Shortage of IT Skills?

Bill Gates made the statement that; “There is a shortage of IT skills on a worldwide basis.” This, perhaps, is true for now. But, I have to wonder what all those IT people will be doing in the future when there is supposedly such a high demand. How much information do we need and what is it worth? Who’s going to pay for their services and what will they pay? Presently in the United States many employers require a 4-year college degree from prospective employees. Sometimes it takes a master’s degree to compete for a job. Quite honestly, as information technology matures employers should be requiring less education, not more. For instance, the knowledge required to be a proficient programmer could be taught in a two-year trade school. Because, IT skills are just that – a trade. The skills required for programming or systems administration are now well defined. These skilled positions are what welders and machinists were during the industrial age.

Deciding on a career in IT is deciding to be a wage slave for a corporation. Put simply, a factory worker in the information age. I don’t mean to be so negative. This type of life can provide some comfort and stability (although I hesitate to say that any kind of job stability still exists) and can be very good for the majority of people. But, highly educated people tend to be highly motivated. They have to be to go through what they do to get that education. So, putting them into work-a-day IT positions can be very unsatisfying.

So, to get to a conclusion I suggest that higher education focus on creativity, innovation, and entrepreneurial business and that IT skills should be the domain of trade schools and not graduate schools. Unfortunately, teaching creative skills is being systematically removed from the American school system. It’s sad because that is what America needs more than ever if it is to remain competitive on the global business playing field.

P.S. You’ll notice that in the article Mr. Gates is speaking to an audience in Moscow. So, just as manufacturing has left America so will IT. I know that this is not a news flash but I really think it needs reiterating as I continue to see more universities offer more IT specific degrees and see students continuing to enroll in them.