Summative Perspective on the Discussions Regarding Skills Development, Graduate and Internships Programs

1. CIO FORUM 2008
Part 1: Summative Perspective on the
Discussions Regarding Skills Development,
Graduate and Internships Programs

2. There are differences in the
academic and industry
perspectives pertaining to
internships and expectations

3. What are the goals and
objectives and the measures
for success?
Student Internship Graduate Internship and
and Tertiary Program Industry Recruitment
Recruitment, employment
The student, learning
and value gained by the
experience and the
enterprise are the measures
academic performance
of success
are the key outcomes

4. How should interns be
remunerated?
Student Internship Graduate Internship and
and Tertiary Program Industry Recruitment
There is a need to have a
Remuneration can
more standardized
become a “perverse
remuneration or allowance
incentive”. Students
may be focused on There is a common view that expenses
earning money than on such as transportation should be
covered and that an allowance is
learning and curriculum
provided.
options

5. How long should the
internship period be?
Student Internship Graduate Internship and
and Tertiary Program Industry Recruitment
Ideally 1-2 years to enable
May include holiday
companies to achieve a
periods but usually a
return on investment and
term or semester of
for interns to acquire skills
work (3-6 months).

6. What is the profile of desired
individual?
Student Internship Graduate Internship and
and Tertiary Program Industry Recruitment
Individual’s technical skills
Well rounded person
are important but attitude
with strong academic
and personality must match
performance –
the company’s specific
measured learning
desired human capital
experience and general
values – e.g. leadership,
work place readiness
loyalty, communication.

7. What is the expectation in
terms of skills?
Student Internship Graduate Internship and
and Tertiary Program Industry Recruitment
Individual is expected to have
Assumption that skills
been taught, at
can be acquired.
university, some industry
Knowledge oriented
related skills and should have
focusing on the capacity
technical capabilities (e.g.
of the individual to learn
software programming) and
rather than on specific
domain knowledge.
technical skills or ability.

8. Who should universities play a
role in recruitment process?
Student Internship Graduate Internship and
and Tertiary Program Industry Recruitment
Not seen to market enough.
Not seen as a primary or
Universities often are
academic function of the
unaware or do not respond
university although
to tenders/requests.
there are organizational
structures to support
Some universities charge for access to
this. Students are not students as part of a marketing and fund
well profiled. raising function.

9. What can companies do to improve
their internship programs?
Student Internship Graduate Internship and
and Tertiary Program Industry Recruitment
Internship Programs take
Interns must be engaged
effort but can work. Requires
in real work. Employers
individuals committed to
to be compassionate and
mentorship and coaching.
extend opportunities.
Anticipate churn and plan to
Challenge to “adopt”
retain for 1-2 years.
students like concerned
parents.

10. Graduate qualifications with
certification is the trend for ICT
student development and graduate
recruitment
Government’s Skills Development (ASGISA)
have set certification targets
Industry technology providers and tertiary
institutions are partnering

11. Key Skills in the Region
Individuals with both business and technical
aptitude, knowledge and skills
High demands in call centre and technical
support operations
Lack in IT management, project
management, implementation and service
delivery support
IT sales and marketing
Certified skills (e.g. SAP, Oracle, Microsoft,
Open Source)

12. CIO FORUM 2008
Part 2: Discussion on IT Professional
Which of the following statements do you find
most relevant in terms of what defines an IT
Professional?

13. The demand for business and IT
alignment is helping to define the IT
professional as …
Humble. Arrogance is undesirable.
Technical knowledge is only
respected when communicated in
the business context.

14. The value proposition of IT to
business is defining the IT
professional as …
A problem solver that addresses
the technical solution as well as
the broader business problem – at
a strategic and operational level.

15. The IT professional needs to take
ownership and accountability
because …
IT is not just a back office or supporting
function but impacts the performance of
the business as a whole and is at the
front lines, experiencing the pressures on
the business in terms of revenue
generation, administration, operations,
production, logistics, etc.

16. Programming has become a
competency rather than something
that defines an IT professional
because …
a professional programmer adds a
limited value to the business as a
whole and can become a liability –
an overhead that requires input in
order to gain outputs.

17. The growing complexity and hybrid
nature of technology environments
is defining the IT professional as …
a knowledge worker that has
experience across a wide range of
technologies and solutions.
Specialization is based on a functional
domain rather than on a technology
platform.

18. The IT professional is …
Other comments …