Graduate Opportunities

Information Technology (IT) represents one of the most exciting areas of employment for new graduates, with many graduates finding work as computing professionals in the finance, property and business services sector, as well as the primary IT sector.

The industry has been one of the fastest-growing areas of the Australian economy in recent decades. Since the internet began to open up to commercial and individual usage in 1994, its traffic and its applications have grown exponentially. In the process, computers and internet communication have become essential in nearly all workplaces.

The work

The range of occupational pathways in IT continues as technology penetrates more and more aspects of daily life. Common areas of work for IT graduates include:

• Software engineering / programming
• Systems analysis and administration
• General IT management
• Multimedia development
• IT support

Employment opportunities for IT graduates are very strong at present, with research suggesting a possible skills shortage. Over 20 per cent of employers in Australia and New Zealand experienced trouble sourcing IT graduates in 2007 (Graduate Outlook Survey 2007, Graduate Careers Australia).

The industry has developed a unique corporate culture where flexible employment conditions are commonplace.

IT skills transfer easily from one country to the next, so experienced IT professionals can expect to find career opportunities almost anywhere in the developed world.

What you need

IT professionals require a high level of technical expertise, with specific IT skills varying widely from job to job. The rate of change in technical domains is also very rapid, so continuous learning is essential for IT professionals.

Communication skills are becoming increasingly important. A number of IT jobs require extensive liaison with non-technical people, so the ability to translate requirements into technical specifications and explain technical issues in simple terms is highly valued.

Money matters

The Australian Graduate Survey indicates that half of all new bachelor degree graduates working full-time in Australia as computing professionals, earned $36,000-$50,000 in 2006. For experienced professionals, the Hays Salary Survey gives the following typical ranges for some common occupations within the industry:

• Programmer, $40,000-$75,000
• Senior analyst/programmer, $60,000-120,000
• Development team leader, $60,000-$135,000
• Desktop support, $35,000-65,000
• Network administrator, $45,000-80,000

See www.gradsonline.com.au for current salary information.

Significant stats

• The Information and Communications Technology (ICT) sector accounts for 4.6 per cent of GDP and 13.8 per cent of total investment in Australia.
• Geographically, NSW and Victoria are the main focus for ICT business, employing roughly three-quarters of Australian ICT specialists. The ACT, Queensland and WA have each achieved substantial growth in recent years.
• Overseas and Australian research suggests that ICT has been a major driver of productivity growth in developed countries in recent years.
• More than 22 per cent of employers who had trouble sourcing graduates in their 2007 graduate intake want to hire more IT graduates.
• Nearly 20 per cent of computer professionals are female, but the figure is higher for computer support technicians (25 per cent).

Sources: www.acs.org.au; “ICT and productivity: summary of DCITA publications”, Department of Communications, Information Technology and the Arts; “Graduate Outlook Survey 2007”, Graduate Careers Australia.