree,.where.a.full‑time.student.undertakes.two.business.subjects.and.two.ICT.subjects..

However.the.capacity.of.most.universities.to.establish.alternative.business.models.to.respond.to.short‑term.specialisations.is.currently.severely.limited,.given.competition.for.funding.with.other.disciplines.such.as.engineering.and.business..Even.universities.with.purpose‑built.ICT.Faculties.find.the.choice.between.their.core.teaching.business.and.more.market‑driven.short.courses.is.constrained.by.available.teaching.staff.and.resources.which.are.primarily.dependent.on.undergraduate.enrolments..The.lack.of.flexibility.is.considered.to.be.particularly.acute.for.many.universities.in.an.environment.of.constrained.funding.levels,.falling.ICT.course.enrolments.and.increased.government.reporting.requirements..

Rather.than.seeking.to.predict.skill.demands.and.shortages,.students.are.given.the.opportunity.to.gain.experience.in.a.variety.of.technology.platforms.through.their.course.work..This.way,.students.not.only.gain.experience.in.the.Microsoft.operating.system.but.also.open.source.software.such.as.Linux.

May 2006

Practical.implementation.skills.and.experience.in.current.technologies.is.emphasised.through.lab.work,.and.this.means.that.over.time.the.primary.skills.specialization.for.different.student.intakes.has.shifted.from.Cobol.to.C+.to.Java..

Some.universities.emphasise.industry.work.placement.as.a.core.part.of.the.degree,.with.a.four.year.degree.offering.one.year.in.industry.(sometimes.referred.to.as.‘sandwich’.courses)..Several.leading.universities.have.reported.that.factors.such.as.the.industry.downturn.in.2002–2003,.and.changes.to.higher.education.funding.arrangements,.has.made.it.difficult.to.maintain.industry.placements.as.a.compulsory.element,.and.three.year.degrees.are.also.offered.which.excludes.the.industry.placement.component.

Many.universities.are.making.provision.for.more.complex.arrangements.in.cross‑disciplinary.degrees,.such.as.combining.ICT.units.with.studies.in.commerce,.languages.and.health.sciences.to.enable.wider.choices.which.may.raise.the.employability.skills.of.graduates..Project.management.in.particular.is.receiving.a.strong.focus..Some.universities.are.also.recognising.that.for.graduates.to.be.marketable.in.an.international.ICT.employment.market,.they.may.need.a.good.understanding.of.the.regulatory.regimes.and.IP.rules.in.different.overseas.jurisdictions..This.suggests.an.increasing.internationalisation.of.ICT.curricula..There.is.also.likely.to.be.increased.need.for.students.to.be.more.culturally.sensitive.and.globally.aware.in.order.to.be.effective.in.overseas.ICT.markets.

A.view.from.some.in.the.ICT.industry.is.that.while.universities.are.coming.to.terms.with.the.need.to.develop.undergraduates’.broader.business.and.interpersonal.skills.that.they.need.to.enter.the.workforce,.this.is.happening.slowly.in.a.piecemeal.way.and.a.more.concerted.effort.is.needed.

Universities.however.consider.that.they.are.severely.constrained.and.lack.the.flexibly.to.respond.to.industry.and.market.demands.and.potential.student.preferences..This.includes.legal.and.funding.requirements.placed.upon.them.by.government.when.making.curriculum.and.course.changes,.and.the.long.lead.times.in.preparing.information.and.marketing.on.new.course.offerings.

University ICT course enrolmentsUniversity.graduates.are.the.major.source.of.new.ICT.professionals..However.the.number.of.students.commencing.ICT.university.studies.continues.to.decline..This.decline.in.total.ICT.enrolments.has.been.due.to.a.general.decline.in.Australian.students.enrolling.in.professional.courses,.and.to.their.selection.of.other.courses..

Figures.from.the.NSW.University.Admissions.Centre.show.first‑preference.applications.to.study.IT.in.2006.were.down.1�.3.per.cent..First‑round.offers.for.IT.courses.in.NSW.fell.15.per.cent.in.2005,.after.falls.of.25.per.cent.and.24.per.cent.in.2003.and.2004.respectively.

In.Queensland,.first‑preference.applications.for.2006.were.down.12.2.per.cent.and.first‑round.offers.dropped.49.6.per.cent.between.2000–01.and.2003–04.

The.long‑term.trends.in.other.states.have.been.just.as.evident..For.example,.in.Victoria,.the.number.of.students.enrolling.in.IT.courses.at.Monash.University.dropped.from.4�16.in.2001.to.249�.in.2006,.a.decrease.of.close.to.48.per.cent..Similarly,.enrolments.at.Melbourne.University.dropped.from.2200.to.1608.between.2001.and.2005..Swinburne.University.experienced.a.drop.of.close.to.25.per.cent.during.the.same.period.

However,.some.universities.are.reporting.an.increase.in.students.applying.for.‘blended’.courses,.that.is,.courses.offering.a.mix.of.technology.and.business..For.example,.in.2006,.Deakin.University.recorded.an.increase.of.about.10.per.cent.in.demand.for.blended.courses.offering.majors.in.accounting.information.systems.and.other.business‑focused.areas.

While.there.are.not.official.projections.of.the.number.of.ICT.graduates.from.Australian.universities,.there.have.been.several.claims.of.pending.skills.shortages..

May 2006

ICT graduate employmentRecent.DEWR.analysis.of.data.on.graduate.outcomes,.drawing.on.GCCA.Graduate Destination Surveys,.shows.that.the.proportion.of.students.in.higher.education.‘computing’.courses.working.with.the.same.employer.before.and.after.graduation.has.fallen.markedly.in.the.past.decade..DEWR.noted.that.this.trend.is.not.conducive.to.strengthening.of.education–work.linkages.for.ICT.occupations..

Concern.has.been.expressed.that.off‑shoring.will.reduce.demand.for.ICT.graduates..Since.the.industry.contraction.in.2001,.ICT.graduate.employment.has.been.relatively.slow.to.recover..This.is.reflected.in.the.starting.salaries.for.computer.science.graduates,.which.fell.from.around.fifth.highest.in.2000.through.to.2002,.then.slipped.to.ninth.in.2003,.and.then.partially.recovered.to.seventh.in.2004.

The.salary.variances.can.be.tied.to.large.ICT.consultancies.which.cut.back.on.graduate.recruitment.in.downturns,.but.aggressively.seek.the.top‑tier.graduates.as.demand.for.services.is.expected.to.rise..In.the.current.upturn.in.demand,.this.factor.and.the.perception.that.there.has.been.some.shift.back.to.in‑house.delivery.of.ICT.services,.away.from.off‑shoring.and.outsourcing,.have.been.attributed.as.reasons.for.the.increased.demand.for.graduates..

Indeed,.data.from.the.Olivier.Group,.which.surveys.employment.in.the.ICT.market,.reported.that.graduate.opportunities.continue.to.rise..For.example,.in.March.2006.Olivier.reported.that.in.the.previous.twelve.months.vacancies.for.technology.graduates.had.risen.by.111.1�.per.cent.

The.falling.enrolments.in.ICT.courses.over.the.past.three.years.may.also.be.a.factor.in.improving.employment.opportunities.for.graduates.and.may.help.drive.up.graduate.salaries.(see.Olivier.Job.Index.November.2005).

4.4 Articulation of course pathways between university and VET sectorsThere.are.a.number.of.avenues.for.enhancing.connections.between.the.Higher.Education.and.VET.systems,.and.providing.improved.skill.development.pathways.and.outcomes:

•. Articulation,.usually.takes.the.form.of.students.completing.or.undertaking.a.VET.qualification(s).first.and.then.completing.the.university.qualification.to.obtain.the.degree;.

•. Credit transfer,.consists.of.either.a.full.or.partial.transfer.between.components.of.existing.awards;.

•. Joint courses.or.dual sector awards/programs,.require collaboration.in.development.of.the.course.between.the.two.institutions.

In.order.to.create.opportunities.for.students.to.articulate.from.TAFE.to.university.there.is.a.need.for.considerable.collaboration.between.the.sectors..There.are.many.courses.that.provide.opportunities.for.articulation..Articulation.requires.a.sequential.pathway.between.qualifications.in.VET.and.higher.education,.allowing.students.to.progress.from.one.qualification.to.the.next,.and.offering.multiple.entry.and.exit.points.This.usually.takes.the.form.of.2+2.years,.2+1.years.and.1+2.years,.where.a.VET.qualification.articulates.into.a.bachelor.degree.

In.2004,.DEST.agreed.to.fund.an.initiative.to.investigate.the.impediments.to.articulation.with.a.particular.emphasis.on.the.VET.(Vocational.Education.and.Training).and.HE.(Higher.Education).providers.in.the.ICT.industry.

The.project,.Impediments to Seamless Articulation,.commenced.in.January.2005,.with.the.final.report.and.recommendations.presented.to.DEST.in.August.2005..The.recommendations.included.further.research.into.existing.articulation.arrangements.with.HE.institutions.that.did.not.provide.input.to.the.study,.provision.of.a.database.tool.to.map.VET.and.HE.programs.to.each.other.and.a.number.of.pilot.projects.to.test.the.outcome.of.better.guidance.within.articulation.pathways..

5Skills development in the marketplace

��

May 2006

5. Skills development in the marketplaceVendor.training.and.training.validation.through.certification.is.a.critical.component.of.technology.skill.development..It.is.important.for.professionals.to.understand.the.technology.they.are.using.in.relation.to.business.planning.and.development..Working.with.industries.that.develop.the.technology.is.critical.to.the.formation.of.skills..

It.is.also.important.for.companies.who.are.purchasing.and.deploying.the.technology.and.services.to.understand.the.skills.required.to.protect.their.investment..For.professionals.it.is.critical.they.have.globally.recognised.ICT.industry.skills.with.a.direct.correlation.to.the.ongoing.development.of.technology.and.its.integration.within.diverse.industry.sectors.

The.Computer.Technology.Industry.Association.(CompTIA).launched.IT.Pro.Australia11.in.October.2005.to.raise.the.public.profile.in.Australia.of.vendor.training.and.to.offer.improved.information.and.support.to.ICT.professionals.seeking.to.upgrade.their.vendor.qualifications.

An.ongoing.challenge.for.the.ICT.industry,.in.particular.vendor.companies.and.CompTIA.Australia,.is.working.with.the.formal.education.and.training.sector.to.better.integrate.and/or.link.vendor.training.and.certification.with.university.curriculum.and.the.VET.National.ICT.training.packages.

5.1 The role of employersRetraining.is.an.ongoing.part.of.most.ICT.practitioners'.work.experience..ICT.is.dynamic.and.constantly.requires.the.upgrade.of.existing.skills.and.new.skills.to.work.with.the.periodic.introduction.of.new.technologies..A.great.deal.of.the.upgrading.of.skills.occurs.on‑the‑job..In.addition,.employers.may.support.formal.training.and.practitioners.can.seek.to.undertake.tertiary.studies.to.build.their.skills.base..ICT.courses.are.offered.by.TAFE,.universities.and.vendor.certified.trainers.

Some.ICT.professionals.who.have.been.in.the.IT.business.for.many.years.may.however.find.it.difficult.to.convert.their.skill.sets..The.reported.high.costs12.of.self‑financing.ongoing.skills.development.can.be.a.potential.barrier.to.skills.upgrading.for.some.IT.professionals.

ACS ICT staff training surveyThe.ACS.has.recently.undertaken.a.survey,.including.many.of.Australia’s.top.ICT.employers,.to.obtain.a.better.insight.into.attitudes.to.training.of.ICT.staff..Information.was.sought.on.issues.such.as.the.main.requirements.and.skills.currently.seen.to.be.important,.and.those.that.will.be.needed.within.the.next.three.to.five.years.

The.survey.has.revealed.a.gap.across.all.technical.and.non.technical.areas.surveyed,.between.training.identified.as.being.necessary.by.firms.and.that.being.planned..

�� www.itpro.comptia.com.au/

�2 Forexample,in(year),costsfortheCiscoCertifiedNetworkAssociateProgramwereapproximately$1000persemester.http://academy.ee.unsw.edu.au/schedule.htm#fees

May 2006

A.key.message.from.this.is.that.ICT.professionals.should.not.be.relying.on.their.employers.to.supply.all.their.training.needs..Because.there.is.a.consistent.gap.across.all.training.areas.surveyed,.it.is.reasonable.to.assume.that.employers.consider.that.employees.should.be.contributing.to.their.own.training.requirements—around.25.per.cent.of.their.own.technical.training.and.30.per.cent.for.training.in.non.technical.areas.

There.are.implications.in.this.for.ICT.employees.and.firms..For.employees,.unless.they.are.initiating.their.own.skills.update.their.skill.set.could.be.out.of.date.in.as.little.as.three.to.five.years.

Conversely,.employers.are.likely.to.have.to.undertake.major.retraining.programs.or.‘spill.and.fill’.over.the.same.time.frame.because.current.employees.will.not.have.the.full.compliment.of.skill.sets.they.need.for.their.business.needs.

The.majority.of.employers.surveyed.indicated.that.they.believed.employees.need.to.look.at.completely.overhauling.their.skill.sets.every.three.to.five.years,.suggesting.that.this.is.indeed.what.is.happening.

5.2 Outsourcing and off‑shoringGreater.focus.on.outsourcing,.and.in.particular.off‑shoring,.of.ICT.services.as.a.means.to.obtain.ICT.skills.has.emerged.in.recent.years,.driven.by.the.expectations.of.access.to.lower.cost.services.and.greater.flexibility..Outsourcing.to.Australian.based.ICT.service.companies.has.existed.for.decades.and.influenced.the.location.of.ICT.skills.between.service.providers.and.customers..Off‑shoring.has.been.enhanced.and.strengthened.by.the.development.of.digital.information.and.communications.technologies.and.the.fall.in.telecommunications.costs..However,.off‑shoring.is.susceptible.to.cultural.and.communications.issues.

The.ICT.related.activities.that.lend.themselves.to.off‑shoring.include.computer.programming,.back.office.functions.such.as.billing.and.processing.and.customer.services.such.as.call.centre.operations..The.current.levels.and.the.pace.of.growth.in.off‑shoring.are.unclear,.though.expectations.are.for.off‑shoring.to.continue.to.steadily.grow.for.the.foreseeable.future.

While.off‑shoring.has.the.potential.to.remove.skills.shortages.it.also.has.the.potential.to.reduce.demand.for.skills.in.surplus.

In.December.2004.the.Australian.Information.Industry.Association.(AIIA).released.the.report.Status of Off‑shoring Outsourcing in Australia: A Qualitative Study prepared.by.ITR.Principal.Mark.Hollands..The.report.canvassed.the.opinions.of.senior.executives.in.Australia’s.leading.companies,.software.and.application.developers.and.key.ICT.policy.influencers..

One.of.its.main.findings.was.that.despite.the.consistent.view.that.offshore.outsourcing.threatened.many.jobs,.the.potential.for.new.jobs.is.also.significant..Recommendations.of.the.report.focussed.on.assisting.displaced.workers.to.retrain.and.re‑enter.the.workforce,.to.ensure.a.supply.of.new.workers.with.the.skills.required.to.attract.offshore.outsourcing.to.Australia.

The.Australian.Computer.Society.has.also.commissioned.research13.in.this.area.which.concluded.that.the.dynamic.nature.of.the.ICT.industry.often.means.that.there.is.very.little.time.for.ICT.workers.to.identify.and.learn.new.skills,.and.re‑skilling.ceases.to.be.a.priority.for.some.employers..This.generally.places.the.onus.for.re‑skilling.and.up‑skilling.on.ICT.professionals.themselves..In.addition.the.report.concluded.that.much.of.the.unemployment.and.under‑employment.in.ICT.is.caused.by.people.not.having.appropriate.skills.mixes..While.there.are.some.ICT.professionals.who.have.not.maintained.the.necessary.skill.levels.or.learned.new.skills.required,.this.needs.to.be.weighed.against.years.of.valuable.practical.experience.and.managerial.expertise.

�� ACS Policy Statement on Off‑shoring,May200�andStudy of ICT Outsourcing and Off‑shoring in Australia,WhitehorseStrategicGroup,May200�

May 2006

More.recently,.one.of.the.world’s.leading.consulting.firms.McKinsey.&.Company.reviewed.the.impacts.of.off‑shoring.on.the.US.workforce14.and.concluded.that.while.the.US.economy.gains.from.off‑shoring,.companies.and.governments.should.do.more.to.help.workers.cope.with.the.faster.rate.of.job.change.

5.3 Skilled migrationObtaining.the.right.balance.in.the.numbers.and.capabilities.of.ICT.immigrants.to.meet.domestic.requirements.is.a.complex.question..There.are.a.number.of.factors.which.make.a.perfectly.tuned.immigration.program.difficult.to.achieve,.these.include:

• the.complexity.of.the.local.market.place;

• the.lack.of.current.information.about.skills.demands;

• inconsistent.nomenclature;

• lags.involved.in.immigrant.selection;.and

• the.difficulty.of.having.immigration.officials.with.sufficient.knowledge.and.experience.to.match.the.capabilities.of.individual.applicants.with.domestic.market.requirements.

However,.improving.arrangements.through.the.availability.of.more.accurate.and.current.information.would.allow.better.operation.of.immigration.arrangements.

�� US Off‑shoring: Rethinking the Response,December2005McKinsey&Company

6Future ICT skills demand

May 2006

6. Future ICT skills demand

6.1 Challenges and issues in ICT skills foresightingThe.concept.of.‘foresighting’.involves.identifying.possible.future.scenarios.and.the.impacts.of.influential.factors.over.time..It.offers.a.way.of.assembling.a.big‑picture.view.of.the.possibilities.presented.by.emerging.technology.set.in.broader.economic,.social.and.demographic.contexts..The.foresighting.becomes.very.useful.for.many.purposes,.such.as.to.aid.policy.development.to.help.education.providers.set.curriculum.and.academic.places;.to.help.people.manage.their.careers;.to.aid.employers.to.manage.professional.development.of.their.workforces;.and.much.more..

Foresighting.also.facilitates.the.development.of.a.shared.community.of.understanding.across.a.range.of.stakeholders..This.in.turn.facilitates.more.meaningful.dialogue.amongst.stakeholders.on.the.issues.that.will.influence.future.outcomes..As.was.noted.during.the.Vision.2020.process.conducted.by.the.former.Australian.Communications.Authority.(ACA),.creating.foresight.improves.our.capacity.to.deal.with.complexity.and.uncertainty.15

Effective.foresighting.facilitates.stakeholder.understanding.of.the.opportunities,.threats.and.challenges.faced,.stimulating.debate.and.further.research..Foresighting.complements.forecasting,.and.the.accuracy.of.foresighting.is.highly.influenced.by.the.quality.of.forecasting.available..Forecasting.assists.by.providing.more.accurate.knowledge.about.trajectories.and.related.trends.and.developments,.and.good.forecasting.is.a.highly.desirable.prerequisite.for.good.foresighting.

6.2 Forecasting and technology trendsAt.first.glance.using.technology.trends.to.forecast.future.demand.for.skills.may.appear.to.be.a.promising.approach.to.forecasting.future.demand.for.ICT.skills..However,.the.reality.is.that.the.research.and.analysis.task.is.difficult,.costly.and.remains.risky.as.one.seeks.to.develop.a.reasoned.assessment.of.what.is.likely.to.eventuate..Other.major.constraints.on.finer.forecasting.of.ICT.skills.demand.are:

• the.size.of.current.skill.pools.are.unknown.due.to.information.lags;

• specific.future.demands.for.related.skills,.and.the.time.frame.in.which.the.impacts.will.occur,.are.unknown;.and

• there.are.a.diverse.number.of.factors.that.influence.demand.for.particular.skills.(eg.firm.size,.industry.sector,.technological.environment,.immigration,.regional.location.and.globalisation).

In.addition,.two.major.hurdles.have.to.be.overcome:

• obtaining.representative.estimates.of.future.ICT.investment.(purchasing.plans).by.business.and.government;.and

• interpreting.the.new.skills.that.will.be.in.demand.and.the.other.impacts.on.the.ICT.skills.market..

The.purchasing.plans.will.encompass.a.wide.range.of.ICT..Some.ICT.will.be.new,.some.will.be.well.established.technologies,.and.others.will.be.upgrades.of.currently.used.products..Each.category.will.require.a.range.of.different.skills..They.will.largely.involve.the.several.hundred.ICT.skills.in.common.use..The.skills.relevant.to.a.specific.new.ICT.product.or.service.may.include.specialised.knowledge.as.well.as.more.broadly.established.skills..

�5 Vision 20/20: Future Scenarios for the Communications Industry—Implications for Regulation(FinalReport,April2005)www.acma.gov.au/acmainterwr/_assets/main/lib306/vision%202020%20final%20report.pdf

May 2006

Assessment.of.the.impact.of.investment.on.skills.demand.will.need.to.consider.capacity.of.the.current.skills.pool.to.supply.the.skills,.how.the.new.skills.required.can.be.obtained,.and.in.what.time.frame.they.will.be.available..The.make‑up.of.the.current.skills.pool.is.poorly.understood..Each.ICT.practitioner.has.their.individual.portfolio.of.skills.and.the.current.labour.market.data.collection.stops.at.a.measurement.of.occupational.groups..This.makes.it.impossible.to.estimate.the.dimensions.of.the.current.use.of.skills.and.how.practitioners.and.trainers.may.adapt.to.demands.for.new.skills..Without.a.sound.knowledge.of.the.current.skill.base.it.is.not.feasible.to.forecast.future.needs.

Interpreting.demand.requirements.related.to.both.old.and.new.technologies,.and.combining.this.with.forecasts.of.the.supply.of.new.skills.from.retraining.practitioners.and.new.entrants.to.the.ICT.workforce,.is.an.immense.task..It.is.unlikely.any.reliably.useful.forecasts.can.be.made.even.with.detailed.data.on.primary.and.secondary.ICT.skills.in.use.

The.United.Kingdom.and.Canada.have.both.tried.integrating.technology.forecasts.with.labour.market.statistics.to.attempt.to.forecast.future.ICT.skills.supply.and.demand..Both.studies.resulted.in.very.high.level.analyses.that.reflected.on.broad.technology.trends..The.level.of.analysis.did.not.facilitate.detailed.planning.to.respond.to.the.broad.trends..

Demand.for.the.diverse.technical.skills.that.make.up.the.ICT.labour.market.constantly.changes.and.it.successfully.adapts.in.the.longer.term..Although.shortages.appear.in.some.specific.skills.from.time.to.time,.the.market.does.work.to.even.out.supply.and.demand.of.ICT.skills..New.technologies.are.constantly.entering.the.market,.while.others.are.reaching.a.peak.of.utilisation..Other.technologies.are.progressively.outdated.over.long.periods,.but.some.residual.continuing.demand.for.older.ICT.skills.remains..More.commonly,.the.core.technologies.widely.in.use.are.progressively.upgraded.and.ICT.practitioners.upgrade.their.skills.concurrently..

6.3 ICT skills forecasting in AustraliaThe.issues.involved.in.forecasting.ICT.skills.supply.and.demand.were.thoroughly.examined.as.part.of.the.background.research.for.this.project..The.major.conclusion.drawn.is.that.the.complexity.in.dealing.with.rapid.changes.in.ICT.trends,.market.dynamics.and.economic.conditions,.combined.with.the.limits.of.available.data,.does.not.support.reliable.quantitative.forecasting.of.skills.demand.and.workforce.numbers..

Long.range.forecasting.is.limited.by.relatively.short.technology.planning.and.investment.cycles,.and.horizons.for.both.the.private.and.public.sectors..The.quality.of.the.foresighting.will.largely.depend.on.the.quality.of.information.available.and.modelling.based.on.incomplete.information.may.have.significant.weaknesses..

Long.range.forecasting.requires.not.only.complete.and.accurate.statistical.trend.data,.but.also.accurate.and.detailed.understanding.of.new.and.emerging.technologies,.products,.trends.in.ICT.goods.and.services.markets,.business.innovation.cycles,.and.social.and.demographic.trends..There.are.many.relevant.parameters.involved.in.any.sound.analysis.and.long‑term.forecasting..

However,.there.are.a.further.set.of.economic,.social.and.demographic.factors.which.also.impact.on.the.demand.for.and.supply.of.ICT.workers.and.on.the.structure.and.composition.of.the.ICT.labour.market,.such.as:

• economic.trends.and.cycles,.both.domestically.and.globally,.where.boom.and.bust.periods.impact.on.the.demand.for.skilled.labour;

• market.trends.and.investment.cycles,.which.impact.on.new.business.and.technology.developments.and.demand.for.skilled.ICT.labour;

May 2006

• population.dynamics,.including.intergenerational.impacts.on.labour.force.participation.rates,.migration.and.potential.labour.shortages;

• labour.market.re‑structuring.over.time.in.response.to.workplace.reforms,.the.productivity.benefits.of.ICT.adoption.and.changing.expectations.of.working.arrangements.(e.g..work/life.balance,.teleworking);.and

• environmental.and.societal.changes,.such.as.climate.change,.spiralling.living.costs.(eg.rising.fuel.prices),.urban.congestion.resulting.in.new.ways.of.working.(e.g..teleworking),.with.greater.emphasis.on.online/virtual.engagement.and.interactions.and.rising.consumer.expectations..

6.4 Modelling the futurePrimary.factors.influencing.possible.outcomes.for.skills.foresighting.include:

1.. directions.of.current.and.future.ICT.research.and.development;.

2.. directions.in.the.business.investment.cycles.and.level.of.investment.by.industries.and.governments;

3.. scope.for.emerging.technologies.to.form.the.basis.of.new.or.upgraded.products,.services.and.capabilities;

4.. pace.at.which.the.new.or.upgraded.products.and.services.are.taken‑up.by.consumers,.business.and.government;

5.. skills.required.in.association.with.these.products.and.services;

6.. current.availability.of.ICT.skills.(existing,.upgraded.or.new);.and.

7.. capacity.for.retraining,.immigration.and.new.graduates.to.meet.emerging.skills.demand..

6.5 Current modellingModelling.is.commonly.approached.from.the.top.down.by.extending.economic.models.to.identify.corresponding.growth.or.decline.in.demand.for.particular.industries.and.occupations.across.the.economy..The.Monash.University.economy‑wide.economic.model,.an.applied.general.equilibrium.model.that.includes.a.labour.market.extension.for.occupations,.contributes.to.DEWR’s.preparation.of.employment.projections.by.industry.and.occupation..

• DEWR.job.turnover.estimates,.part.of.the.occupational.information.available.on.Job.Outlook.online.(www.jobsearch.gov.au/joboutlook).are.based.on.projections.prepared.by.the.Centre.for.the.Economics.of.Education.and.Training.(CEET).at.Monash.University.16

DEWR.currently.prepares.projections.of.employment.growth.for.industries.and.occupations.to.the.year.2010–11..These.projections.are.based.on.several.factors,.including:.

• industry.and.occupation.employment.projections.provided.by.the.Centre of Policy Studies (CoPS).at.Monash.University.(from.the.Monash.University.economy‑wide.economic.model);.

• actual.employment.growth.in.recent.years;.

• occupational.factors.(for.example,.technological.change);.and.

• qualitative.information.on.industry.and.occupational.developments..

DEWR’s.employment.projections.are.for.Australia.as.a.whole..The.information.created.provides.a.broad.indication.of.likely.national.job.demand,.but.does.not.forecast.state.or.regional.skills.demand.or.the.prospects.for.specific.skills..One.key.dimension.missing.from.the.forecasts.are.the.likely.supply.and.the.specific.skills.of.these.positions.

�� DEWR Job Outlook,DepartmentofEmploymentandWorkplaceRelations,June200�.

May 2006

Industry.employment.projections.are.part.of.the.development.of.the.occupational.projections..Future.demand.for.ICT.occupations.in.Australia.is.‘driven’.by.the.combined.impact.of:

• projected.employment.growth.for.the.main.industries.employing.ICT.workers.(industry.growth.effect);.and

• changing.occupational.composition:.demand.for.an.occupation.resulting.from.a.higher.share.of.employment.in.industries.(occupational.share.effect).

The.occupational.employment.projections.are.at.an.aggregated.level,.especially.since.the.current.occupational.classification.groups.ICT.Professionals.into.just.two.unit.groups.(IT.Managers.and.Computing.Professionals)..Consequently,.DEWR.employment.projections.are.for.three.ICT.occupations:.IT Managers,.Computing Professionals and.Computing Support Technicians..The.latest.DEWR.projections.(2006.update).indicate.that.there.will.be.around.52.000.new.jobs.in.these.three.ICT.occupations.in.the.next.five.years.

It.has.been.suggested.that.modelling.technology.trends.could.provide.a.more.detailed.analysis.which.could.identify.specific.skills.that.will.be.in.demand..Work.is.being.undertaken.to.explore.the.upgrading.of.the.Monash.model.to.take.account.of.technological.and.social.change.on.future.labour.demand..A.complementary.supply.side.forecasting.system.is.currently.being.prepared.1�.

DEWR.undertakes.a.six.monthly.ICT.skill.shortage.survey.which.is.based.on.the.recent.recruitment.experience.of.employers.and.ICT.recruitment.agencies,.and.examines.whether.employers.have.been.able.to.find.suitable.workers..The.ICT.skill.shortage.research.focuses.on.specialised.ICT.skills,.not.just.occupations,.due.to.the.complex.nature.of.ICT.demand..The.survey.asks.employers.if.they.expect.these.skills.in.demand.to.get.easier.or.harder.to.find.over.the.next.12.months..

The.DEWR.ICT.skill.shortage.survey.provides.information.on.the.percentage.of.ICT.vacancies.filled.and.skill.shortages.and.recruitment.difficulties.for.around.80.specialised.ICT.skills,.for.each.State.and.Territory..DEWR.has.earlier.noted.that.“Australian.and.world.economies.are.experiencing.rapid.evolution.in.specialised.skill.needs.and.such.‘prediction’.(of.future.skill.needs).is.not.prudent..The.focus.is.therefore.rather.on.providing.information.on.prospective.skill.needs.that.will.help.to.guide.the.response.of.the.employment,.education.and.training.markets.”18

The.scope.for.reliable.ICT.skills.forecasting.in.Australia.is.at.present.severely.limited.by.the.difficulty.and.cost.of.obtaining.the.complete.and.accurate.detailed.information.required.to.develop.well.founded.forecasting.models..

�� CBoswell,SStillerandTStraubhaar,Forecasting Labour and Skills Shortages: How Can Projections Better Inform Labour Migration Policies,MigrationResearchGroup,HamburgInstituteofInternationalEconomics(HWWA),July200�

�� DEWRsubmissionofMay200�totheSenateInquiryBridging the skills divide

7The future ICT professional

May 2006

7. The future ICT professionalThere.is.increasing.speculation.about.the.changing.roles.of.ICT.professionals.and.how.to.best.describe.the.nature.of.their.work.to.help.students,.teachers,.parents,.career.advisers.and.the.wider.community.gain.a.better.understanding.of.the.modern.ICT.workforce.

In.launching.CompTIA.Australia’s.new.IT.Pro.Australia.organisation.in.October.2005,.the.Minister.for.Communications,.Information.Technology.and.the.Arts,.Senator.Helen.Coonan.noted.that:

The hallmarks of the ICT professional will soon include creative, interpersonal and project management skills, as well as expertise in specific areas such as health and education, and the ability to effectively mesh hard and soft skills.19

The.Working.Group.suggests.that.the.term.‘ICT.professional’.is.now.far.too.generic.and.fails.to.provide.the.necessary.context.for.the.ICT.work.that.is.performed..This.might.be.addressed.by.developing.a.new.hybrid.description.which.combines.the.essential.technical.aspect.of.their.work.i.e..being.a.‘technologist’,.with.the.industry.or.particular.discipline.in.which.the.technology.is.being.applied.e.g..communications,.financial.services,.health,.mining.etc..

This.would.generate.an.entirely.new.set.of.occupational.descriptions.for.ICT.such.as.financial.services.technologist,.communications.technologist.etc..Within.these.job.titles.there.could.also.be.scope.to.emphasise.their.particular.field.of.specialisations,.just.as.occurs.now.in.many.areas.of.medicine.and.the.law..For.example,.“I’m.a.financial.services.technologist.specialising.in.e‑security”..The.intention.would.be.that.this.new.shorthand.might.be.more.readily.understood.when.promoting.and.describing.ICT.careers.to.young.people,.parents.and.teachers.

The.new.ICT.nomenclature.developed.as.part.of.the.Australian.and.New.Zealand.Standard.Classification.of.Occupations.(ANZSCO).will.help.to.identify.occupational.clusters.within.ICT.Professionals.

Research.from.leading.industry.analyst.Gartner.presents.a.vision.of.the.future.ICT.professional.in.2010.as.the.‘versatilist’—one.who.has.numerous.roles,.assignments.and.experiences.and.creates.synthesized.knowledge.and.context.that.fuel.business.value..For.ICT.professionals.to.function.as.the.‘versatilist’.they.will.need.to.understand.business.realities—industry,.core.processes,.customer.bases,.regulatory.environments,.culture.and.constraints20.

Gartner.predicts.that.by.2010.the.ICT.profession.will.be.split.into.four.main.areas.of.expertise:

• technology infrastructure and services, with.growth.in.service,.hardware.and.software.companies..Network.design.and.security.will.remain.strong.everywhere,.with.routine.coding.and.programming.off‑shored.to.developing.economies;

• information design and management,.with.growth.in.business.intelligence,.online.consumer.services,.workplace.enhancement..Search‑and‑retrieval.practices.and.collaboration,.particularly.in.ICT‑user,.systems.integration.and.consulting.companies..In.this.area.Gartner.predicts.there.will.be.a.demand.for.professionals.with.linguistics,.language,.information.design.and.knowledge.management.skills;.

• process design and management, involving.standard.operational.processes.(for.outsourcing.vendors),.competitive.business.processes.(for.ICT‑user.companies).and.design.of.automation.software.(for.software.vendors);.and

�� ICT skills essential to international competitiveness,MediaRelease��October2005

20 The IT Professional Outlook: Where Will We Go From Here?GartnerResearchReportSept2005

May 2006

• relationships and sourcing management,.requiring.ICT.professionals.to.acquire.skills.in.this.area.which.demands.strengths.in.managing.intangibles,.negotiating.among.different.parties.and.coordinating.outcomes.among.geographically.distributed.parties.with.different.work.agendas.and.cultures..In.some.instances.ICT.professionals.in.this.area.will.serve.as.relationship.managers.between.overseas.service.providers.and.domestic.customers.

Gartner.goes.on.to.suggest.some.of.the.ways.in.which.ICT.professionals.and.employers.can.make.the.transition.to.this.new.environment.and.some.of.the.challenges.for.employers:

ICT Professionals

• start.now.to.assess.and.build.their.business‑specific,.core.process.and.industry.knowledge;

• choose.the.area.of.expertise.which.best.suits.them.and.what.appeals.to.them.and.place.increased.emphasis.on.learning.and.relationships.as.key.factors.for.their.success;

• look.outside.the.traditional.business.ICT.world.for.new.challenges.and.opportunities.and.new.emerging.roles.in.areas.such.as.in.leisure.and.entertainment,.not‑for‑profit.and.government;

• acquire.business.training.and.education.as.well.as.technical.proficiency;.and

• tap.into.professional,.personal.and.social.networks,.whether.to.face‑to‑face.or.virtual,.to.explore.options.and.opportunities.and.to.keep.an.objective.eye.on.their.career.paths.

Employers

• develop.and.redirect.professional.opportunities.for.staff;

• develop.growth.paths.and.careers.opportunities.within.each.of.the.four.areas.of.expertise;.and

• anticipate.that.some.ICT.professionals.will.want.to.move.out.of.technical.areas.into.new.more.business.focussed.areas.

Conclusion

May 2006

8. ConclusionThe.ICT.Skills.Foresighting.Working.Group.was.established.to.provide.advice.to.Government.on.a.range.of.issues.relating.to.the.information.and.communication.technology.(ICT).skills.market..In.addressing.these.issues.the.Working.Group.has.reviewed.current.trends.and.likely.future.developments.within.Australia’s.ICT.industry.and.their.implications.for.ICT.skills.development..This.included.forecasting.future.ICT.skills.demand,.the.fit.between.industry.skill.needs.and.existing.training,.and.options.for.better.meeting.the.future.skill.needs.of.industry.

In.contributing.to.the.preparation.of.this.report.the.Working.Group.acknowledges.that.the.recommendations.put.forward.are.not.an.overarching.solution.to.the.supply.and.demand.issues.surrounding.the.ICT.skills.market..However,.the.Working.Group.firmly.believe.that.a.coordinated.response.to.the.recommendations.from.government,.industry,.employers,.ICT.professionals,.students,.and.education.and.training.providers.will.form.the.basis.for.positive.change..Implementation.of.the.recommendations.in.this.report.is.critical.if.Australia.is.to.maintain.competitiveness.and.maximise.the.potential.of.ICT.generated.productivity.growth.across.all.sectors.of.the.economy.

Appendices

May 2006

Appendix A

ICT Skills Foresighting Working Group Membership and Terms of ReferenceThe.ICT.Skills.Foresighting.Working.Group.was.chaired.by.Mr.Keith.Besgrove,.Chief.General.Manager,.Information.Economy.Division.of.DCITA.and.supported.by.a.DCITA.secretariat..Mr.Andrew.Bray.and.Mr.Denis.Hart.of.the.Department.of.Workplace.Relations.and.Employment.also.attended.a.number.of.working.group.meetings.and.provided.information.such.as.that.presented.in.Appendix.C...

The.working.group.membership.was:

•. Ms.Danika.Bakalich,.CompTIA.Australia.

•. Mr.Michel.Hedley,.Australian.Information.Industry.Association.

•. Mr.John.Maddock,.Box.Hill.Institute.

•. Mr.Edward.Mandla,.Australian.Computer.Society.

•. Professor.Ron.Weber,.Monash.University.

•. Assoc.Prof.David.Wilson,.University.of.Technology.Sydney.

•. Mr.Norman.Lacy,.Executive.Director,.Information.Technology.Contract.and.Recruitment.Association.(ITCRA)

•. Ms.Megan.Lilly,.General.Manager—Education.and.Training,.Australian.Industry.Group

The.Terms.of.Reference.for.the.working.group.were:

1.. Work.with.DCITA.on.an.analysis.of.the.implications.for.possible.future.industry.skill.needs.of.technology.trends,.global.industry.changes,.current.and.future.challenges.in.the.domestic.economy.and.possible.emerging.markets.for.Australia’s.ICT.industry.

2.. Assist.DCITA.to.identify.possible.emerging.gaps.between.the.skill.requirements.of.industry.and.current.education.and.training.arrangements,.and.to.identify.possible.mechanisms.to.enable.the.ICT.skill.needs.of.industry.to.be.more.effectively.met.from.within.the.Australian.education.and.training.system..

3.. Work.with.DCITA.to.develop.possible.options.for.informing.the.design.of.university,.vocational.education.and.training.(VET),.industry.and.private.education.and.training.curriculum,.courses.and.programs,.including.on‑the‑job.training.programs,.and.the.training,.retraining.and.up‑skilling.decisions.made.by.employers.and.ICT.workers.

4.. Contribute.to.preparation.of.a.report.by.DCITA.on.the.main.findings.and.conclusions.from.the.analysis.and.possible.options.for.better.meeting.the.future.skill.needs.of.the.ICT.industry.

May 2006

Appendix B

Overview of the ICT industry in AustraliaThe.traditional.Australian.ICT.industry,.as.measured.on.the.basis.of.firms.deriving.at.least.50.per.cent.of.their.income.from.the.sale.of.ICT.goods.and.services,.accounts.for.only.some.40.per.cent.of.ICT.professionals..The.remaining.60.per.cent.are.spread.across.other.sectors.of.the.economy—for.example,.banking,.transport,.agriculture—reflecting.the.shift.of.the.ICT.industry.into.domains.in.which.it.operates,.the.integration.of.ICT.in.economic.activity.and.the.increasing.reliance.of.all.economic.sectors.on.ICT‑based.goods.and.services..

This.picture.is.confirmed.by.the.2005.Sensis.Business.Index.Special.Report,.ICT.Production.in.Australian.SMEs,.2005..Sensis’.survey.of.a.representative.sample.of.small.to.medium.enterprises.(SMEs).across.the.economy.estimated.that.85.per.cent.of.the.ICT.goods.and.services.produced.by.SMEs.in.Australia.are.produced.by.firms.outside.the.ICT.industry.as.traditionally.defined..Firms.outside.the.ICT.industry.were.producing.ICT.for.their.own.business.operations,.to.sell.as.ICT.or.to.embed.in.other.goods.and.services.that.they.sold.

Nevertheless,.the.traditionally.defined.ICT.industry.represents.Australia’s.core.capability.in.ICT.production..According.to.the.ABS.ICT.Satellite.Account21,.the.value.of.Australian.production.of.ICT.goods.and.services.by.ICT.specialist.firms.is.estimated.to.be.approximately.$58.8.billion:

• manufacturing. $1.8.billion

• wholesale.trade. $8.9.billion

• telecommunication.services. $32.6.billion

• computer.services. $15.5.billion

ICT.value.added.production.by.specialist.ICT.firms.only.is.4.1.per.cent.of.total.Australian.GDP.in.2002/03..However.this.estimate.does.not.take.into.account.the.full.contribution.of.ICT.tools.and.enhancements.across.the.economy.through.improved.operational.efficiency,.product.and.service.innovations,.and.new.business.models.and.markets.

The.Australian.ICT.industry.comprises.about.24.000.specialist.ICT.firms.which.employ.approximately.234.�00.people..As.shown.in.Table.1,.most.of.the.firms.are.micro‑firms.(0–4.employees).and.the.188.largest.firms.(100.or.more.employees).account.for.55.per.cent.of.total.employment.in.the.industry.

Table 1—ICT firm size and employment (2002–03)

Firm size (number of employees) Total number of ICT businesses (%) Total ICT industry employment (%)0–4 �9 15

5–99 20 30

100.or.more .1 55

2� ABS,ICTSatelliteAccount2002/03,Cat.No.5259.0,releasedMarch2006

May 2006

Australia.is.developing.strengths.in.computer.services.and.software.in.niche.high.end.applications.and.

markets,.reflecting.the.competitiveness.of.Australian.skills.and.the.demand.from.Australian.users..McKinsey.&.Company.identified.two.strands.of.major.opportunities.for.Australian.ICT.producers:22.

• providing.specialised.applications.and.services.to.global.markets—for.example,.for.the.mining.sector.and.computer.games.industry;.and.

• providing.specialist.skills.and.services.for.global.multinational.companies—for.example,.as.regional.hubs.for.high.end.research.and.development.work.

22 Australia:WinningintheGlobalICTIndustry,200�

May 2006

Appendix C

Overview of ICT employment in AustraliaIn.February.2006,.Australia.had.356.600.ICT.workers.spread.across.all.sectors.of.the.economy..While.it.is.difficult.to.draw.clear.boundaries.around.the.question.of.‘what.are.ICT.occupations’,.the.occupations.presented.in.Table.C.1.are.the.main.ICT‑specific.occupations.and.provide.a.guide.to.the.employment.base.for.ICT.

The.two.largest.occupations—Computing.Professionals.and.IT.Managers—together.comprise.‘ICT.Professionals’..In.February.2006.there.were.206.300.ICT.Professionals.employed.in.Australia..

Table C1: Employment in ICT occupations (February 2006)

ASCO code Occupation Employed ‘000 Share of ICT employment (%)2231 Computing.Professionals 163.0 45.�

1224 IT.Managers .43.3 12.1

3294 Computing.Support.Technicians .40.5 11.4

4315 Electronic.Trades .33.4 .9.4

2125 Electrical.and.Electronics.Engineers .30.1 .8.4

4316 Communications.Trades .25.1 .�.0

3124 Electronic.Engineering.Associates .10.8 .3.0

3123 Electrical.Engineering.Associates .8.4 .2.4

4314 Electronic.Instrument.Tradespersons .2.0 .0.6

Total employment in ICT occupations 356.6 100.0

..Source:.DEWR.trend.analysis.based.on.ABS.Labour.Force.Survey.data

ICT.represents.about.3.6.per.cent.of.the.total.workforce.and.is.higher.than.for.Europe.(about.2.5.per.cent).and.the.United.States.(about.2.8.per.cent)..This.is.likely.to.be.an.under‑representation.of.ICT.occupations.as.some.ICT.occupations.and.specialisations.are.not.explicitly.recognised.in.the.current.occupation.classification.used.by.the.ABS..Table.1.shows.the.occupation.code,.based.on.the.Australian.Standard.Classification.of.Occupations.(ASCO.2nd.edition),.for.each.ICT.occupation..

The.new.Australian.and.New.Zealand.Standard.Classification.of.Occupations.(ANZSCO).will.significantly.upgrade.the.quality.and.usefulness.of.data.collected.on.ICT.occupations..ANZSCO.will.also.provide.an.‘alternative.view’.of.ICT.occupations.that.will.reflect.a.more.inclusive.view.of.the.ICT.industry..The.ANZSCO.classification.will.be.implemented.in.the.August.2006.Census,.and.in.the.Labour.Force.Survey.from.August.2006..

• More.information.on.the.ICT.nomenclature.in.ANZSCO.is.available.in.the.Information.Paper.on.the.ABS.website.(www.abs.gov.au)—ABS.Cat.No..1221.0.

May 2006

ICT occupationsComputing.Professionals,.the.largest.ICT.occupation,.accounts.for.45.�.per.cent.of.all.employment.in.ICT.occupations.across.the.economy.(Figure.C.1)..The.next.two.largest.ICT.occupations.are.IT.Managers.(12.1.per.cent).and.Computing.Support.Technicians.(11.4.per.cent)..The.ICT.occupations.reflect.a.mix.of.skill.level.requirements,.based.on.ASCO.2nd.edition.definitions..

• Professional.and.managerial.occupations,.including.IT.Managers,.Computing.Professionals.and.Electrical/Electronics.Engineers.require.a.bachelor.degree.or.higher.qualification.(several.years.relevant.experience.may.substitute.for.the.formal.qualification).

• Trades.occupations,.such.as.Electronic.Trades,.require.an.Australian.Qualifications.Framework.(AQF).Certificate.III.or.higher.qualification.

• Associate.Professional.occupations,.for.example.Computing.Support.Technicians.and.Electronic/Electrical.Engineering.Associates,.generally.require.an.AQF.Certificate.IV,.diploma.or.higher.qualification..

Figure C.1 Employment in ICT Occupations—February 2006 (‘000)

Other occupations requiring high ICT proficiencyWhile.the.ABS.categories.focus.on.the.core.ICT.professional.roles,.the.data.do.not.adequately.reflect.jobs.that.require.a.combination.of.high.level.ICT.and.other.skills.or.knowledge.(for.example,.graphic.designers.in.the.multimedia.industry.or.business.analysts)..The.ongoing.development.and.uptake.of.ICT.applications.has.brought.growth.in.non‑ICT.occupations.which.are.increasingly.dependent.on.high.level.ICT.skills..

With.the.increasing.pervasiveness.of.ICT.in.all.sectors.of.the.economy,.expertise.in.other.technologies.and.industries.(for.example,.the.health.sector).is.becoming.increasingly.important..Business.management.skills.and.interpersonal,.communication.and.other.‘soft’.and/or.employability.skills.are.also.assuming.greater.importance.for.ICT.workers.in.all.industries..

May 2006

Some.leading.recruitment.firms.and.senior.IT.executives.consider.that.today’s.IT.professional:

• must.adopt.a.holistic.approach.to.business,.with.a.strong.business.and.administration.base.under‑pinning.their.technical.knowledge.and.skills;

• needs.to.offer.a.broader.range.of.skills.such.as.customer.service,.presentation.skills,.high.level.report.writing.ability,.high.level.management.and.interpersonal.skills;

• needs.to.be.less.purely.technically.focused,.given.the.ready.availability.of.off‑the‑shelf.software.packages;.and

• can.make.a.crossover.into.ICT.from.another.industry.so.long.as.they.possess.transferable.skills,.such.as.an.understanding.of.how.a.business.operates.and.end‑to‑.end.appreciation.of.business.processes..

ICT skills and entry to ICT professional careersAccording.to.data.provided.by.members.of.the.Information.Technology.Contract.and.Recruitment.Association.(ITCRA):

• 9.per.cent.of.IT.professionals.have.no.ICT.qualifications;

• 13.per.cent.have.TAFE.qualifications;

• 13.per.cent.have.an.industry.or.vendor.certificate;.and

• 52.per.cent.have.an.ICT.related.degree.

There.is.evidence.of.people.from.non‑ICT.backgrounds.moving.into.ICT.occupations..Ambit.Recruitment.has.identified.five.main.categories.in.which.non‑technical.professionals.enter.the.industry:

• project.managers,.with.the.most.successful.non‑IT.applicants.having.backgrounds.in.engineering,.accounting.and.consulting;

• IT.systems.testers.(in.areas.such.as.retail,.banking,.finance,.insurance.and.health),.with.non‑IT.applicants.generally.being.subject.experts.such.as.underwriters,.bank.officers.and.HR.personnel;

• IT.business.analysts,.with.non‑IT.applicants.frequently.being.accountants.with.analytical.experience;

• IT.project.coordinators,.with.non‑IT.applicants.generally.being.project.administrators;.and

• IT.commercial/contract.managers,.with.commercial.managers.with.MBAs.and.business.managers.with.legal,.financial.and.contracts.experience.being.a.feature.

Although.migration.from.non‑ICT.backgrounds.is.significant,.university.training.remains.the.key.source.of.new.ICT.professionals..TAFEs.and.private.training.organisations.are.also.significant.providers.of.specific.professional.ICT.courses,.but.the.data.tends.to.be.fragmentary.and.analysis.is.consequently.difficult..

• Educational.profiles.for.May.2005,.for.IT.Managers,.Computing.Professionals.and.Computing.Support.Technicians,.are.presented.in.the.Appendix.to.Attachment.C..

ICT employment trendsIT.Managers,.Computing.Professionals.and.Computing.Support.Technicians.are.the.three.dominant.ICT.specialist.occupations..Together.they.account.for.employment.of.235.300.persons.or.over.two‑thirds.of.employment.in.all.ICT.occupations..This.analysis.of.ICT.employment.trends.will.concentrate.on.these.dominant.ICT.occupations.

May 2006

In.the.past.decade.employment.for.ICT.Professionals.has.risen.strongly,.albeit.with.employment.declines.around.1999.and,.more.recently,.in.2004..While.the.employment.losses.in.2004.reflected.the.downturn.in.the.ICT.industry,.this.is.also.an.adjustment.following.the.very.strong.growth.in.the.past.10.years.

Figure C2: Employment trends for ICT occupations—10 years to Feb 2006 (‘000)

ICT Professionals

Computing Support Technicians

Information Technology Managers

Computing Professionals

Source:.ABS,.Labour.force.Survey,.Australia,.DEWR.trend.data

In.the.10.years.to.February.2006.employment.for.all.three.ICT.occupations.rose.strongly..Computing.Professionals.rose.by.54.600.or.50.4.per.cent,.including:.

• strong.growth.of.13.200.or.8.8.per.cent.in.the.year.to.February.2006;.

• employment.for.IT.Managers.rose.by.35.600.or.462.3.per.cent;.and.

• Computing.Support.Technician.employment.grew.by.1�.000.or.�2.1.per.cent.

Figure.C6.presents.employment.levels.for.ICT.Professionals,.the.combination.of.Computing.Professionals.and.IT.Managers,.for.the.period.February.1990.to.February.2006..The.number.employed.rose.strongly.between.1994.and.2003.to.204.�00,.before.levelling‑out.and.then.falling.to.188.600.in.February.2005..The.strong.rise.in.the.past.year.has.taken.employment.for.ICT.Professionals.to.206.300..

May 2006

Figure C3: Employment for ICT Professionals—Feb 1990 to Feb 2006

Employment.trends.for.ICT.occupations.mirror.developments.in.the.Computer.Services.industry.(an.Australian.and.New.Zealand.Standard.Classification.of.Industries—ANZSIC—three.digit.industry),.as.shown.in.Figure.C4..As.the.graph.shows,.employment.in.the.Computer.Services.industry.rose.very.strongly.in.the.late.1990s,.and.during.2000,.before.declining.in.the.following.years..

In.many.respects.this.decline.can.be.viewed,.in.part,.as.an.adjustment.following.the.previously.very.strong.growth,.as.well.as.reflecting.the.world‑wide.downturn.in.the.industry..There.is.evidence.of.a.turnaround,.with.employment.growth.in.the.past.year..In.the.10.years.to.February.2006,.employment.in.the.Computer.Services.industry.rose.by.88.�00.or.141.6.per.cent.to.151.400..

Figure C4: Employment in Computer Services—Indexed (February 1996 = 100.0)

Computer Services

Business Services

Telecommunication ServicesAll Industries

.Source:.ABS,.Labour.Force.Survey,.Australia,.DEWR.trend.data

May 2006

Graduate employment outcomesGraduate.Careers.Australia.data.(www.graduatecareers.com.au),.as.presented.in.Figure.C5,.show.employment.status.in.the.April.following.graduation..Employment.outcomes.(percentage.in.full‑time.employment).for.Electronic.Engineering/Computing.Engineering.and.Computer.Science.improved.in.2004.and.2005,.but.remain.below.the.average.for.all.graduates..

Figure C5: IT Graduates—Percentage in full‑time employment, 1990–2005

1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005

Computer Science

All Graduates

Electronic/ComputingEngineering

UnemploymentThe.recent.improvement.in.the.ICT.labour.market.is.clearly.evident.in.the.unemployment.rates.for.ICT.occupations..For.IT.Managers.the.unemployment.rate.in.2005.(1.0.per.cent).was.around.one.fifth.of.that.in.2003.(4.9.per.cent)..The.unemployment.rate.for.Computing.Professionals.has.halved.from.4.1.per.cent.in.2003.to.2.1.per.cent.in.2005.

• Occupational.unemployment.rates.do.not.include.first.job.seekers.and.hose.unemployed.for.two.years.or.more,.and.are.typically.lower.than.the.overall.unemployment.rate.(currently.close.to.5.per.cent).

May 2006

Figure C6: Unemployment rates for ICT occupations

Source: ABS, Labour Force Survey, Australia, original data, annual averages

Prospects for the ICT labour marketIndicators.point.to.a.continuing.pick‑up.in.the.ICT.labour.market.in.Australia,.although.prospects.vary.for.skill.sets..ICT.vacancies.have.risen.strongly.in.recent.years.(see.Figure.C�).foreshadowing.short‑term.growth.in.jobs..Employment.levels.are.projected.to.rise,.albeit.not.as.strongly.as.in.the.past.decade..Prospects.for.ICT.are.linked.to.Australia’s.overall.economic.and.employment.growth.prospects..

DEWR’s.ICT.Vacancy.Index—a.count.of.vacancies.on.three.online.recruitment.sites—has.risen.consistently.and.strongly.in.the.past.three.years,.apart.from.seasonal.fluctuations.(the.ICT.vacancy.index.is.not.seasonally.adjusted).

Figure C7: DEWR’s ICT vacancy index, January 2002 to April 2006

Jan 02

Oct 02

Oct 03

Oct 04

Jan 03

Jan 04

Oct 05

Jan 05

Jan 06

May 2006

Attributes of ICT Employment in the Australian EconomyICT.employment.is.strongly.concentrated.(over.�0.per.cent).in.five.industries:.

• Property.and.Business.Services.(3�.2.per.cent);.

• Communication.Services.(12.8.per.cent);.

• Government.Administration.and.Defence.(�.�.per.cent);.

• Finance.and.Insurance.(6.�.per.cent);.and.

• Manufacturing.(6.�.per.cent)..

Table C2: ICT share of Employment by Industry—August 2005

Industry ICT Employment for Industry (‘000)

Share of total ICT Employment (%)

Property.and.business.services 124.0 3�.3

Communication.services 42.6 12.8

Government.administration.and.defence 25.6 �.�

Manufacturing 22.4 6.�

Finance.and.insurance 22.8 6.�

Education 16.3 4.9

Retail.Trade 14.9 4.5

Wholesale.trade 14.0 4.2

Construction 12.9 3.9

Electricity,.gas.and.water.supply 9.5 2.8

Transport.and.storage �.� 2.3

Cultural.and.recreational.services 6.� 2.0

Health.and.community.services 6.4 1.9

Mining 4.3 1.3

Personal.and.other.services 2.� 0.8

Agriculture,.forestry.and.fishing 0.5 0.2

Accommodation,.cafes.and.restaurants 0.4 0.0

All industries 333.6 100.0

Source;.ABS.collections;.Notes:.*data.not.collected.np.data.not.published

There.is.a.higher.proportion.of.male.ICT.professionals.in.every.industry.group..A.similar.picture.is.apparent.for.the.ICT.industry.(Table.C3),.where.women.constitute.18.to.26.per.cent.of.ICT.professional.employment..

Table C3: Share of Males/Females Employed in ICT roles in ICT industry sub‑sectors, 2004

Male (%) Female (%)Computer.services �4 26

Telecommunications.services 82 18

Manufacturing.and.other 81 19

May 2006

An.examination.of.the.distribution.of.ICT.workers.in.the.three.main.ICT.occupations.shows.that.around.one.in.five.ICT.Professionals.(IT.Managers.and.Computing.Professionals).are.women..While.only.a.small.proportion.of.the.workforce,.comments.from.female.IT.managers.indicated.that.the.skills.of.female.candidates.were.valued.and.competitive.in.the.higher‑end.jobs..Women.have.a.higher.share.of.employment.for.Computing.Support.Technicians.(28.3.per.cent.in.2005)..

Figure.C.8.also.highlights.the.high.proportion.of.full‑time.jobs.for.ICT.workers,.ranging.from.around.95.per.cent.for.IT.Managers.and.92.per.cent.for.Computing.Professionals,.down.to.88.per.cent.for.Computing.Support.Technicians..This.characteristic.may.impact.on.female.participation.in.the.ICT.workforce..

Figure C8: Employment in ICT Occupations by Gender—Percentage share of employment (2005)

In.the.internet.and.multimedia.sectors,.digital.industry.management.is.dominated.by.females.with.a.background.in.marketing.and.public.relations..ABS.Labour.Force.Statistics.indicate.that.females.are.well.represented.in.public.relations.and.marketing.professional.roles,.holding.about.56.per.cent.of.jobs..They.also.indicate.that.females.account.for.about.46.per.cent.of.graphic.designers.and.illustrators.

Assessment.by.the.Equal.Opportunity.in.the.Workplace.Agency.(EOWA).of.compliance.reports.submitted.by.IT.employers.with.over.100.employees.indicates.that.women.comprise.31.per.cent.of.employees.in.the.IT.sector..This.is.lower.than.the.average.of.4�.per.cent.for.all.industry.sectors..EOWAs.report.also.reveals.that.females.are.relatively.well.represented.in.management.positions.across.the.IT.industry.despite.the.low.proportion.of.female.employees..Table.C4.reveals.that.24.per.cent.of.females.occupy.such.positions.

Table C4: IT specialist firms and female managers, provided by the EOWA

IT specialist firms All%.female.employees 31 4�

%.female.managers 24 31

May 2006

Ageing of the ICT workforceAgeing.of.the.workforce.is.less.pronounced.in.ICT.occupations.than.for.the.workforce.as.a.whole..ICT.Professionals.have.a.younger.than.average.age.profile..The.median.age.for.Computing.Professionals.in.2005.at.35.years.(see.Figure.C3).compares.with.39.years.for.all.occupations..In.2005,.the.proportion.of.Computing.Professionals.aged.45.years.and.over.was.22.3.per.cent,.well.below.the.35.8.per.cent.share.for.all.occupations.

Figure C9: Computing Professionals—Percentage share of employment by age. Median age for this occupation = 35 years.

ICT skill shortagesThe.Department.of.Employment.and.Workplace.Relations.(DEWR).undertakes.research.on.ICT.skill.shortages,.based.on.recent.recruitment.experience.of.employers.and.ICT.recruitment.agencies..The.ICT.skill.shortage.research.focuses.on.specialised.ICT.skills,.not.just.occupations,.due.to.the.complex.nature.of.ICT.demand..

The.skill.shortage.findings.are.a.key.input.to.the.Skilled.Migration.Program,.especially.the.Migration.Occupations.in.Demand.List.(MODL)..ICT.skill.shortage.information.is.also.used.more.generally.to.facilitate.better.occupational.targeting.in.the.Migration.Program.

The.2005.ICT.survey.was.undertaken.in.each.state.and.territory.and.involved.contact,.by.telephone,.with.123.employers.and.90.ICT.recruitment.agencies.across.Australia..The.findings.of.the.survey.indicate.that.there.has.been.a.pick‑up.in.demand.for.ICT.skills.(around.�0.ICT.skills.were.examined)..The.ICT.skills.in.shortage.or.with.recruitment.difficulties.vary.across.the.states,.including.24.ICT.skills.in.shortage.in.New.South.Wales..This.is.important.as.New.South.Wales.has.about.53.per.cent.of.ICT.vacancies.and.40.per.cent.of.ICT.employment..

May 2006

Figure C10: ICT Vacancy Filling Rates—2004 and 2005

Source: DEWR ICT skills Shortage survey May 2005

The ICT survey findings indicate that nearly 84 per cent of vacancies advertised by employers were filled within six weeks of advertising, almost the same filling rate as the previous survey in May 2004 (see Figure C10). Of the larger states, between 2004 and 2005 vacancy filling rates rose in New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia, but fell sharply in Queensland.

The survey found that the ICT labour market has tightened (see Figure C9), a view consistently evident in the advice from ICT recruitment agencies that they were experiencing recruitment difficulties, and in many instances shortages, for some ICT skills.

Figure C11: Number of suitable applicants per ICT vacancy—2004 and 2005

AustraliaNTACTTASWASAQLDVICNSW

Source: DEWR ICT Skill Shortage survey May 2005

��

May 2006

Appendix D

Overview of ICT Skills Supply in the Higher and Vocational Education Sector

Definition of ICTInformation.and.communication.technology.occupations.have.constantly.evolved.and.expanded.over.the.last.10.years..Continual.redefinition.of.the.profession.over.this.time.has.meant.that.standards.for.data.collection.have.changed.periodically..These.changes.mean.that.the.supply.chain.can.be.mapped.more.accurately.over.the.last.five.years.than.for.any.longer.period,.and.the.data.presented.in.this.report.will.concentrate.on.analysis.over.this.time.

The Australian Qualifications FrameworkComparisons.between.qualifications.and.their.requisite.education.and.training.can.be.made.across.schools,.vocational.education.and.the.higher.education.sectors.through.the.Australian.Qualifications.Framework..This.framework,.implemented.fully.since.2000,.provides.for.articulation.and.standardisation.within.an.integrated.set.of.12.nationally.and.internationally.recognised.qualifications.across.Australia..It.gives.ICT.practitioners.flexible.pathways.between.different.education.and.training.choices.and.encourages.transitions.through.the.levels..Comparative.data.is.collected.23

ICT skills supply from Higher Education Participation.in.Higher.Education.can.be.measured.in.a.number.of.ways..Using.completions.as.a.measure.of.output,.this.analysis.provides.an.indication.of.trends.regarding.the.quantity.of.ICT.graduates..However,.it.takes.some.three.to.five.years.to.acquire.a.degree.in.ICT.fields.and.thus.the.level.of.commencements.will.continue.to.influence.the.level.of.output.some.years.down.the.track..DEST.annually.collects.and.collates.data.on.higher.education.students.on.award.course.completions,.commencing.students.and.field.of.study.classifications.from.those.institutions.which.receive.operating.grants.from.the.Commonwealth.

2� www.aqf.edu.au/aboutaqf.htm#why

May 2006

Figure D1: DEST Higher education statistics 2004: Time Series Award Course completions 1994 to 2003

Award Course Completions for All Students by Citizenship and Broad Field of Education (Information Technology), 1994 to 20031

1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003Information.Technology 1994 1995 1996 .(b) .(a) .(a) .(a) .(b) .(b) .(b)

Domestic.students �508 �613 �863 8523 8�55 9062 9198 8268 9494 9093

Overseas.students 951 1159 1345 1554 1844 20�1 2580 6556 8993 10.013

Total students 8459 8772 9208 10 077 10 599 11 133 11 778 14 824 18 487 19 106

(a).Data.for.1992–2000.have.been.mapped.from.field.of.study.classification.to.field.of.education.classification...(b).The.data.takes.into.account.the.coding.of.Combined.Courses.to.two.fields.of.education..As.a.consequence,.counting.both.fields.of.education.for.Combined.Courses.means.that.the.totals.may.be.less.than.the.sum.of.all.broad.fields.of.education

Figure.D1.shows.that.there.has.been.more.than.a.doubling.in.the.number.of.students.studying.information.technology.between.1994.and.2003..Since.2001.this.growth.has.been.represented.by.the.large.increases.in.the.number.of.overseas.students.(by.more.than.one.thousand.percent)..Domestic.ICT.enrolments.steadily.climbed.until.2000,.when.there.was.a.sudden.fall.of.approximately.11.per.cent,.with.fluctuations.in.enrolments.since.this.time.

This.fall.in.ICT.completions.domestically.contrasts.with.a.continual.increase.in.student.numbers.overall.across.the.10.year.period.examined..In.2003,.IT.students.were.8.9.per.cent.of.broad.field.of.education.categories..IT.student.numbers.increased.by.3.3.per.cent.in.2003,.but.this.was.below.the.average.of.5.4.per.cent..However.this.does.not.reflect.the.students.of.other.fields.studying.aspects.of.IT.(i.e..creative.arts.has.the.highest.increase.of.14.per.cent.and.undoubtedly.contains.an.increasing.IT.or.digital.content.component).and.the.impacts.of.technology.convergence.blurring.distinctions.between.ICT.and.the.fields.of.endeavour.they.are.used.in.24

2� www.dest.gov.au/NR/rdonlyres/D9625459‑D755‑49D0‑ABEB‑91EC384F71EA/4221/summ_tables_3.xls

May 2006

ICT Skills supply from the VET sector

OverviewThe.administration.of.the.vocational.education.sector.has.changed.recently.with.the.abolition.of.the.Australian.National.Training.Authority.(ANTA).in.2004.and.with.the.transfer.of.its.function.within.DEST.and.specific.national.industry.skills.councils..The.industry.skills.council.of.most.interest.to.the.ICT.industry.is.the.Innovation.and.Business.Skills.Australia.(IBSA),.which.administers.the.ICT.and.telecommunications.training.packages..Within.IBSA,.ICT.areas.of.skills.development.focus.on.

• networking.and.network.security;.

• services.and.support;.

• testing;.

• project.management;.

• database.design.and.development;.

• software.development;.

• systems.analysis.and.design;.

• systems.administration.and.management;.

• web.and.multimedia.technologies;.

• customer.contact.centres;.and.

• programming..

The.cultural.and.creative.arts.sectors.are.also.increasing.their.ICT.components.through.units.in.multimedia.and.web.design,.and.moving.towards.managing.and.creating.more.digital.content.

National Training PackagesA.training.package.is.a.nationally.endorsed.and.recognised.set.of.integrated.training.and.assessment.components.for.a.specific.industry,.industry.sector.or.enterprise.that.can.be.used.for.developing.and.recognising.people’s.competencies..Each.training.package.must.consist.of.the.three.key.components.of.competency.standards,.assessment.guidelines.and.a.qualifications.framework..These.are.then.endorsed.by.the.National.Training.Quality.Council.(NTQC)..The.ICT.and.the.telecommunications.packages.are.the.ones.of.interest.to.the.Working.Group.

Information and Communications Technology Training Package (ICA05)The.Information.Technology.Training.Package.endorsed.in.October.2005.includes.22.qualifications,.ranging.from.Certificate.I.in.Information.Technology.to.higher.level.qualifications.in.a.range.of.specialisations.including.network.security.and.information25

25 www.ibsa.org.au/content/ict/tpica05_overview.html

May 2006

Overview of Information and Communications Technology Training Package (ICA05)

Level QualificationCertificate.I ICA10105.Certificate.I.in.Information.Technology

Certificate.II ICA20105.Certificate.II.in.Information.Technology

ICT20102.Certificate.II.in.Customer.Contact

Certificate.III ICA30105.Certificate.III.in.Information.Technology

Certificate.IV ICA40105.Certificate.IV.in.Information.Technology.(General)

ICA40205.Certificate.IV.in.Information.Technology.(Support)

ICA40305.Certificate.IV.in.Information.Technology.(Websites)

ICA40405.Certificate.IV.in.Information.Technology.(Networking)

ICA40505.Certificate.IV.in.Information.Technology.(Programming)

ICA40605.Certificate.IV.in.Information.Technology.(Testing)

ICA40�05.Certificate.IV.in.Information.Technology.(Systems.Analysis.and.Design)

ICA40805.Certificate.IV.in.Information.Technology.(Multimedia)

Diploma ICA50105.Diploma.of.Information.Technology.(General)

ICA50205.Diploma.of.Information.Technology.(Project.Management)

ICA50305.Diploma.of.Information.Technology.(Systems.Administration)

ICA50405.Diploma.of.Information.Technology.(Networking).

ICA50505.Diploma.of.Information.Technology.(Database.Design.and.Development)

ICA50605.Diploma.of.Information.Technology.(Website.Development)

ICA50�05.Diploma.of.Information.Technology.(Software.Development)

ICA50805.Diploma.of.Information.Technology.(Systems.Analysis.and.Design)

ICA50905.Diploma.of.Information.Technology.(Multimedia).

Advanced.Diploma ICA60105.Advanced.Diploma.of.Information.Technology

ICA60205.Advanced.Diploma.of.Information.Technology.(Network.Security

Telecommunications Training Package (ICT02)The.Telecommunications.Training.Package,.which.is.currently.under.review,.includes.18.qualifications.ranging.from.Certificate.II.to.Advance.Diploma.specialising.in.either.the.customer.contact.or.technical.aspects.of.the.industry26..

2� www.ibsa.org.au/content/ict/tpict02_overview.html

��

May 2006

Overview of Telecommunications Training Package (ICT02)

LEVEL QUALIFICATIONCertificate.11 ICT20102.Certificate.II.in.Customer.Contact.

ICT20202.Certificate.II.in.Telecommunications

ICT20302.Certificate.II.in.Telecommunications.Cabling

ICT20402.Certificate.II.in.Telecommunications.Access.Network

Certificate.111 ICT30102.Certificate.III.in.Customer.Contact

ICT30202.Certificate.III.in.Telecommunications

ICT30302.Certificate.III.in.Telecommunications.Cabling.and.Customer.Premises.Equipment

Certificate.1V ICT40102.Certificate.IV.in.Customer.Contact

ICT40202.Certificate.IV.in.Telecommunications.Engineering

ICT40302.Certificate.IV.in.Telecommunications.Computer.Systems

ICT40402.Certificate.IV.in.Telecommunications.Network.Planning

Diploma ICT50202.Diploma.of.Telecommunications.Engineering

ICT50302.Diploma.of.Telecommunications.Computer.Systems

ICT50402.Diploma.of.Telecommunications.Photonics

ICT50102.Diploma.of.Customer.Contact.Leadership

Advanced.Diploma ICT60202.Advanced.Diploma.of.Telecommunications.Engineering

ICT60302.Advanced.Diploma.of.Telecommunications.Computer.Systems.

ICT60102.Advanced.Diploma.of.Customer.Contact.Management

VET student and training dataVET.data.includes.information.on.training.provided.through.VET.in.schools,.pre‑apprenticeship.and.apprenticeship.programs,.national.training.packages.delivered.through.government.and.private.training.providers.and.certifications.and.niche.training.provided.through.industry.partnerships..The.VET.sector.also.collects.statistics.compliant.with.the.Australian.Standard.Classification.of.Education..Therefore.comparisons.between.data.can.be.made.at.the.broad.level.of.the.fields.of.education.classifications.(i.e..for.the.information.technology.designation)..Much.of.this.data.has.been.taken.from.that.compiled.by.IBSA.from.National.Centre.for.Vocational.education.research.(NCVER).data.drawn.from.their.draft.Industry.Skills.report..2�

VET Students and subject enrolments by major course field of education, 2002–04VET.data.includes.information.on.training.provided.through.VET.in.schools,.pre‑apprenticeship.and.apprenticeship.programs,.national.training.packages.delivered.through.government.and.private.training.providers.and.certifications.and.niche.training.through.industry.partnerships..The.VET.sector.also.collects.statistics.compliant.with.the.Australian.Standard.of.Education.

2� NCVER, Australian vocational education and training statistics Students and courses 2003,ANTA2004page3www.ncver.edu.au Downloaded200�

��

May 2006

The.following.table.shows.data.at.the.broadly.designated.information.technology.subject.area:

Table D1: VET Students and subject enrolments 2002–04

Information Technology 2002 2003 2004IT.students.by.major.course.field.of.education2

.82.300 .�2.500 .62.100

Subject.enrolments.by.subject.field.of.education–IT3

594.900 53�.900 444.200

As.can.be.seen,.there.has.been.a.substantial.fall.in.student.numbers.of.33.per.cent.between.2002.and.2004..This.is.set.against.an.overall.fall.in.VET.students.of.5.5.per.cent..

Female.students.represent.32.per.cent.of.students.in.2004..This.is.in.contrast.to.the.higher.education.sector.where.female.students.in.2004.represented.29.per.cent.and.18.per.cent.of.undergraduate.and.postgraduate.students.respectively..Female.students.are.therefore.less.likely.to.be.enrolled.in.IT.courses.as.their.levels.of.qualification.increase.

Figure D4: VET Students by major parent training package, 2000–0428

The.data.refers.to.the.national.training.packages.related.to.Information.technology.and.telecommunications.

Students by Information and Telecommunications Training Package 2000‑044

2000 2001 2002 2003 2004Information.Technology 25.800 52.800 59.900 63.400 55.200

Telecommunications .3.600 11.�00 12.500 12.300 10.500

The.number.of.students.completing.packages.with.the.VET.system.has.fluctuated.with.peaks.in.2000.and.2003.and.a.five.year.low.in.2004.

VET in SchoolsThe.subjects.undertaken.within.the.VET.in.schools.program.are.those.at.the.Certificate.I.and.II.levels..These.subjects.tend.to.be.IT.rather.than.telecommunications.based..

The.following.data.shows.a.fall.enrolment.in.VET.in.school.IT.courses:

VET in Schools Activity, 2002–04, Australia29

Field of Education 2002 2003 2004 2003–04 % change

IT 1�.800 1�.900 16.400 ‑5.8

2� ForagivenModule/UnitofCompetency,theparentTrainingPackagedenotestheindustrythatdevelopedthetrainingpackage.

2� Source:NCVERNationalVETProviderCollection,releasedJuly2005;PublicVETSystemTablesforAustralia

��

May 2006

Appendix endnotes1. Taken.from.www.dest.gov.au/NR/rdonlyres/3EA0FE6E‑B402‑45A6‑9C37‑3907844B16FE/7636/

12Appendices.xls,.Higher.Education.Statistics.2004,.Appendix.2.1

2. Source:.NCVER.National.Provider.Collection,.released.July.2005,.Table.20.available.at..www.ncver.edu.au

3. Source:.NCVER.National.Provider.Collection,.released.July.2005,.Table.29.available.at..www.ncver.edu.au

4. Source:.NCVER.National.VET.Provider.selection,.Released.July.2005,.Table.22..www.ncver.edu.au/statistics/vet/ann04/id04/s&c2004table22.xls

Further informationDepartment of Communications, Information Technology and the Arts www.dcita.gov.au ictskills@dcita.gov.au

Building Australian ICT skillsict-industry-reports.com.au › wp-content › uploads › ... · Report of the ICT skills foresighting working group May 2006 ‘…in order to realise

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