ICT Week Will Drive Victorian Skills From Strength To Strength

ICT Week Will Drive Victorian Skills From Strength To Strength Media release - 24 July 2007 New research shows that Victorian ICT job applicants are more qualified than the national average, according to the ICT Skills Snapshot report, released today by the Minister for Information and Communication Technology, Tim Holding. “As we begin the inaugural ICT Week, to showcase the breadth and depth of technology in our lives, we hope to inspire students to see the vast range of opportunities available to them in an ICT career,” Mr Holding said. The centrepiece of ICT Week 2007, coordinated by the Victorian IT Teachers Association (VITTA), is an ICT Expo open to students and their parents, to explore pathways to a successful ICT career. Set to take place annually, ICT Week is sponsored by the Victorian Government, and is closely aligned to its collaborative campaign promoting ICT skills to young people, the ICT: Start Here. Go Anywhere campaign. “It is fantastic to be working with VITTA, and our many industry and education partners, to tackle the growing issue of ICT skills supply, at a time when ICT job numbers continue to grow strongly,” Mr Holding said. “We are also carefully tracking the supply and demand of ICT skills, so that government and industry can genuinely understand where the barriers to industry growth might lie, and act to overcome these. “Our ICT Skills Snapshot, released today, remains the most comprehensive report of its kind in Australia, consolidating all existing national data on ICT skills supply and demand. “Conducted annually, this year’s report again reveals that Victoria continues to lead Australia on technology skills, with more ICT students than anywhere else in the country,” Mr Holding said. However, the report also points to a growing demand for people across the spectrum of ICT positions, particularly for those with the high-end skills needed for roles in ICT innovation. “Demand for ICT workers is still rising, while ICT enrolment numbers are beginning to plateau after several years of decline. So the potential for future ICT skills shortages has not yet been diverted,” Mr Holding said. “This is why in Victoria we are already working to stem this trend. We have provided up to $275,000 in funding for the ICT: Start Here. Go Anywhere campaign, matching industry and education sector contributions. “With all nine universities, as well as industry groups and businesses contributing to deliver this campaign, it is the most collaborative initiative in Australia tackling ICT skills supply issues. “And I am pleased to announce that our campaign has just gone ‘national’, with my counterparts around Australia agreeing at the Online & Communications Council meeting last month to support ICT: Start here. Go anywhere as the national brand for ICT careers.” To read the full 2006 ICT Skills Snapshot go to: www.mmv.vic.gov.au/ICTSkillsSnapshot For more information about ICT Week 2007 go to: www.ictweek.vitta.org.au Further Information View Media Release as PDF, 24KB, 2 pages. Download Adobe Acrobat to view PDF files