Computing Careers and Irish Higher Education: A Labour Market Anomaly

This paper explores the impact of developments in the Irish economy and labour market on computing course development in the higher education (HE) sector. Extant computing courses change, or new courses are introduced, in attempts to match labour market demands. The conclusion reached here, however, is that Irish HE is producing insufficient numbers of computing graduates, notwithstanding the anomalous fact that the capacity to produce them is available in the HE sector. Manpower planning is inefficient and IT skill shortages remain, not as a result of poor industry–HE relations but because of a lack of understanding of Irish students' perceptions, preferences and expectations. Pressures for radical institutional change are probably unlikely to emerge as skill gaps are being filled by immigrants with the requisite skills.