This survey examines IT learning and career expectations in New Zealand. It analyzes surveys of IT students and employers regarding subjects studied, expected salaries, important skills, and ethical views. Key findings include: students expect higher salaries than employers think are realistic; both value technical skills but employers rank soft skills like communication higher; and students have more naive views than employers on ethics, seeing legality as defining ethics.

1. IT Learning and Career
Expectations survey: a
first look- challenges for
education
This is an overview of a survey of NZ computing
intake and an employer survey, both in February
2014.
Detailed statistical analysis is to follow.
Cite as: Mann, S., Costello, K., Smith, N., Lopez, M. & Lopez, D.
(2014) IT Learning and Career Expectations survey: a first look -
challenges for education. ITx 2014. Keynote. Auckland Oct 8-12

2. 0 10 20 30 40 50 60
Web Developer
Web Administrator
Systems Administrator
Systems Analyst
Support Technician
Software Tester
Software Engineer
Project Manager
Programmer
Network and Systems Engineer
Network Administrator
Mobile Developer
Games Programmer
Entrepreneur
Database Administrator
Business Development Manager
Business Analyst
27
153
93
IS
Developer
Network /
Sysadmin

3. Twelve months after you have completed your
studies, what do you expect to be earning per
year? (Note: the one year after graduation
salary for a primary school teacher with a
degree is $46,000)

4. 100
90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0

5. 100
90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
30K-40K 40K-50K 50K-60K

6. Thinking of a generic job suitable for graduates
within your organisation, what percentage of
the time would they be doing the following:
______ Working individually
______ Working as part of a team
______ Interacting with clients/customers/other
external people

7. Working individually, 33
Interacting with
clients/customers/other
external people, 27
Working as part of a team,
41
Students

8. Interacting with
clients/customers/other
external people, 18
clients/customers/other
external people, 27 Working individually, 32
Working individually, 33
Interacting with
Working as part of a team,
41
Working as part of a team, 50
Students Employers

9. What would be your ideal mix of
subjects within an IT qualification?
______ Programming (eg. Software Development)
______ Infrastructure (eg. Networks, Operating
Systems, Hardware)
______ Communication Skills
______ Business Practice (eg. Accounting, Law, etc)
______ Multimedia
______ Business Analysis (including software
engineering)

10. What would be your ideal mix of subject areas within your qualification?
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45
Business Analysis (including software engineering)
Multimedia
Business Practice (eg. Accounting, Law, etc)
Communication Skills
Infrastructure (eg. Networks, Operating Systems, Hardware)
Programming (eg. Software Development)
Student Employer

11. Which of the following graduates has the best career
prospects in IT and why? (assume everything else is equal)
Student Employer
Ashley is a average programmer and a poor
communicator
1 0
Bryce is a poor programmer and an excellent
communicator
9 28
Casey is an excellent programmer and a poor
communicator
9 19
Dale is a average programmer and an average
communicator
82 54
Eddie is a poor programmer and an average
communicator
0 0

12. Which of the following graduates has the best career
prospects in IT and why? (assume everything else is equal)
Student Employer
Ashley is a average programmer and a poor
communicator
1 0
Bryce is a poor programmer and an excellent
communicator
9 28
Casey is an excellent programmer and a poor
communicator
9 19
Dale is a average programmer and an average
communicator
82 54
Eddie is a poor programmer and an average
communicator
0 0

13. Which of the following graduates has the best career
prospects in IT and why? (assume everything else is equal)
Student Employer
Ashley is a average programmer and a poor
communicator
1 0
Bryce is a poor programmer and an excellent
communicator
9 28
Casey is an excellent programmer and a poor
communicator
9 19
Dale is a average programmer and an average
communicator
82 54
Eddie is a poor programmer and an average
communicator
0 0
Only by communicating can someone in IT understand the clients real needs and
have the client realise that their needs have been met. Excellent products done
the way the programmer thinks they should be done, which isn't what the client
wanted, and which the client doesn't appreciate the excellence of the result - is a
total waste of time.

14. How do employers rank these
skills/attributes?
Able to apply knowledge and skills in the workplace
Able to find and evaluate information
Able to solve problems
Being able to think critically
Being able to use technology
Being able to work in a team
Being able to work independently
Demonstrating an understanding of social,
environmental and economic sustainability
Keeping up to date with new developments
Numeracy skills
Oral communication skills
Required technical skills
Written communication skills

15. Student ranking (how they think
employers would rank)
Required technical skills
Being able to use technology
Being able to work in a team
Oral communication skills
Able to apply knowledge and skills in the
workplace
Able to solve problems
Being able to think critically
Being able to work independently
Able to find and evaluate information
Written communication skills
Keeping up to date with new developments
Numeracy skills
Demonstrating an understanding of social,
environmental and economic sustainability
Student

16. Student compared with
employer ranking
Required technical skills
Being able to use technology
Being able to work in a team
Oral communication skills
Able to apply knowledge and skills in the
workplace
Able to solve problems
Being able to think critically
Being able to work independently
Able to find and evaluate information
Written communication skills
Keeping up to date with new developments
Numeracy skills
Demonstrating an understanding of social,
environmental and economic sustainability
Being able to work in a team
Able to solve problems
Oral communication skills
Required technical skills
Being able to think critically
Able to apply knowledge and skills in the
workplace
Being able to work independently
Written communication skills
Being able to use technology
Able to find and evaluate information
Keeping up to date with new developments
Numeracy skills
Demonstrating an understanding of social,
environmental and economic sustainability
Student Employer

17. Student compared with
employer ranking
Required technical skills
Being able to use technology
Being able to work in a team
Oral communication skills
Able to apply knowledge and skills in the
workplace
Able to solve problems
Being able to think critically
Being able to work independently
Able to find and evaluate information
Written communication skills
Keeping up to date with new developments
Numeracy skills
Demonstrating an understanding of social,
environmental and economic sustainability
Being able to work in a team
Able to solve problems
Oral communication skills
Required technical skills
Being able to think critically
Able to apply knowledge and skills in the
workplace
Being able to work independently
Written communication skills
Being able to use technology
Able to find and evaluate information
Keeping up to date with new developments
Numeracy skills
Demonstrating an understanding of social,
environmental and economic sustainability
Student Employer

18. To what extent do you agree/disagree
with the following statements?
Strongly
Disagree (1)
Disagree (2) Neither Agree
nor Disagree
(3)
Agree (4) Strongly Agree (5)
If it's legal it's ethical     
The dignity and welfare of
people should be the most
    
important concern in society
Selfishness is the best guiding
principle
    
Questions of what is ethical
for everyone can never be
resolved since what is moral
or immoral is up to the
individual.
    
Business is a special case, the
ethics are different to personal
life
    

19. To what extent do you agree/disagree with the
following statements?
Strongly
Disagree
(1)
Disagree (2) Neither Agree nor
Disagree (3)
Agree (4) Strongly
Agree (5)
As long as everyone is following "they are
in it for themselves" society as a whole will
prosper
    
If I'm operating within the law I don't need to
worry about ethics
    
It is never necessary to sacrifice others     
What is ethical varies from one situation
and society to another
    
My employer will protect me if anything
goes wrong, so long as I've followed their
rules.
    

20. To what extent do you agree/disagree with the
following statements?
Strongly
Disagree
(1)
Disagree (2) Neither Agree nor
Disagree (3)
Agree (4) Strongly
Agree (5)
The existence of potential harm to others is
always wrong, irrespective of the benefits to
be gained
    
My job as a computer professional is to
provide the technical solutions (code or
infrastructure), my managers will have
considered the ethical implications
    
There is no room in business for soft things
like ethics, if your competitor does it then
you can
    
Computing is largely theoretical or technical
- with little consequence
    
The existence of potential harm to others is
always wrong, irrespective of the benefits to
be gained
    

21. 0 1 2 3 4
If it's legal it's ethical
If I'm operating within the law I don't need to worry about ethics
Selfishness is the best guiding principle
As long as everyone is following "they are in it for themselves"
society as a whole will prosper
My employer will protect me if anything goes wrong, so long as
I've followed their rules.
My job as a computer professional is to provide the technical
solutions (code or infrastructure), my managers will have…
Questions of what is ethical for everyone can never be resolved
since what is moral or immoral is up to the individual.
What is ethical varies from one situation and society to another
Business is a special case, the ethics are different to personal life
There is no room in business for soft things like ethics, if your
competitor does it then you can
The dignity and welfare of people should be the most important
concern in society
The existence of potential harm to others is always wrong,
irrespective of the benefits to be gained
It is never necessary to sacrifice others
agree
} Naïve legalism
} Naïve egoism
} Naïve agency
} Naïve relativism
} Naïve relativism
in context
} Idealism

22. 0 1 2 3 4
If it's legal it's ethical
If I'm operating within the law I don't need to worry about ethics
Selfishness is the best guiding principle
As long as everyone is following "they are in it for themselves"
society as a whole will prosper
My employer will protect me if anything goes wrong, so long as
I've followed their rules.
My job as a computer professional is to provide the technical
solutions (code or infrastructure), my managers will have…
Questions of what is ethical for everyone can never be resolved
since what is moral or immoral is up to the individual.
What is ethical varies from one situation and society to another
Business is a special case, the ethics are different to personal life
There is no room in business for soft things like ethics, if your
competitor does it then you can
The dignity and welfare of people should be the most important
concern in society
The existence of potential harm to others is always wrong,
irrespective of the benefits to be gained
It is never necessary to sacrifice others
disagree agree

23. 0 1 2 3 4
If it's legal it's ethical
If I'm operating within the law I don't need to worry about ethics
Selfishness is the best guiding principle
As long as everyone is following "they are in it for themselves"
society as a whole will prosper
My employer will protect me if anything goes wrong, so long as
I've followed their rules.
My job as a computer professional is to provide the technical
solutions (code or infrastructure), my managers will have…
Questions of what is ethical for everyone can never be resolved
since what is moral or immoral is up to the individual.
What is ethical varies from one situation and society to another
Business is a special case, the ethics are different to personal life
There is no room in business for soft things like ethics, if your
competitor does it then you can
The dignity and welfare of people should be the most important
concern in society
The existence of potential harm to others is always wrong,
irrespective of the benefits to be gained
It is never necessary to sacrifice others
disagree agree
Student Employer

24. 25
20
15
10
5
0

25. 25 3
20
15
10
5
0
2.6
2.2
1.8
1.4
1

26. 25 3
20
15
10
5
0
2.6
2.2
1.8
1.4
1

27. 27th Annual CITRENZ Conference
http://www.citrenz.ac.nz