November 6, 2006
More American IT Jobs Than Ever, Study Shows
If the declining enrollments in college computer-science programs are any indication, students are not especially confident in the IT job market. But they need not fret, according to Moshe Y. Vardi, a professor of computational engineering in Rice University's Computer and Information Technology Institute.
Speaking last week at Stanford University, Mr. Vardi said there were more high-tech jobs in the country today than there were six years ago, during the halcyon days of the dot-com boom. "IT is still a good career," he told members of the Stanford Computer Forum, an industrial-affiliates program run by the university. "We have nothing to fear but the fear of competition itself."
Mr. Vardi's statistics came from a study commissioned by the Association for Computing Machinery that he completed this year. The report acknowledges that "offshoring" has had an impact on the IT industry, but it argues that the migration of high-tech jobs has done little to hurt the quantity or quality of openings in the United States. --Brock Read
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In my admittedly limited contact with computer science students, I have noticed that at least a few change to other disciplines because they find computer science boring or because the courses do not keep up with the constantly changing requirements of the field. Then there’s the fact that many people who are self-taught can demonstrate their abilities to potential employers and find good jobs without having earned a college degree.
— Gari-Anne Patzwald Nov 9, 10:34 AM #
We started a new program at the University of Hartford in Interactive Information Technology that integrates computer science with liberal arts, art/design, business and communications. Our students have found jobs without a problem, even when they restrict their searches to certain areas where they want to live. Since we’ve focused on learning to learn the newest technologies as required, they’re not worried about becoming obsolete. Having a college degree does matter. Those without degrees can find the left-over, lower-paying jobs, just as with any major.
— William B. Sanders Nov 9, 12:49 PM #