Winter 2007

Careers and transition

So you want to be an ICT professional?

Renee Hoareau is passionate about her belief in information and communication technology (ICT) as a career option. The challenge for teachers is that these careers are based on skills unknown.

The good news

Imagine an image of a young energetic trendy aerialist as an ICT professional. It is inspiring. The image is gender neutral and promotes the now generation: Generation Y, and soon to be Generation ‘Z’ those born in the year 2000 onwards. Last year the Victorian government initiated the ‘ICT: Start Here, Go Anywhere’ program using this key image as part of the marketing campaign. It promotes the diversity of ICT careers to young people and has been most successful informing students of the possibilities of a career in ICT.

ICT is now embedded in any career of student choice. Students must consider the degree and type of expertise required. According to current best practice, students should gain interdisciplinary skills, such as ICT, higher order thinking skills and communication, which are pivotal in adapting to the forever changing landscape.

Commonwealth education initiatives, such as ‘Science, Information and Communication Technology, and Mathematics Education for Rural and Regional Australia’ (SiMeRR) and ‘Australian School Innovation in Science, Technology and Mathematics’ (ASISTM), engage students in the use of science, technology and maths. These programs hope to inspire students into careers that increase their contribution to the Australian economy.

Image is everything

Ask primary students to identify a scientist—the nutty professor image still exits. Ask them to identify a teacher—can we really get away from that luscious red apple and the mortarboard? Ask a primary student about an ICT professional. If the student understands that ICT involves computing, students will identify a technician as the stereotypical figure.

The ICT industry is attempting to change this misconception: male, in front of a computer, labour intensive, possibly boring, a far cry from the aspirational and contemporary image of the ICT: Start Here, Go Anywhere campaign.

Ponderings

So where should this education begin? At kindergarten, in children’s literature, in the media—perhaps throughout all learning and communications channels. How can such potentially diverse careers in ICT be so misconstrued?

The rapid change and impact of technology in all of our lives makes some of us excited but others are fearful. Some of the tainted history of the ICT industry has affected ICT education. In 2000, the great dot.com crash occurred. Faith in education and technology businesses to lead the way out of the economic gloom was met with scepticism. Parents became very disillusioned about careers in the ICT industry.

Let’s look at the facts. According to Ian Dennis, branch chairman of the Australian Computer Society who addressed a recent meeting of the Victorian Information Teachers Association, stated that the dot.com crash mainly occurred in the Silicon Valley and was a small blip on the Australian charts. Who is to blame for this misinformation—the media or word of mouth of disenfranchised ICT workers? Such impact of the dot.com crash in America makes for great television melodrama but still casts negativity on careers in ICT today.

A poll in April 2007, on the Australian Computer Society’s website, asked visitors ‘Would they recommend a career in ICT?’. The answers were:

• definitely 38.5%
• probably 19.2%
• probably not 19.2%
• don’t know 11.5%
• no way! 11.5%

Although the definitely recommended was the highest polling, 50 per cent were still unsure of an ICT career.

Girls and ICT

Many recent studies indicate that there is a huge gender bias in participation rates of young people in ICT careers. The New South Wales Education Department research reveals women are significantly underrepresented in the area of ICT. Recent studies in Australia showed that girls were more inclined than boys to see IT as boring (36% compared to 16%) or difficult (23% to 11%). These factors result in more boys than girls studying technology related subjects. Analysis of the High School Certificate (HSC) 2002 computer programming student population revealed that only 17 per cent of the total entrants were female.

The Australian Computer Society research indicates that the unfavourable image of ICT careers is an influential factor in deterring women and Generation Y (individuals born between 1978 and 1994) from entering ICT. At the extreme, many young people are reported as seeing ICT professionals as solitary men with poor social skills, doing things of little relevance to the outside world. (It’s a wonder any boys do ICT with that image.) There is also a perception among young women that there is little support, communication or camaraderie within technical careers.

Penny Leach, an experienced programmer in Open source, has recently told her narrative of working in the ICT industry. She detailed the hurdles that women encounter among peers and colleagues, which include having to constantly reassure males in the profession that they are technically competent and ‘really good’ programmers.

ICT is a traditionally male-dominated occupation and the journey of females in the ICT industry reflects those in traditionally male careers of last century. Parents, teachers, peers and industry have to assist with this huge challenge.

Passion for careers of the unknown

It is much simpler to have a passion for traditional careers such as being a doctor, a lawyer, a teacher—careers based on skills of the known. All aspects of life are being impacted by this exciting ICT revolution. In recent history who had heard of Google, MySpace, Flickr, Zoomla, Wiki, Blog and YouTube? These are legitimate ICT careers. Many decisions by young people are being made without informed wisdom. Careers of the future for ICT have not been invented. How do we guide our young preparing them for these imaginary career paths?

Transition and opportunities

A challenge for all in the community is to understand the nature of this change and the skills and understandings needed to prepare for the future. To encourage participation in ICT careers, a more accurate and positive image of ICT needs to be generated as with events like the ‘Go Girl Go for IT’ event.

Last year more than 200 Victorian female secondary students and their teachers attended this event at Deakin University. The students heard inspiring examples of where a career in ICT can lead. Students attended an expo where they explored current businesses and observed how ICT plays an integral role. The event itself proved to have positive impact on the girls’ perception of the ICT industry as well as their interest in pursuing an ICT-related career.

The Victorian Information Technology Teachers Association (VITTA) is developing programs to promote awareness of ICT as an exciting student pathway. ‘Switched on ICT Now’, a week for celebrating ICT in schools, will be held 23–28 July this year to showcase ICT achievers and case studies and promote ICT industry placements for students. Competitions, such as web design and development, programming awards covering commercial, open source and gaming software, all help to encourage a positive way forward.

References

Dennis, I (2007). ‘ICT Skills and Employment’, Australian Computer Society Victoria Presentation, February, 2007.

Department of Infrastructure, Multimedia Victoria and the Whitehorse Strategic Group (2005). ‘ICT Skills Snapshot, The State of ICT Skills in Victoria’, November 2005.

‘Geek chic: Getting girls into IT’, Professional Educator, March 2007.

Web references

http://itpro.comptia.com.au/press/docs/CeBITPanelDiscussionSkillsCrisis.pdf

www.mmv.vic.gov.au/uploads/downloads/Resource_Centre/RealityBytes.pdf

www.myfuture.edu.au

www.schools.nsw.edu.au/learning/yrk12focusareas/gendered/girlsictrsrch.php

Renee Hoareau is an education consultant and VITTA executive officer.

The author owns the copyright in this article. For information related to the reuse of this work in any form please contact the publisher denise.quinn@curriculum.edu.au