From boom to bust, to boom again
3/29/2004 8:48:13 AM
Bust.
This one word has been used more than any other to describe the information technology industry over the past few years. But writers may soon begin using another b-word in their articles as it appears another IT boom is on the horizon.
“The IT industry experienced a sharp downturn in the last couple of years – a rationalization and a correction in many respects,” says John King, Chair of Information Technology with College of the North Atlantic. “But now people are saying that the lights are coming back on in Silicon Valley. That is a very good indicator for recovery in the entire sector. Canadian IT graduates with current skills will be in demand.”
And King should know a thing or two about IT. He is well known nationally as a leader in the development and implementation of methods of teaching over distance using new technologies such as the Internet, and heads up the college’s Distributed Learning Service. Last year he was even named winner of the college’s prestigious Leadership Excellence Award.
But King is not alone in his assessment of the future of the IT industry. According to a recently released study by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), each of the seven fastest growing occupations projected up to 2010 in North America falls within an IT or computer-related field. Included in the top seven are: computer software engineers (applications), computer support specialists, computer software engineers (software systems), network and computer systems administrators, network systems and data communications analysts, desktop publishers and database administrators.
The BLS predicts 100 percent growth in computer software engineering positions specializing in applications, and an increase of half a million new positions for computer support specialists. Overall, these top seven occupations are expected to create more than 1.5 million new jobs over the decade. Many more jobs will be created in other IT occupations over the same period.
The latest data from Statistics Canada and the Software Human Resource Council for the IT industry are also encouraging. They show lower unemployment and an increasing percentage of college graduates in the IT workforce.
College of the North Atlantic has a strong mix of IT programming at many of its campuses – programs that meet the extremely tough criteria for accreditation by the Canadian Information Processing Society (CIPS).
“The college has three IT programs accredited by CIPS,” says King.
“This prestigious accreditation credential is only granted after detailed and rigorous review of the program, the institution, its students and its graduates. It is held by fewer than 10 percent of Canadian college IT programs.”
There are still seats available in many of College of the North Atlantic’s IT program offerings. Fore more information on these and other programs call the campus nearest you or visit their website at www.cna.nl.ca.
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For more information contact:
Stephen Lee
Communications Manager
(709) 643-7929
or
Tanya Alexander
Public Information Officer
(709) 643-7928