Scotland: It's the Place To Be for IT
If you want a career in an exciting and�dynamic discipline that will challenge your imagination and can shape the future of our society then computing is the area for you. But perhaps you are wondering about where you should study? Look no further than Scotland.
Not only is it a beautiful place with interesting, vibrant cities, it has a rapidly growing commercial sector that is desperate for IT specialists! The three major cities of Aberdeen, Edinburgh and Glasgow all have large IT sectors. Aberdeen is considered the UK’s energy capital with strong multi-national oil and gas presence, Edinburgh is Scotland’s financial centre, and Glasgow is known for its creative industries.
Growth In IT Demand
A British Computer Society report suggests there is an increasing demand
yet decreasing supply of computer science and information systems graduates in the UK. Figures show that in the past four years demand for IT and computer graduates has doubled, while the number of students starting computing courses in higher education has fallen by more than 40% since 2001. In an already competitive marketplace, the increasing scarcity of the right people has implications for all industries. For any business with a focus on computing though, the stakes are high and attracting the right people is crucial for success.
A recent survey by ScotlandIS, an independent ICT trade body, found that
the outlook for business in the Scottish information technology sector is
extremely positive, with 90% of respondents predicting growth. The biggest
constraint is thought to be access to suitably qualified individuals with computing expertise. A Bank of Scotland labour market report confirms that permanent IT and computing staff are the most sought after people in Scottish business.
Scotland is expected to out perform the rest of the UK, with high levels of
growth expected especially in the energy and utilities markets, financial services, and professional services and public sectors. Polly Purvis, Executive Director of ScotlandIS, stated that “there are more than one thousand Scottish based businesses supplying software, telecoms,and IT services, at home and abroad, from world class solutions for major corporations to specialist products enabling smaller businesses to improve
productivity and reach global markets. It is therefore encouraging to see that respondents to this survey reflect continuing confidence in the business environment and predict considerable growth for the year to come.”
Skills In Demand
The technical skills in the greatest demand centre
around the key areas of systems development and integration in an information rich environment, such as Java and .net. The demand
for information engineering skills through automated data analysis and process engineering, using database SQL skills on key industrial strength platforms such as Oracle and SAP, is noted by a significant proportion of the respondents to the ScotlandIS survey. Nearly half the respondents also expressed a need for staff with key business analysis and project management skills to enable the implementation of the systems.
Universities In Scotland
So how are universities addressing these commercial demands? Scottish
universities are working at the leading edge of the international computer science field. Scotland has recently pooled its skills by developing research partnerships and collaborative groups to ensure ICT continues to enable the country’s economic growth. In turn, world-class research and teaching staff apply the ideas and technologies in the classroom. So from this quality tuition, the graduates from Scottish universities are well
placed in the jobs market.
- The Robert Gordon University, Aberdeen
- Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh
- Strathclyde University, Glasgow
- Dundee University
Top Scottish universities for graduate level prospects according to the Sunday Times university league table (23rd September 2007)
Science / Engineering courses / colleges
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