I did take a computing degree, though it had a rather interesting title – “Manufacturing Computing with Textiles”. The textile content was minimal and a simple political necessity due to takeover by a larger institution with an existing degree course. As for why I took it, it was simply reading the way the world was going, I thought it would provide a wide career path. I wasn’t wrong!

The course itself was general, covering business topics as well as “pure” computing (database theory, math and C++). I am not a math person, but I managed to get through it.

Since graduating in 1995, my career path has moved around a bit, going from safety-critical systems (hard), to network and desktop support (really enjoyed that), and then back into development on Microsoft platform (still doing that for the majority of my time).

A formal course does not necessarily force a specific route to follow after graduation, but it gives a solid springboard from which you should be able to tackle a variety of computer-related careers, right through to management. It certainly helps to have some leaning towards technology related subjects, but it by no means excludes you if you don’t.

What have I gained from my degree? The job opportunities it opened up have provided great experience. I now really think of myself as a “business facilitator” rather than specifically a programmer or systems manager, although these are roles that help make the service. I currently work at the head office of a SME as their sole IT person, so I do everything – I designed their network and installed servers, got them connected to the Internet, designed and built their website, created and extranet for the remote staff and continue to develop more applications to make the company more efficient. Basically, it’s about increasing the company’s capabilities and the profit margin - and IT certainly plays it’s role firmly in that picture.

There is still a huge section of UK businesses (particularly small businesses) that don’t make good use of IT to make themselves more efficient. An untapped market…

Alec MacLean

I find it incredulous that these students think computer science is boring. Far from it, it is one of the most interesting branches of science there is. I would jump at the chance of taking a computer science degree but, I was not that fortunate. The only
computer knowledge I have is what I have learnt, I have never been taught. In fact, nearly every thing I have learnt, I have been self taught. I read a lot, that helps but, I also ask questions but, not in the face when no questions need to be asked. I envy
these students, the world at their feet and, they moan still? Geeky, so what, at least they’re learning and, will be paid for their efforts in the long run and, no, I have not taken a degree in anything as, I was considered educationally subnormal, go figure.

Tony Thorpe

Judging from my son’s experience, the reason that people avoid computing is that jobs are scarce. He has a degree in computing, and took a further qualification in network administration, and has not worked in computing since, despite endless applications.

Go for banking, kids, it’s where the money still is…

R B McTernan

I studied Public Relations because when I left school (in the early 90’s) I was lead to believe that Computer Science was only for engineers and other propeller heads predominantly centred on developing great big chunks of code. My father was and still is a ‘typical’ software developer.

I accidentally fell into IT through informally supporting applications because I enjoyed working with word processors, spreadsheets and presentation packages and eventually got so good at them that people would ask for my help and thus I ended up in ’support’

I have worked in pretty much every kind of support role including application support, report writing, software analysis, application customisation, PC building, cable soldering, website creation, desktop, server, LAN and enterprise support.

I have lead both central and distributed teams, worked with suppliers and competitors within the same support environment. I have been a helpdesk manager, application support analyst and project manager and presently I am the IT sector specialist for the IET.

IT has enabled me to work in the most diverse environments (IT, retail, brewing, mining, banking, parking, recruitment etc.), travel to the most diverse places and enabled me to meet the most interesting and diverse people.

Ironically enough I left Public Relations because it was not as exciting as IT support.

I think the industry is changing but as far as I can tell IT people still have a lot of fun and the perception is probably as a result of the way in which ICT is taught at school. It’s the same problem that I had when I left school. I never thought it was for me … luckily IT found me.

Nicki Risi

I did a degree at Edinburgh University in computer science in the 1980s. It was (in hind sight) terrible. One third of the courses were paper and pencil exercises where you went nowhere near a computer. All the university was interested in doing was churning out research students. They weren’t interested in the real world at all. So some courses, the Universities have only themselves to blame.

Having said that, there is another reason why this is not really a problem. Programming in this country is dead. I work for Lloyds TSB which is steadily outsourcing all its programming abroad. So are all the other major employers. We only need a reduced number of IT people because the jobs just aren’t going to be there.

Stephen Brown

One of the problems that comes to mind is the shear volume of libraries these days; it’s not that coding is difficult, but learning everything is draining and staring in front of a computer all day has its health hazards. On top of that, fluorescent lighting adds to the radiation and it can cause hair loss in men, and in general health degeneration. After spending many years in front of a computer and not being active I really saw the difference. We need natural sunlight. We need new media options like 3D vision, portable vision, outside vision (where you would use the natural sunlight and modulate it to produce an image). Lol, ok enough starttre. Personnally, I would rather read a piece of paper then a page on the screen.

I’m thinking of the day when humans will get up from theire chairs, you here the music from like when caveman discovered the wheel or fire, so man gets up from his chair and can goes outside to work if he feels like it smelling the nice summer breeze, takes a deep breath. I just feel that through the years we are slowly entring the matrix without being aware of what’s happening almost, we are in a cage but the door is not locked, still we stay inside, hoping that one day our efforts and sacrifices will bare the fruit to us and the next generation. Nintendo Wii is a good first step , with its innovative remote control that gets people moving, but if you can get something going outside and in 3D and that you can interact with but moving and doing stuff well my gosh playing on the computer would = super healthy people lol.

Yan Bellavance

Well a computer is a tool to do a job. If the job you’re doing with it is boring, computers are boring. If the job you’re doing with it is really interesting, then the computer may be interesting.

Take a hammer, is it interesting or not interesting? Neither applies, it’s not a relevant concept. BUT try knocking a nail in without one, then it may suddenly be very interesting.

But someone has to make the hammer. The tool makers job is fundamental to our society.

Malcolm Gillespie

It is a problem that less students are getting involved in IT, I agree, and partially because the courses have not really kept pace with the frenetic pace of development.

One of the problems in academia is that many teachers are not practitioners and are behind the times. Also, the software and machines available are not always of the latest. To teach this subject properly needs practitioner students and practitioner teachers, properly used both teachers and students would be linked to the software and hardware producers beta testing new products and at the forefront of new product development. That would light the fires of interest but would require considerable interaction between industry and academia using academia as both a teaching, training and marketing tool.

Does the average IT department in a university or other post 16 education place come anywhere near that? No! They teach what they know, basic programming, basic computer architecture, data base theory etc., most of which does not date which is why it is taught, but is it relevant to today? The more adventurous might allow their students to design web sites for local institutions and schools you have to move away from the purely theoretical to the applied and preferably teach practitioners who work either as developers or a as IT support etc. and bring current problems into the classroom.

I would love to design a program like that but alas I am not a computer expert and am now retired!

Tom Frank

I think one reason student’s don’t take IT could be that with the advent of “Windows,” it is getting easier to use a computer, virtually any kid can switch it on and be into a chat room within seconds.

When I was a kid I was the only one in the class that could use the computer at primary school, mainly because my dad built them at home, and in the era when I was kid we watched what our parents did and copied, we also had respect for them, and they made time to show and teach us.

I can remember having to sit and type the programme in before we could play the game, as a consequence my dad taught me basic programming. However I wasn’t very good and found a niche in IT user support.

These days kids seem to pick up bits at school and go home to teach the parents, they have a know it all culture. They don’t want to learn what they think they already know, and most probably don’t have a clue that behind the easy to use interfaces is actually just code telling the nuts and bolts what to do.

In response to “what would you do to encourage kids to study IT”, I would say to them: Stop and think! Do you enjoy using a computer? Do you know how it really works? Have you ever wondered? If the answer is YES to two or more of these questions consider a course in IT to find out more.

Susan Murray

While there are a lot of jobs in IT that start at $35k to $40k, and go up to $60k, there are very few IT jobs that pay more than $100k.

The perception is that developers from other countries are as common as mosquitos. Computer network administration is a 24/7 job, that doesn’t pay that much.

An accounting degree starts at $50k and goes up over $100k with CPA certification (usually after 5 years).

J Brode