Information Technology Job Skill Needs and Implications for Information Technology Course Content

As the demand for Information Systems (IS) and Information Technology (IT) graduates remains strong, it is imperative that the curriculums in IS and IT programs meet employer needs. IS and IT educators encounter a continuing challenge to ensure that their courses and curriculum stay up to date with new and evolving technological changes in the field as well as being relevant to the business community. This research summarizes the results of an employer survey of IS/IT professionals. It is similar to other employer surveys in querying job-hiring expectations, but unique in that it drills down to identify the detailed job skills required for specific occupations. The article also compares the results of employer surveys conducted in 2008 and 2003. The survey indicated the growth of new occupation areas for IT/IS professionals in Big Data and its many components. There was also increased demand for IT/IS professionals possessing project management skills.

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