"UK Bosses Push for 250,000 IT Jobs" - TATA? WTF?

[BrilloPad]

But suddenly, after over a mere ten years and two general elections and a change of government and an Early Day Motion there was a shattering explosion and the PCG burst through the door with a damp squib and a champagne reception for their staff and took the member's fees and pissed them up against the wall crying "Bugger the Children."

I think thats quite unfair.

[Sysman]

Surprised no one else has spotted this
http://www.contractoruk.com/news/004456.html

To ensure the quarter of a million new IT jobs emerge, at the earliest by 2017, political, business and academic captains were told to sign the Technology Manifesto.

Typo or procrastination? If not a typo, it'll probably be quietly forgotten by the time we get there.

They are also talking about 250,000 jobs over the next decade. How does 25,000 jobs a year compare with current numbers entering IT each year?

[SillyMilly]

25,000

250,000

About 249,999 more ...............

Apparently doing an IT degree is not popular with today's students. Majority of students doing IT are foreign.

[BrilloPad]

About 249,999 more ...............

Apparently doing an IT degree is not popular with today's students. Majority of students doing IT are foreign.

Thats because the think IT is dead and it will all be done offshore in 20 years time.

The government gives that impression : not sure why as IT is one of the best hopes for this country. I think its cos they are too stupid to understand what we do.

[TimberWolf]

Thats because the think IT is dead and it will all be done offshore in 20 years time.

The government gives that impression : not sure why as IT is one of the best hopes for this country. I think its cos they are too stupid to understand what we do.

The latest university job stats showed that IT graduates were the least likely to be in a job a year after graduating.

[orac]

what they failed to say....

The 250,000 are to be created in Mumbai.

Lets face it IT is dead in this country, who in their right mind would do an IT degree these days?

[orac]

UK Computing Graduates

http://www.cphc.ac.uk/docs/cphc-comp...tes-june08.pdf

[mace]

There are 2 main problems with IT.

1. Employers prefer to fill entry level positions with foreigners who have been trained in the skillset rather than employ UK IT graduates and have to train them. This is a false economy as the UK IT graduates have, on average, better communication skills and ability to acquire new skills.

2. Most employers are unwilling to be more flexible when filling their job roles, requiring an exact match on skills and industry sector. This makes it extremely difficult for candidates to move out of areas that have had a dropoff in demand to areas where there's more demand than supply.

The report acknowledges that the existing UK IT graduates are unable to find work (because of problem 1) so why would boosting their numbers help?

[expat]

Surprised no one else has spotted this
http://www.contractoruk.com/news/004456.html

Quote:
“The over-riding goal of the manifesto is to increase UK technology jobs by 250,000,” said the document’s signatories, who include BT Global Services, Carphone Warehouse, Virgin Media, Oracle, Tata Consultancy UK, Kingfisher IT and INSEAD.

Tata? BT Global Services? Surely them getting involved is akin to Hitler looking after a Jewish nursery...
...

They want to create 250,000 UK IT jobs. These are not necessarily jobs for UK IT workers.

[OwlHoot]

There are 2 main problems with IT.

1. Employers prefer to fill entry level positions with foreigners who have been trained in the skillset rather than employ UK IT graduates and have to train them. This is a false economy as the UK IT graduates have, on average, better communication skills and ability to acquire new skills.

2. Most employers are unwilling to be more flexible when filling their job roles, requiring an exact match on skills and industry sector. This makes it extremely difficult for candidates to move out of areas that have had a dropoff in demand to areas where there's more demand than supply.

The report acknowledges that the existing UK IT graduates are unable to find work (because of problem 1) so why would boosting their numbers help?

WHS

and public sector IT recruiters are as bad as anyone. if not worse, when it comes to skills and experience they demand.

When awarding IT contracts, the Government should include conditions requiring a certain level of graduate uptake, even if this slightly raises the costs. Longer term, it would work out a damn sight cheaper.