ICT Workers: Relevant and Employable

Wondering about job prospects in the ICT sector? Well, don’t be discouraged by last year’s gloom. The ICT sector survived and forged on. And this year looks set to see more positive news for the sector, and more jobs as well.

ICT k-workers can stay relevant by having the ability to continuously learn, unlearn and relearn.

Multimedia Development Corporation (MDeC)’s Supply & Demand Study, done in collaboration with research firm Frost & Sullivan last year, indicated that the compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) for overall ICT jobs will be about eight to nine per cent for the next three years.

The research also indicated that the CAGR of jobs by MSC Malaysia-status companies will be more than 12 per cent until 2012.

During the downturn, companies focused on streamlining their business processes and consolidation-type of activities by leveraging on ICT. And this has created new opportunities in the ICT job market.

“There is demand for fresh and experienced ICT talent. Demand for ICT knowledge workers can be mapped to the technological platforms and changes in the business landscape within the industry,” says MDeC’s general manager, capacity development division, k-workers development department Muhammad Imran Kunalan Abdullah.

He expects demand for skills in technology clusters such as software development, networking and security, database, operating system and server, business intelligence and analytics, SAP applications, hardware design and creative multimedia to continue until 2012.

“The two key technology platforms used by software houses worldwide for developing applications are Java and .Net. ICT graduates and professionals who have core expertise in either have a competitive edge. There will also be an increasing demand for ICT professionals with skills in networking, security and creative multimedia for the next three years.

“Malaysia is still behind India and China in the AT Kearney Global Service Locations Competitiveness Index Survey 2009. This reflects continuous demand for talent within the IT-enabled services, primarily in BPO (business process outsourcing) and shared services type of operations in Malaysia,” Imran says.

Key trends

As the industry matures, there will be demand for k-workers who can multi-task, so it will not be sufficient to know just the core technology, Imran points out.

For example, in the software development cluster, the skill requirements for Java and .Net developers now encompass not just a Web or enterprise developer, but also be able to bridge the gap between the two.

“Demand for Web-oriented applications has resulted in a need for a developer to add skill sets for Web technologies to his core expertise and to adapt and make them suitable to the changing needs,” Imran says.

The ICT market outlook also points to a higher adoption of the cloud computing architecture. Google AppEngine and Microsoft Azure are some common cloud platforms which developers are expected to build and deploy their applications on. Enterprise applications such as customer relationship management and enterprise resource planning which are currently offered as software-as-a-service are expected to be hosted on the cloud.

“The shift in platform requires compliant assessment, modification and testing. This further increases the need for developers and testers for the transition to the cloud,” Imran says.

Other trends include rich Internet applications (an aftermath of Web 2.0), mobile development as a direct impact from smartphones, and embedded technologies.

“With all these interesting developments, who can challenge the career opportunities for the ICT savvy?” Imran asks.

Does ICT pay?

Based on recent ICT salary survey data that MDeC has gathered, there is no indication of any salary decline for the industry.

“ICT jobs are poised to command a better salary. However, the studies have also shown that the quantum of salary increases will be smaller this year, continuing from last year’s trend. This is expected as companies try to balance their business footing amid the current global economic condition,” Imran says.

He adds that one has to follow the trends in the ICT industry closely to stay relevant.

“The ICT k-worker can stay relevant by adopting the right attitude and ability to continuously learn, unlearn and relearn. The ICT world is very progressive and in a constant state of flux. Technologies get outdated faster and faster, so it is important for ICT professionals to keep abreast of the developments.”