Exciting emerging areas include electronic security, Earth simulation (related to the mining boom), data storage and bioinformatics. Queensland is now home to Australia’s largest interactive computer games cluster and is developing an aerospace industry that requires staff qualified in ICT-based systems and software.
A major new area, systems integration, brings together a wide range of skills
including database, networks and general ICT problem-solving. In the future
there will be an increasing need for ICT professionals to help improve our human
infrastructure and the environment – challenges such as sustainable development
and global warming involve large-scale, complex systems to solve problems.
Employers increasingly want ICT-trained people possessing a combination of
business, problem-solving and interpersonal skills, who can communicate
effectively, and develop beneficial relationships with customers, suppliers,
business partners and within teams.
The need for good ICT professionals is both local and international. The hours are often flexible and it is possible to work from home or by using mobile technology. ICT skills are readily transferable from one employer to another and ICT is ever-evolving with jobs being developed to meet needs created in a wide range of new areas. Some of these aren’t even identified as yet, so the industry needs people who are flexible, creative and unafraid of change.
The views of one ICT employer of what students need to focus on to be successful are here.
More information on the career prospects of students with ICT skills is here.