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InnovationYear 2 Number 13 | May 7, 2007A way of lifeBy Antonio Zárate
It is very difficult to imagine our life without information technology! Every day, from the moment we turn off the alarm clock, we depend on new devices that have been developed with hardware and software applications. Information Technology (IT) supports everything that helps us to simplify and expedite what we do every day, from a simple phone call to a complex international bank transaction. Behind every innovation, there is the work of thousands of restless minds who are highly trained in order to bring about inventions, surprises. "Hardware store" objects are important, of course, like in any industry, but in the IT sector, intellectual capital is the essence. This is why forming specialized professionals is a priority. We are talking about a productive sector that will be worth 12 billion dollars in Mexico this year, which represents a 10 percent growth when compared with 2006. The demands of this industry are well above the offer provided by the universities. Therefore, we must make immediate decisions in the academic sector. The task is to increase enrollment in IT degrees, which seem to be passé because young people have a wrong idea of what they are going to learn and of the work they will be doing upon graduation. They are not aware that there is a shortage of professionals. Many high school students think that these degrees are for "nerds" who could spend the rest of their lives sitting in front of a computer. What they do not know is that IT companies require people who are capable of translating their customers' needs into high-level technological solutions. India became aware of this 20 years ago, and today is setting the pace for the global software industry. Its three main companies, Infosys, Tata, and Wipro employ, jointly, more than two million people. We are in time to implement the necessary actions in order to position Nuevo Leon as a global software provider. One of these actions implies consolidating the coordinated efforts of universities, businesses, and the government.
Those who study INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY have their future guaranteedThe Council for the Development of Software Industry in Nuevo Leon will launch a campaign to promote among High School Students the desire to study IT degrees.Those who think that IT degrees are passé and that they are only for nerds, geeks, and geniuses, are greatly mistaken. The truth of the matter is that Bachelor's degrees related to Information Technology (IT) are a guarantee for a well-paid and stable job because the IT field has grown three times as much as the country's economy in recent years. "There is no unemployment for those who study IT. In fact, there is a current deficit of specialized professionals in this area, a deficit that will increase with time because there are not enough college students to respond to this sector's growth," stated Gonzalo Soto-Mejia, CEO for World Software Services and Coordinator of the Committee of Businesses of the Council for the Development of Software Industry in Nuevo Leon. He stated that an IT professional with six months of experience may earn as much as 18,000 pesos in a local company.
"If we look at national figures, IT degrees have the largest number of students. It is estimated that enrollment in Nuevo Leon is around 13,000 students," explained David Garza-Salazar, Coordinator of the Council's Human Resources Committee. Even so, the enrollment growth rate is decelerating in public universities. On the other hand, private institutions are admitting less new students each year. The shortage of human resources is a worldwide phenomenon. "In the US and the UK, interest for these degrees is at its lowest point. With the year 2000 as reference, enrollment in these countries has fallen about 40 percent," added Garza-Salazar. Teenagers have the erroneous perception that studying for an IT degree means working in front of a computer all the time, without contact with the outside world. "The reality is that a software engineer has to interact with people inside and outside the company. He/she must carry out a lot of design and analysis work, always interacting with different groups," expressed Garza-Salazar, who is also the Director of the IT and Electronics Division at Monterrey Tech. The situation is such that the Software Development Council is organizing a campaign to promote IT degrees.
"One of the priorities is to reach out to Elementary and Junior High school levels, in order to instill in children the desire to study IT degrees," said Garza-Salazar. He is of the same opinion as Soto-Mejia in saying that the Council has the capacity to generate transcendental changes because it is an autonomous civil association that amalgamates the efforts and interests of universities, businesses, and the government. So far, this organism has defined two goals for the year 2014: to have more than 20,000 jobs in IT companies and to invoice 1.1 billion dollars per year. "Currently, according to ATKerney, the segment generates 200 million dollars per year and provides employment for 4,000 people," expressed Guillermo Safa-Barraza, the Council's General Director. He added that it is urgent to work on the transformation of talents, as India is doing. India is now the number one supplier of IT services in the world. One example is Infosys, which this year will hire 25,000 people in several countries. However, 70 percent of the people that join this company do not have an IT degree. "The demand is so large, that the company has been forced to invest in an intensive talent transformation program. It has practically created a university," explained Garza-Salazar. Soto-Mejia points out that they must work on two fronts. On the one hand, to strengthen IT SMB's so they can grow and compete in national and international markets; on the other hand, to support the large companies of Nuevo Leon so they become more competitive and make use of local talent. The following is also important: develop IT SMB's, so they carry out high-value projects; attract professionals from other states; and promote the migration of college students towards IT Bachelor's Degrees. "These actions are essential in order to position Nuevo Leon as a software development pole. Attracting demand is to no avail, if there are no qualified human resources to satisfy it," emphasized Soto-Mejia.
FUTURE EVENTSMAY 7-30 MAY 8 May 24 july 26 y 27
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