The study of information technology (or IT) which covers computing science and networking etc., will normally include software development which emphasizes structuredness and the importance of phases. It highlights sequential development and the criticalness of planning and management of tasks and processes to be carried out. One must have a sequence or shape to fall back on when undertaking such activities or related tasks.
Project management is a skill that must be mastered if we want to use resources efficiently and effectively. Microsoft Project (or MS-Project) is a software tool that we can use to support us when we are working towards a systems solution. Such tools provide project managers with a way to plan and avoid surprises when undertaking future tasks with the aim of completion of projects.
A background in information technology will thus be appreciated whichever path of expertise we choose to undertake as a career. It has obviously come as a pleasant surprise that salaries of computing graduates is on the rise according to a recent starting salary survey carried out in Singapore. The results (see Table 1 below) show that the average computing graduate can take home a starting salary of as high as S$3000 a month! This of course varies with the level of one’s competency and past experience.
Table 1: IT and IT-related basic monthly salaries (taken from: Boon, R.(2014)}
Also according to the Annual Manpower survey carried out by the IDA (Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore (see Chart 1 below), the employed infocomm manpower has been increasing annually since 2001.
The above facts present a positive outlook for graduates as they show a continued demand for the information technology industry in Singapore. Without going into the myriad categories of the industry (i.e. software development, maintenance, project management, etc) qualifications in the information technology industry continue to be well sought after and play a crucial role in today’s knowledge-based economy. It is an area of study where training dollars continue to be spent on, with an inevitable growth potential in the future.
CHART1: Employed Infocomm Manpower in Singapore {taken from: www.ida.gov.sg)}
Mr. Eugene Choe Eugene was previously the Principal Lecturer, School of Information Technology, Digital Media and Mass Communication in TMC Academy.
Reference List: Boon, Rachael (2014), Competition heats up for IT-trained graduates, The Straits Times, Money Section, Mon 02 June 2014, page B12.
Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore, Statistical Charts, http://www.ida.gov.sg/Infocomm-Landscape/Facts-and-Figures/Infocomm-Manpower#3, (accessed on 16-July-2014).
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