ACS 'Professional Year' a ruse to suit recruiters?

Stephen Withers
Monday, 26 May 2008 14:20

Opinion and Analysis

Oh, and there's a recommended fee of $11,200 for the course.

The relatively high proportion of IT graduates that don't find work in the field and the fact that those that do get a job only achieve salaries a little higher than average suggests that the so-called 'IT skills shortage' is really a furphy.

Increasing the number of candidates by encouraging overseas students to remain in Australia - completion of the PYear can give additional points towards gaining a permanent residence visa - seems designed to increase the pool of job candidates and thereby hold down entry-level salaries.

While the ACS is right to take into account the interests of its student members regardless of their nationality, it's hard to see exactly how this program serves the needs of "those working in Information and Communications Technology".

Disclosure: The writer moved to Australia on a permanent resident visa to take up an offer of professional employment, and subsequently became a member of the ACS in 1987.