Why IT Degrees Don’t Impress Employers argues Parity

From: Parity Group PLC
Published: Wed Apr 25 2007


The latest findings from the e-skills UK ICT inquiry suggests that the majority of employers are not impressed by IT Degrees and that little over half of employers consider the level of achievement in the degree to be important or very important. Only four percent of employers place significance on the place of study.

"These findings do not surprise us one bit", said Parity Training Managing Director, Rick Firth.

He continued, "The fact is employers do not want to employ technology obsessed geeks any more". He continues "It’s clearly not a good image, because IT degrees do give a good foundation for any school or college leaver and everyone has to start their career some where, but the fact is we are getting an increasing number of employers come to us to train their IT department in business skills, such as Prince2 and other interpersonal skills".

Almost 60 percent of employers contend that an ICT-related degree is not important for graduate entrants to IT and telecommunications jobs, according to findings from e-skills UK. Of IT/telecoms professionals who have earned a degree, fewer than 40 percent have graduated in an IT/telecoms discipline, reports the survey of 1,000 IT bosses responsible for recruitment and development.

"The demand for some specialist IT skills has never been greater, with salaries on the increase in some skills areas so vocational qualifications are as popular as ever" says Firth, "but employers want staff skilled in business and other competencies that facilitate team working, such as communications and other interpersonal skills".

So it seems that although qualifications are good for CVs, vocational ones hit a higher chord with employers, but interpersonal skills are the ones that make the music for most.

Ends

Editorial notes:

About Parity
Parity, uniquely for its size, offers a full range of IT services to major companies including:

Business process consultancy, change management training, management training, technology training, programming training, development and management of complex IT systems, Oracle and Microsoft technology and application skills, Permanent and temporary IT staff

Customers across the group include Alcatel, Allianz, British American Tobacco, CISCO, Department for Constitutional Affairs, Department for Work & Pensions, Glaxo Smith Kline, HBOS, Hewlett Packard, HSBC, IBM, Ministry of Defence, Department for Health, O2, Perot Systems, Royal Bank of Scotland, Siemens, Sony Ericsson, The Cabinet Office, T-Systems, Invest NI, Northern Ireland Electricity, The Charity Commission and Scottish Power

Contact details:
For more information on Parity contact
Gina Cannon
Parity Group PLC
Thavies Inn House
7th Floor
3-4 Holborn Circus
London
EC1N 2HA
020 7832 3500
g.cannon@parity.net
http://www.parity.net/
Company: Parity Group PLC
Contact Name: Gina Cannon
Contact Email: enquiries@pr-sending.co.uk
Contact Phone: 020 7832 3500

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