IT skills gap 'holding business back'

Citation

(1999), "IT skills gap 'holding business back'", Education + Training, Vol. 41 No. 8. https://doi.org/10.1108/et.1999.00441hab.006

IT skills gap 'holding business back'

IT skills gap "holding business back"

Keywords: Careers, Information technology, Partnerships, Re-training

Businesses are facing a huge challenge in finding information-technology specialists, Bill Gates, chairman and chief executive of Microsoft, told the Institute of Directors annual conference.

He continued: "In many cases, this is holding them back from putting IT at the heart of their business strategy".

"However, there are untapped resources throughout the country which employers are missing - all those currently not working in IT. With the right IT skills training and development, these people can prosper in an IT career."

"I want people who are not working in IT to consider a career in IT and the Microsoft Skills 2000 initiative can help to make that happen."

"However, UK companies also need to help us to help people to shift into IT. They need to be open to new ways of filling vacancies by providing opportunities for new entrants with limited experience and training."

"Employers have the opportunity to work in partnership with a range of organizations such as careers-advisory centres, job centres, recruitment and training companies to build the skilled IT professionals they need to embrace technology. The onus is now clearly on employers to join in the drive to expand the IT workforce."