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• Aoraki Polytechnic in Association with Aoraki International College • Auckland University of Technology (AUT) • Bay Of Plenty Polytechnic • Christchurch Polytechnic Institute of Technology • Eastern Institute of Technology, Hawke's Bay • Manukau Institute of Technology • Massey University • Nelson Marlborough Institute of Technology • Northland Polytechnic • Otago Polytechnic • Southern Institute of Technology • Tai Poutini Polytechnic • Tairawhiti Polytechnic • The University of Auckland • The University of Canterbury • The University of Otago • The University of Waikato • (UCOL) Universal College of Learning • UNITEC Institute of Technology • Victoria University of Wellington • Waiariki Institute of Technology • Waikato Institute of Technology • Wellington Institute of Technology • Western Institute of Technology at Taranaki (WITT) • Whitireia Community Polytechnic |
STATISTICS -- WORKFORCE
"Census results from 1996 and 2001 confirm IT's growing presence in the employment market, with an increase in both post-school qualifications in the IT area, and people involved in IT-related occupations. The number of people with post-school qualifications in the IT area has almost doubled between 1996 and 2001. There were 24,012 people with an IT-related qualification in 2001, compared with 12,144 people in 1996.
The total number of people involved in IT-related occupations increased by 76 percent between 1996 and 2001. There were 33,705 people involved in IT-related occupations in 2001. The main area of growth was in computer application engineer roles which more than doubled in the five years to 2001. People involved in computer technician and controller roles have remained relatively static, with only a 7 percent increase between 1996 and 2001. Interestingly, the number of computer programmers has declined by 258 (or 7 percent). The number of IT managers has increased by 49 percent in the five years to 2001." 25
Figure 1. Information Technology Occupations
s25
"Following a slump in employment in 1993 to 29,282, employment in all the IT occupations grew steadily to reach 42,011 in 2000, and then fell to 40,935 in 2001. Overall, there has been an increase in employment in this area of 7,820 since 1990.
Most categories have expanded steadily over the period with Computer Consultancy Services, now the single largest employment area, having risen from 4,457 in 1993 to 13,815 in 2001. On the other hand, the period since 1990 has seen a steady decline in numbers employed in Telecommunication Services from 17,267 in 1990 to 8,898 in 2001 (a decrease of 48.5%)." 26 Note that the Information Storage and Retrieval Services category is not included prior to 1998.
Figure 2. Employment in IT Industries 1990-2001.
STATISTICS -- EDUCATION
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Figure 3. Highest Post-School Qualifications |
While 99% of primary and secondary schools in New Zealand are online, there are not computers in every classroom and many of those are hand-me-downs from The Government. Increasingly schools are investing in ICT, including access to the Internet, which creates the possibility of schools providing access to the wider population. However, it should be noted that this does not mean that all computers in classrooms are connected to the Internet. There is also a great concern amongst professionals, The Government and academia of "e-literacy", which many New Zealanders have not embraced fully for their children. Another concern in this area is the fact that teachers and professors of ICT and related fields are simply not enough in numbers to teach and mentor youth in New Zealand. |
"Recruitment by the ICT sector of tertiary qualified employees from both within New Zealand and overseas has averaged approximately 2,400 per annum over the last five years. This does not mean there is a surplus of ICT graduates, as the balance is either employed by other sectors of the economy or is lost to overseas." 25
NARRATIVE & ANALYSIS
New Zealanders in public office, business and technology sectors, and academia are all well aware of what it takes to develop a nation that is ICT proficient. These steps include:
• s making the public aware of the necessity of keeping up with the rest of the world when it comes to the information age;• s helping that public understand the importance of New Zealand's future upon ICT and related fields;• s educating youth through school and nonschool programs beginning at an early age;• s providing advancement and other professional incentives to those employed in ICT related fields;• s funding research and development, along with specific programs.
Although many documents have been written that cover these steps, there continues to be a shortage of interest or belief from the general public concerning ICT. This must be addressed before progress can be made in New Zealand's quest to become a "world leader in information technology."