5,000 Information Technology (IT) professionals to be produced in next months
KARACHI— In view of the undergoing vast changes in learning of both traditional and vocational subjects, the use of computers at school level have substantially increased in Pakistan.
There is substantial evidence that children are faster to respond and quicker to adapt the use of computers, said Samir A. Hoodbhoy, Managing Director, Data Communication and Control (Pvt) limited. He was speaking at a seminar on ‘Opportunities in Information Technology’ organized by APTECH Computer Education.
Dr. Hoodbhoy said more than 50 institutions have been offering diploma and graduate programs in IT since first school opened its door for computer education three years ago.
More than 5,000 IT graduates, diploma and degree holders are expected to be produced within next six months in Pakistan. He said figures were far less as compared to 120,000 to be produced in India. Samir said significant benefits in IT field of designing and developing complex products and services, using shared documentation and data networks and growing from each other’s complementary efforts were yet to be harnessed by the country. He was of the view that changes in lifestyle in the global digital economy have change growth pattern.
The mobile telephone was indicative in many respects of such changes to have outclassed sale of personal computers registering figures of 400 million as compared to 150 million PC sold world over last year.
In Pakistan with the end of the PTCL monopoly in 2002, market forces would substantially alter the statistics for both fixed and mobile telephone in use.
General Manager, Carich New Zealand, Barry Thomas, said global market current trends showed a constant reduction in communication costs, increase in portability of internet connection, widening gap between IT capabilities of business and unskilled IT manpower. He was of the view e-commerce was to be the next major shortage for skilled and experienced consultant.
He calculated currently US has over 800,000 FTE shortage with prediction to further increase to 2.3 million in next two years global shortage is estimated at 10.3 million FTE and predicted to stay at the level for 10 years.
He said New Zealand employers were also affected by 30 per cent loss of IT professionals to overseas in the past year. More than a fifth of employers have resorted to going offshore to fill information technology positions. Nearly 30 per cent of IT staff recruited from outside New Zealand are from Europe with 17 per cent from Australia, 12 per cent South Africa and 11 per cent from both India and rest of Asia, he added.
He stressed the need for better business planning, study in the global market in preparation for working in global market place, industry support to IT study and focus on non-IT skilled man power to cope with situation.
Earlier, Master Business Partner of APTECH Dr. Junaid said APTECH in the view of the increasing demand for IT professionals was striving to impart quality and object-oriented IT education.
He said the institute with headquarters in Princeton, New Jersey-USA, has largest training network of over 2,100 centres in 42 countries, besides alliance with Regents College, USA, southern Cross University Australia and NAIT Canada Recently it was listed on London Stock Exchange as APTECH Internet Limited.
In Pakistan, he said, APTECH has invested Rs. 250 million and created 500 jobs with establishment of 13 centres, 4,000 students and 100 faculty since it started operation in December 1999. APTECH has recently established a software wing to help students gain more practical and on-the-job experience before stepping into the industry.
Dr. Junaid said APTLC’H planned to mobilize an additional Rs. 625 million investment, creating 1,000 additional jobs. 1t plans to establish another Network Support Office in Punjab in addition to NSO in Karachi conduct monthly faculty certification and training programs, induction of 35 members per month, setting up 1st FDC in Karachi by end of this month, two FDC in Lahore by July next year and participation in major 1T activities.
Vice-Chancellor Hamdard University Dr. Manzoor Ahmed also spoke on the occasion.
Source: The Nation
Date:5/4/2001
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