Trends in Information Technology

Careers and Education

Michèle Royer, PhD

National Workforce Center for
Emerging Technologies &
WA Center of Excellence for IT
Bellevue Community College

February 8, 2007 @Bellevue Community College, NWCET 1

 Presentation Outline

• Trends in IT Careers and IT

Skills
• The Changing World of Work
• Net Generation
• Changing World of .edu
• Conclusions

February 8, 2007 @Bellevue Community College, NWCET 2

 IT Employment Projections
• IT employment in 2004 was 17%
higher than in 1999
• Of the 10 fastest growing jobs
through 2014, 5 are IT jobs
 Network System and Data Comm. Analyst
 Computer Software Engineer, Applications
 Computer Software Engineer, Systems Software
 Network and Computer Systems Administrator
 Database Administrator

Data based on US Bureau of Labor Statistics

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 Employment Shift
• Majority of IT-related jobs require a
Bachelor’s or higher degree
• IT departments are shrinking
• Entry-level technical jobs are being
outsourced
• Increased requirements for “IT literacy” in
non-IT jobs (including digital media skills)
• Employment growth in IT management
• Growth in IT roles and jobs in business and
functional units

Data based on Gartner and other industry research

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 The Maturing of IT

INFORMATION USER INTERACTION

TECHNOLOGY
PROCESSING VISUALIZATION

Where most of the growth in Where the growth in IT jobs

IT jobs used to be
Close to the technology
has shifted
Increasing component of
IT skills
Intersection between IT and
information management

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 Technology Emphasis on:
• Mobility, connectivity and remote access
• Integration of multiple technologies and platforms
• Computing and data warehousing distributed
environments
• Information management, access and
visualization
• Information and system security
• Technology-supported collaboration and
communication at a distance
• Integration of different media formats and
applications

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 Integrating Business, Management
and Technical Skills

• Understanding business goals and

applications
• Understanding business processes and
workflow
• Managing the complex IT environment (user,
projects, teams, change, sourcing, 3PPs…)
• Working with non-IT professionals
• Working in a collaborative and virtual
environment

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 College Response to the
Employment Shift
• Offer advanced programs targeting
business applications or niche technical
skill areas
• Develop specific business domain
informatics programs (e.g. Health
Informatics, Business Intelligence)
• Integrate business, management and
communication skills in IT programs
• Infuse IT literacy skills in all programs
• Offer strong internship programs

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 Biotech/Biological Pharmaceutical
Research Research
(Bioinformatics) (Clinical Trial Data)

Development of
Healthcare Delivery
Devices and Drug
(Therapy/Diagnostic
Delivery Systems
Management)

Healthcare
Information Population/
Management Public Health
(Medical Informatics) Informatics

Information Data/ Data/ Information

Systems Information Information Representation
and Smart Repositories Processing and Interaction
Devices

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 Presentation Outline

• Trends in IT Careers and IT Skills

• The Changing World of Work
• Net Generation
• Changing World of .edu
• Conclusions

February 8, 2007 @Bellevue Community College, NWCET 10

 Mobile and Collaborative
Workplace
• Beyond the traditional office
• Anywhere, anytime connectivity
• Portability of devices

• Collaboration across distances and

organizations
• MS Vista collaborative environment
• Web-conferencing

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 Information and
Technology Infusion
• Technology-enabled business
processes

• Increased access and management of

information
• Support all aspects of the business
• Complex visual interfaces to information

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 Rapid Changes
• Multiple jobs and careers
throughout their lifetime

• Continuous changes in technology

tools and processes
• Self-initiated learning
• Continuous learning
• Just in-time, just enough learning

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 New Work Skills
• Beyond IT literacy
• Comfort with technology
• Information management
• Adaptability and flexibility
• Ability to learn new skills, technologies
and processes
• Technology-enabled communication
and team skills

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 Presentation Outline

• Trends in IT Careers and IT Skills

• The Changing World of Work
• Net Generation
• Changing World of .edu
• Conclusions

February 8, 2007 @Bellevue Community College, NWCET 15

 The Net Generation
• GenI, GenY, DGen, Net Gen, Millenials,
EchoBoom, Digital Natives
• Born after 1980

Marc Prensky (Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants)

http://www.marcprensky.com/writing/

Pew Internet and American Life Project

http://www.pewinternet.org/

Jim Carroll
http://www.jimcarroll.com/articles.htm

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 Teens and Technology
Pew Internet Report – 2005

 87% of teens 12 to 17 use the

internet
 51% of teen internet users go
online daily
 81% play games online
 76% get news online
 43% buy online
 31% get online health information

February 8, 2007 @Bellevue Community College, NWCET 17

 Teens and Technology
Pew Internet Report – 2005
• 45% of teens have cell phones and 33%
are texting
• 75% of online teens use IM
• 32% of all teens use IM every single day
• They use email to talk to “old people”,
institutions, or send complex instructions to
large groups
• They use IM to send text, links, photos, music
and videos
• They spend 10 hrs/wk with friends in
person and 8 hrs via technology

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 Net Gen Digital Tools
Email, IM, Chat rooms, Cell phones, Blogs,
Webcams, Camera phones, TV, Internet,
mp3, Podcasts, Vodcasts, Wikis, Digital
video cams, Gaming consoles, Digital
music, PDAs, Online gaming, Digital
photos, Simulations, Massive multiplayer
games, Online reputation and rating
systems, Virtual worlds, Multimedia,
Smart phones, Moblogs, Mods, Avatars,
File sharing, Streaming media, Laptops,
Virtual communities…

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 Net Gen Interaction
with Technology

• They are technology natives

• Expect technology and anywhere,
anytime connectivity
• Depend on multiple technologies
• Eager to experiment with new
technologies
• Use technology to form social and
professional networks

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 Net Gen Interaction with
Information

• Rely on the net as information source

• Constant access to media and
information
• Rely on peers for information ratings
• Hypertext minds - Non-linear thought
process
• Highly visual
• Share information openly

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 Net Gen Communication
• Multiple, overlapping communication
processes
• Instant communication
• Prolific communicators
• Broadcast personal information to the
world – the “Me” generation
• Worldwide social networks
• Fluid, interactive, media-rich
communication

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 The “Gaming” Environment
• High speed, highly changing,
complex environment
• Customizable and adaptive
• High stimulation and interactivity
• Instant feedback and
frequent rewards
• Highly visual
• Media-rich and diverse

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 Net Gen Goes to College –
EDUCAUSE Study 2005

• 96% of seniors and freshman own

computers, 56% own laptops, 14%
bring them to classes
• 90% of students have access to
broadband
• Students use computers on average
11-to-15 hrs/wk
• 90% own a cellphone
• 38% own a digital music device

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 Net Gen Expectations
towards Education

• Choose what kind of education they buy,

and what, where and how they learn
• Adaptive, responsive and learner-
centered
• Technology and media in the classroom
• Interactivity and a rich and diverse
learning environment
• Collaborative learning
• Modular and customizable education

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 Presentation Outline

• Trends in IT Careers and IT Skills

• The Changing World of Work
• Net Generation
• Changing World of .edu
• Conclusions

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 The New World of College
• New college writing requirements include
multimedia literacy
• Publishing lectures and curriculum on the
net
• Incorporation of new technology tools in
the learning process
• Increased collaboration through
technology tools
• Blurring of the lines between in and out of
classroom learning

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 “eTools”
• Podcasts
• Blogs
• Wikis
• Social networking and virtual communities
• Digital simulations and games

Resource: Blogs, Wikis, Podcasts, and Other Powerful

Web Tools for Classrooms by Will Richardson

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 Selecting your Technology
Podcasts Blogs Wikis Games
& Sims
Mobility High Medium Medium Medium

Interactivity Low Medium High Medium to

Highest

Collaboration Low to Medium High Medium to

Medium to High High

Complexity Low Low to Medium Low to

Medium to High Highest

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 Challenges
• Access to technology tools
• Technical support, resources and
standards
• Bandwidth
• Training of teachers
• Diversity of students in
• Access to technology
• Comfort and proficiency with technology tools
• Identifying faculty innovators

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 Finding a New Teaching Model

• What is the role of the teacher when

information can be accessed through the
net? When the students know more about
the technology tools than the teachers?
• What is the role of the classroom when
learning can be acquired anytime,
anywhere?
• Which technologies will you allow into
your classroom? Which ones will you use
to support the learning?

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 Presentation Outline

• Trends in IT Careers and IT Skills

• The Changing World of Work
• Net Generation
• Changing World of .edu
• Conclusions

February 8, 2007 @Bellevue Community College, NWCET 32

 Conclusions
• IT employment is still strong but shifting to
higher-level skills and to IT business and
industry-specific applications

• IT skills and tools are being integrated into

a wider range of non-IT jobs

• These changes impact not only college IT-

programs but all program areas

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 Conclusions
• Digital natives will accelerate the changes
in work and education environments

• Virtual and collaborative processes, and

etools need to become an integral part of
the teaching/ learning process

• Faculty need to reassess their role as

content and expertise providers

February 8, 2007 @Bellevue Community College, NWCET 34

 QUESTIONS?

Michèle Royer mroyer@bcc.ctc.edu

http://www.nwcet.org/

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