IT: Scholarships offer career pathway
Almost half the grads entering the IT sector are dropping out within a year because the reality of work is a far cry from what they expected, according to industry research.
The pace of change in the IT sector is another issue with university courses of three years or more struggling to adequately prepare students to meet employer expectations.
So says, JohnRidge who runs a scholarship program that provides students with work placements before they graduate. As Executive Director of the Australian Computer Society Foundation, Mr Ridge has also overseen internal research that proves work experience has a dramatic impact on retention rates.
“Forty seven percent of IT graduates in Sydney and Melbourne left their first job within a year but 70 percent of graduates who study and do industry placement are still with the industry seven years later,” Mr Ridge said quoting Australian Computer Society research.
“The IT industry evolves so rapidly it’s hard for the universities to keep up. For universities to construct a new course it takes three years, so, even if they want to change it’s a big deal,” he said.
Mr Ridge added that the success of the scholarship program had also depended on the ACS Foundation finding a good match between students and employers. The Foundation also provides a great deal of support and mentoring to scholarship recipients.
“Once graduated, people grab the first job they find; so industry experience allows them to evaluate and make a better match between student and employer and vice versa. It’s about a cultural match – work ethics, whether the company is big or small, a better meeting of minds – these all result in better retention,” he said.
The ICT scholarships are open to anyone residing in Australia including overseas students. More recently, the program has been expanded to non-IT students interested in working in the IT sector such as those studying to take on HR, finance or marketing roles.
Mr Ridge said the foundation takes an interest in the career development of every applicant whether or not they are successful in winning a scholarship.
“We have tried to make the scholarship [application] process just like a job [application process]. We go back to applicants and use the opportunity to coach and mentor the student. They get an interview and even if they are unsuccessful, we give them feedback,” Mr Ridge said.
“We’ve recognised that IT companies need more than just IT professionals, they need a huge range of skills,” he said.
Human resources graduate Echelle Royston is a former scholarship winner who was matched with IBM. The placement led to a permanent job with IBM.
“After completing my undergraduate degree I decided to pursue an Honours degree in Management. I was halfway through this degree when I was accepted into the internship program in July 2006 with IBM,” Ms Royston said.
“My internship also allowed me to answer those lingering questions every uni student asks themselves at one point or another,” she said.
“Was the corporate world really for me? Did I choose the right degree? Is the business world really all that different from the theory I studied at university?”
The ACS foundation celebrated a record month in May this year after awarding more than $1 million ($1.2million) in scholarships. This result was followed closely in June with $800,000 in awarded scholarships.
Students interested in applying for an Australian Computer Society Foundation Scholarship should go to the Australian Computer Society website and click on the red “Scholarships” tab at the top of the home page to download an application form.
Mr Ridge said applicants are assessed in a number ways including:
- Strong communication skills
- Good academic performance
- Demonstrated interest and passion for both the IT industry.
- It is considered a plus, if candidates also have a strong interest in working for the host employer.
Mr Ridge added that once applicants reach the stage where a host employer has been identified, they should research that employer thoroughly. He advises asking at least two good questions about the host employer would impress at selection interview.
