III. Discuss the point below (first in pairs, then with the class brought together).

If you weren’t students of your university, would you follow prof. Bieber and apply to NJIT for Information Systems Degree?

Summary Writing

Text C. Six Hot IT Specialties

by Cara Garretson

A recent Gartner study found that although most companies aren’t planning to hire IT workers any time soon, those who are, find it difficult to attract talent in a few key areas – enterprise architecture, database administration, ERP programming and analysis, project management, Internet architecture and web application programming. These areas have proven difficult to staff because they demand not only specific technical expertise, but also an extensive understanding of business in general and the company’s industry in particular.

IT professionals who focus on these areas aren’t only hard to find they’re also hard to retain. These specialties are in such demand that they often come with high pay scales, and even retention bonus programs to hold on to talent.

The shortage situation is a classic demand and supply mismatch issue. Contributing to the shortage is the fact that many IT organizations fail to plot out formal workforce plans to determine what skills they need today and, perhaps more importantly, tomorrow. This leads to companies not being able to train and develop existing workforce in time to meet their needs, and so they turn to consultants and other outsourcers to help them, which can prove expensive. Here’s a look at each of these six specialties.

An enterprise architecture is used as a framework for the design and implementation of IT systems that align with a business’ needs and strategic goals. Therefore, architects who build these frameworks need to have a deep understanding of both the business at hand and how to implement technology to support the company today and going forward. Such expertise is often only achieved after years of experience in a given industry, therefore whittling down the candidate choices significantly.

Database administration is nothing new – the function has been around for decades – but that doesn’t make database administrators any less essential. Good database administrators are vital to ensuring the integrity of and convenient access to corporate data. They also must have industry expertise in areas where regulations, either federal or industry specific, dictate how data is to be accessed and stored. Again, the shortage arises from the specialty of the technical expertise required by the administrator combined with the industry know-how needed.

Enterprise resource planning (ERP) programming and analysis are critical to keeping businesses running smoothly. Yet IT professionals with these skills are scarce. Training IT professionals in industry-specific ERP programming and analysis can be time consuming and costly, and also requires that the professional have a deep understanding of business processes and goals.

Project management and program management are areas where professionals need significantly more than just IT skills to excel. These specialties involve developing formal standards and processes, as well as a governance framework, to ensure projects are completed in a timely manner and on budget. In addition, project managers must demonstrate how the project will enhance the company’s business and provide value to the organization. Project management requires certification or in-depth experience, making professionals with these qualifications hard to find.

Internet Architecture. The shortage of professionals proficient in Internet architecture comes from a combination of conditions surrounding the lack of enterprise architecture professionals and Web application programming experts. Companies need expertise not only in building and maintaining Internet architectures, but also in understanding how these systems support the business and work in the surrounding industry. As with Web programming, where many applicants may be qualified on paper but don’t have the specific business experience required, Internet architects who can construct systems that provide value to the business are proving hard to find.

Web Application Programming. Since so many applications are Web-based today, it’s hard to imagine there would be a shortage of Web application developers, since training in this area has become standard for many IT professionals. But enterprises aren’t just looking for staffers who can write applications in Web programming languages, but rather proficient programmers who have experience building business systems and applications. Companies often fall into the trap of hiring candidates who have the programming skills to write Web applications, but then need to train them in the business, which can take time.