At a seminar hosted by Business Information Systems (BIS) Degree Programme students in University College Cork, guest speaker Paul Duff, senior executive with Accenture, advocated that students currently filling in their CAO application forms should seriously consider putting courses that specialise in ‘IT and Business’ at the top of the list. The deadline for CAO applications is tomorrow.
Duff was commenting on the recent report published by research analyst IDC, and commissioned by Cisco, which highlights the real skills shortage facing Ireland within the next three years. The report warned that Ireland will fall from its current 3rd position in a European ranking down to a mere 18th by 2008. Within three years, the skills gap will have already widened to 18.7%, greater than the European average of 15.8 percent.
Duff spoke about the disconnect in Irish society that had originally embraced IT and Business with a passion during the dot.com era, but which had equally turned away from IT in particular following the dot.com crash: “There is a definite gap between need and supply. When the bottom fell out of the dot com industry, there was a knee jerk reaction and people veered away from IT as an option.
“The IT and business sector has since enjoyed a complete recovery but the number of returning students has not kept pace. The current need in Ireland for IT skills is very buoyant and this will remain so for the
Future.
Duff strongly advised the students who attended the seminar to encourage friends and family to revisit options that focused on IT, especially those that approach IT from a Business context: “If I had a relative come to me for advice on their CAO application or possible future job prospects, I would definitely advise them to look towards IT.”
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