Keeping Up With a Global IT Workforce

Sharon Perkins Hall

Associate Professor of Computer Science and Computer Information Systems

University of Houston-Clear Lake

perkins@uhcl.edu

Abstract

Economic issues have recently leapt into the realm of computing and information technology (IT) professions. As with a number of industries that have moved from isolation to globalization, the IT industry has undergone drastic, but not unexpected, changes as a worldwide economy has emerged. The information industry evolved in a very short time due to the rapid development and improvement of computer hardware and software and the increased need and capacity for information sharing. As the industry has matured, it moved along a similar path to that of agriculture and manufacturing. Because of increased communication and travel capabilities, the workforce that is able to participate in the information industry is no longer limited to the United States and other developed countries. As the needs of this industry continue to evolve, so must its workforce education and preparation. With an already crowded curriculum, computing and information systems educators are challenged to develop and monitor a rigorous and relevant plan of study. Thus, IT industries and universities who prepare the workforce must continually adapt creative and meaningful strategies in order to prepare competitive workers.