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Western Massachusetts Institutions of Higher Education as Suppliers of the Information Technology Laborforce

A Survey of the Class of 2000

Prepared For
The Pioneer Valley Planning Commission Plan for Progress
Higher Education and Workforce Development Strategy Teams

Prepared By

Youlanda Gibbons
Research Assistant
Office of the Chancellor
University of Massachusetts Amherst

Elizabeth Williams
Associate Director for Research
Student Affairs Research, Information and systems
University of Massachusetts Amherst

February 2000

Western Massachusetts Institutions of Higher Education as Suppliers of the Information Technology Laborforce

A Survey of the Class of 2000

Prepared For
The Pioneer Valley Planning Commission Plan for Progress
Higher Education and Workforce Development Strategy Teams

Prepared By

Youlanda Gibbons
Research Assistant
Office of the Chancellor
University of Massachusetts Amherst

Elizabeth Williams
Associate Director for Research
Student Affairs Research, Information and systems
University of Massachusetts Amherst

American International College Elms College Greenfield Community College Hampshire College
Holyoke Community College Mount Holyoke College Smith College Springfield College
Springfield Technical Community College University of Massachusetts Amherst
Western New England College Westfield State College

Forward from the Deputy Chancellor

Acknowledgments

About the Authors and Sponsoring Organizations

Executive Summary

Introduction

Background

The IT Workforce Shortage and Projected Industry Growth:
A View of the Nation and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts

Higher Education and the IT Labor Force: The Nation and
the Commonwealth of Massachusetts

Survey Results
Identification of the Target Population
Response Rate
Respondent Demographics
The Survey Instrument

Employment Plans
Sources of Information about Job Opportunities
Knowledge of Job Opportunities by Geographic Location
Salary Expectations
Influential Factors in Deciding to Accept a Job Offer
Job and Internship Experience in IT
Self-Ratings of IT Skills
Self-Ratings of General Skills Related to Employment
Need and Expectations for On-the-Job Training
Current Job Leads

Conclusion

References

Appendix A

Appendix B

Appendix C

List of Tables

Table 1: Industry Worker Intensity
Table 2: Percentage of IT Workers and Highest Level of Education Completed, 1997
Table 3: Number of Computer and Information Science Degrees Awarded in 1986 and 1996
Table 4: Number of Computer Science and Engineering Degrees Awarded in Massachusetts 1987 and 1997
Table 5: Institutions Awarding Degrees by Level and Program, 2000
Table 6: IT-Related Degrees Awarded by Institutions and Year
Table 7: Respondent Demographics by Institutional Group

List of Figures

Figure 1: Projected Growth of IT Jobs by Specific Occupation
Figure 2: Massachusetts Vacancy Rates by Occupation, 1999
Figure 3: Net Employment Change in Massachusetts for Nine Key Industry Clusters, 1997-1998
Figure 4: Massachusetts Job Growth by Industry, 1986-96 and Projected 1996-2006
Figure 5: Fastest Growing Industries in Massachusetts
Figure 6: Number of Massachusetts E-Commerce Employees by Specific Industry Category
Figure 7: Percentage of Massachusetts Academic Institutions with E-Commerce Offerings, 1999
Figure 8: Percentage Rate of the Fastest Growing Occupations in Massachusetts through 2006
Figure 9: Are you planning to be employed in the Information Technology fieldwhen you graduate from college?
Figure 10: Student Interest in Working in Each Grographic Area
Figure 11: Sources of Information About Job Opportunities
Figure 12: Knowledge of Job Opportunities in Four Geographic Locations
Figure 13: Expected Yearly Income in First IT Job
Figure 14: Importance of Various Factors in Making a Decision to Accept a Job Offer
Figure 15: Employment and Internship Experience in IT
Figure 16: Geographic Locations of Students' Internship/Coops
Figure 17: Self Evaluation of Hardware Skills
Figure 18: Experience with Relational Databases
Figure 19: Mean Proficiency Ratings for Operating Systems
Figure 20: Mean Proficiency Ratings for Programming Languages
Figure 21: Mean Proficiency Ratings for Applications Systems
Figure 22: Mean Proficiency Ratings for Networking Technologies
Figure 23: Self-Rating of Skills in Each Area as "Excellent"
Figure 24: Perceived Need for and Expectations for On-the-Job Training

The sweep of digital technologies has resulted in a radical transformation in the global economy. This transformation has affected the United States' ability to remain competitive and thrive in the global market. Therefore, the use and production of information in our knowledge-based society is becoming more and more vital in a world of complex information systems.

Our knowledge-based economy has created an overwhelming demand for a laborforce that is highly trained and skilled in the use of information technology. Among various sources in the supply system of IT professionals, the role of higher education emerges as primary in providing well-trained and qualified candidates.

Realizing the important role and impact of the colleges and University in Western Massachusetts as a pipeline for a well-trained IT laborforce, the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission Plan for Progress Higher Education and Workforce Development Strategy Teams, in collaboration with the University of Massachusetts Amherst, surveyed graduating seniors who were identified as prospective IT employees. Three separate, yet integrated, surveys of the IT sector, laborforce candidates and prospective candidates were conducted. However, this report presents and discusses survey results from prospective laborforce candidates enrolled in Western Massachusetts colleges and the University.

Other organizations in the Commonwealth are encouraged to work collaboratively toward the advancement of higher education's understanding of industry needs in order to prepare students better to become well-trained and highly skilled IT professionals. Moreover, organizational leaders are encouraged and challenged to continue to engage and participate in research endeavors that will advance higher education's role in creating and developing information technology in this new era. In this context, I support the opportunities for business and education leaders to forge partnerships to ensure that emerging IT professionals are not only available but demonstrate fluency in the requirements of information technology.

Dr. Marcellette G. Williams
Deputy Chancellor
University of Massachusetts Amherst

This report reflects the commitment and involvement of a number of individuals, institutions and agencies. The principal authors of this report would like to thank the leadership and professional staffs of both private and public organizations for their cooperation and assistance.

Thanks is due to the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission Plan for Progress Higher Education and Workforce Development Strategy Teams for the vision and interest in recognizing the role of higher education in providing a well-trained and qualified information technology workforce in Western Massachusetts.

Special thanks to the following college and University Presidents and Chancellor for accepting the invitation to have their institution participate in the study: Dr. Harry J. Courniotes, American International College; Sister Kathleen Keating, Our Lady of the Elms College; Dr. Charles Wall, Greenfield Community College; Dr. Gregory Prince, Hampshire College; Dr. David Bartley, Holyoke Community College; Dr. Joanne V. Creighton, Mount Holyoke College; Dr. Ruth J. Simmons, Smith College; Dr. Richard Flynn, Springfield College; Dr. Andrew Scibelli, Springfield Technical Community College; Dr. David K. Scott, University of Massachusetts Amherst; Dr. Anthony S. Capiro, Western New England College and Dr. Fredrick Woodward, Westfield State College.

Sincere appreciation is expressed to the graduating seniors who agreed to take time from their busy schedules to participate in the survey.

Special thanks is due to Dr. Gary Malaney, Associate Professor of Education and Director of Student Affairs, Research and Information Systems (SARIS) for providing helpful guidance, expertise and support throughout various stages of the project. And, thanks also to Dr. Doug Anderton, Professor of Sociology and Director of the Social and Demographic Research Institute (SADRI) for providing consultation and assistance throughout the report.

Much gratitude is extended to Ms. Judy Connelly of SARIS for administrative assistance in text preparation of the report and Mr. Leo St. Denis, University Printing Services, for assisting in the printing and duplication of the report under tight deadlines.

This project would not have been possible without support from the University of Massachusetts Amherst Office of the Deputy Chancellor. A special thanks to Dr. Marcellette G. Williams, Deputy Chancellor, for guiding and supporting the vision and principal authors of this report.

About the Authors and Sponsoring Organizations

This research project was conceived by the Pioneer Valley Plan for Progress Higher Education and Workforce Development Strategy Teams. This agency is a non-profit, public organization established to create and implement strategies to develop and foster economic growth through regional collaboration. In this regard, the Higher Education and Workforce Development Teams partnered with business and industry leaders and the University of Massachusetts Amherst to develop a research project to survey the supply and demands of the information technology sector in Western Massachusetts.

This research study was principally funded and guided by the University of Massachusetts Amherst Office of the Deputy Chancellor. Additional support was provided by Student Affairs Research, Information, & Systems (SARIS). SARIS, under the direction of Gary Malaney, was instrumental in carrying out the research design by providing assistance and staff support in the development of the instrument, collection and analysis of data and preparation of the final report.

The principal authors of this report are Youlanda Gibbons and Elizabeth Williams. Youlanda Gibbons (Ph.D. Candidate in the Department of Sociology at the University) is a Research Assistant in the Office of the Deputy Chancellor and Elizabeth Williams (Ph.D. Candidate in the Department of Sociology at the University) is the Associate Director for Research in SARIS.

The purpose of this research was to examine the role of higher education as supplier of the prospective information technology (IT) laborforce in Western Massachusetts. Graduating seniors enrolled in twelve of the fourteen colleges and the University in Western Massachusetts were asked to participate in a telephone survey designed to assess their IT skills, employment interests and employment plans.

Specifically, the study included those seniors majoring or studying in IT related disciplines as defined by their respective college or university. For comparison purposes, responses for University of Massachusetts Amherst students were grouped together, but in some cases, results for students enrolled in the School of Management (SOM) or Computer Science and Computer Systems Engineering programs (CE/CS) were reported separately. Likewise, responses for the students from the Collaborating Colleges of Greater Springfield (CCGS) were grouped together. The same reporting format existed for those students who responded from the community colleges (CC).

This executive summary includes the major findings of a study conducted to provide and enhance an understanding of graduating seniors' interests in pursuing careers in the IT sector. Students agreed to rate themselves with regard to specific technical and general-employment skills. Students also were asked to choose items that best described their interests, plans and experiences related to information technology.

Major findings are listed below.

Employment Plans - The vast majority of students surveyed plan to enter the IT sector upon graduation. CCGS students were more likely than students from the other institutional groups to be certain that they will pursue an IT career.

Interest in IT Employment in Massachusetts - CC and CCGS students were more than twice as likely as University students to express interest in IT employment in Western Massachusetts. Conversely, University students were more likely than either CC or CCGS students to express interest in employment opportunities in Eastern or Central Massachusetts.

Sources of Information about Employment - Nearly seventy percent of all students indicated that they discovered IT employment opportunities by word-of-mouth. For University students, job fairs were the most important source of information about employment: Nearly eighty percent reported having received information from this source. In contrast, less than thirty-percent of CC and CCGS students named job fairs as an information source. Less than one-quarter of all students obtained employment information from employment agencies.

Knowledge of IT Employment Opportunities by Geographic Location - University students were less likely than either CC or CCGS students to report knowledge of IT employment opportunities in Western or Central Massachusetts. Conversely, University students were twice as likely as CC and CCGS students to be knowledgeable of IT employment opportunities outside of Massachusetts.

Salary Expectations - The average salary expected by CC students ($35,680) was lower than that of CCGS ($40,147) or University students ($43,427).

Influential Factors in Deciding to Accept a Job Offer - Opportunities for career development and quality of life in a geographic area were the factors rated highest by all students, followed by salary level. However, approximately two-thirds of CC students rated the cost of living in a geographic area as "very important" compared to slightly more than two-fifths of CCGS and one-quarter of University students.

Job and Internship Experience in IT - One-half or more of the IT majors in all three groups reported having been employed in a job that required them to use IT skills. UMass students and CCGS students were more likely than CC students to have had such an experience. UMass students were more likely than CCGS or CC students to report having had an internship or coop experience that involved learning or using IT skills.

Self-Rating of IT Skills - Of the four groups of students, those from CCGS were most likely to rate their hardware skills as "excellent," followed by University CE/CS students. More than seventy percent of CCGS students and University CE/CS students rated their hardware skills as "excellent" or "good." A majority of students in each of the four groups reported themselves to be very or somewhat experienced in relational databases.

With regard to specific operating skills, the average proficiency rating in Windows 95/98 was high for all four groups. Average proficiency ratings for Windows NT were moderate. University CE/CS students had a higher proficiency rating in Unix than the other three groups of students. All four groups of students rated their proficiency in MVS and MAC OS as low.

There was substantial variation among the four groups with regard to proficiency in programming languages. However, for all groups, proficiency is highest in HTML and C or C++. University CE/CS students reported the highest proficiency in all programming languages except SQL and COBOL; CCGS students has the highest rating for these two languages. Overall, University SOM and CC students had the lowest skill ratings in the programming languages.

As for applications systems, the average proficiency rating in Microsoft Office Suite was high for all four groups. All four groups had low proficiency ratings in Corel Suite and Oracle. CCGS students had the highest proficiency ratings across all three applications systems.

In terms of networking technologies skills, University SOM students had a higher proficiency rating in E-Commerce systems than the other groups. CCGS and University CE/CS students reported higher ratings in TCP IP, LAN systems, and WAN systems than CC students or University SOM students.

Self-Ratings of General-Employment Skills - Across all groups, students rated their ability to work independently and ability to be a team player highest. Most students rated themselves lowest in the area of supervisory skills. University students were less likely than CC or CCGS students to rate themselves as "excellent" in nearly all areas.

On-the-Job-Training - The majority of students expect to need on-the-job training and expect to receive such training when hired.

A primary goal of the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission Plan for Progress is to encourage graduates to stay in the region by building career paths in local industry and promoting regional job and entrepreneurial opportunities. In accordance with this goal, the University of Massachusetts Amherst Office of the Deputy Chancellor in collaboration with the University's Office of Student Affairs Research, Information, and Systems (SARIS) embarked on a research project to survey the potential information technology (IT) laborforce emerging from institutions of higher education in Western Massachusetts.

Understanding the role of the region's higher education system as primary supplier of a qualified workforce, researchers created and implemented a survey to assess graduating seniors' IT skills and employment interests.

A primary purpose of this report is to provide empirical information about students' perceptions of their technical and general-employment skills, IT job interests and employment plans. For comparison purposes, this report references data collected by researchers at the University of Massachusetts Amherst Social and Demographic Research Institute (SADRI). SADRI researchers interviewed thirty Western Massachusetts information technology employers about the types of technical and non-technical skills they require of their employees (Labor Force Demand and Supply Mismatch Survey of the IT Labor Force Sector in Western Massachusetts, 2000).

This report also presents data reported by the U. S. Department of Commerce and Bureau of Labor Statistics, U. S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, the Information Technology Association of America, Massachusetts Technology Collaborative Workforce, Massachusetts Division of Employment and Training, the Massachusetts Board of Higher Education, as well as data from other studies that include statistical information collected by private organizations. These data sources are referenced in the bibliography as well as throughout the report.

This report comprises three sections. The first section presents background information including empirical findings on the nation's and the Commonwealth's current and projected growth of IT jobs by specific occupation and industry cluster. National and state data also are presented on current and projected IT job vacancies. In the second section the methods employed in this research project are detailed and the survey results are presented. In the third section, the study's key findings are discussed.

Background

The IT Workforce Shortage and Projected Industry Growth:
A View of the Nation and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts

The United States Department of Commerce reports that a severe shortage of workers in the information technology sector will most likely undermine America's innovation and competitiveness in the global market. Moreover, in 1997, the Department of Commerce reported that a national shortage in the IT laborforce will inhibit the development of cutting-edge technology. Other consequences resulting from the large number of IT vacancies may include constrained industry growth, loss of potential trade and an increase in the cost of labor which may result in an increased cost of doing business.

Analyses of data collected by the Bureau of Labor Statistics suggest there will be an enormous growth in three occupations for the IT worker- computer scientists and engineers, systems analysts, and computer programmers. The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that between 1996 and 2006, the United States will require more that 1.3 million new IT workers in these three occupations. An average of approximately 137,000 new workers per year will be needed to fill newly created jobs. Specifically, it is estimated that 1,134,000 IT jobs will result from current workers leaving these occupations and 244,000 vacancies will occur due to retirements.

Of the three occupations, systems analysts will be in greatest demand. The number of jobs is projected to increase from 506,000 in 1996 to 1,025,000 in 2006, a 103 percent increase. This compares to a projected increase of 14 percent for all occupations in the IT sector. The number of computer scientists and engineers is expected to grow by 114 percent, from 427,000 to 912,000 during the same period, whereas the number of computer programer positions is expected to grow at a comparatively slower rate of 23 percent, expanding from 567,000 in 1996 to 697,000 (Figure 1).

Figure 1
Projected Growth of IT Jobs by Specific Occupation
SOURCE: U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Labor Statistics, 1998.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics also reports that the service sector, excluding transportation, communications, finance, insurance, real estate and wholesale and retail sale, is expected to absorb the lion's share of all increases in these core IT occupations. By 2006, the service sector is expected to increase its employment of computer system analysts, scientists and engineers by 17 percent and computer programmers by 47 percent. In contrast, the numbers of computer scientists, and engineers, and systems analysts in the manufacturing sector are expected to grow more slowly (increasing by 44 percent), while the number of computer programmers is actually expected to decrease by about 20 percent.

In contrast to the national picture, the 1999 Massachusetts Technology Collaborative Workforce Needs survey (MTCW) reports that the greatest need for IT workers in the Commonwealth is in the area of skilled production where the rate of unfilled jobs is nearly 9 percent. This need is followed by a vacancy rate for mangers and technicians of nearly 8 percent. The vacancy rate for scientists and engineers is more than 5 percent. Interestingly, scientists and engineers had the highest vacancy rate one year ago (Figure 2).

Figure 2
Massachusetts Vacancy Rates by Occupation, 1999
SOURCE: MassachusettsTechnology Collaborative Work Force Needs Survey

As reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, certain industries employ IT workers more intensively than others. Consequently, these industries would be affected most by tight IT labor markets (Table 1). (These industries are only growing in IT worker intensity). For example, in computer and data processing services it is projected that by 2006, 41.3 percent of the industry's employees will be computer programmers, systems analysts, and computer scientists and engineers.

Likewise, in Massachusetts, the MTCW survey reports that certain IT job clusters continued to create jobs in 1997 and 1998. Software & Communication Services registered the largest increase in jobs since 1997, 6,236 new jobs, a 6 percent increase. Interestingly, this cluster added 10,000 new jobs between 1996 and 1997. Other strong gains were found in the Innovation Services and Financial Services industry clusters (Figure 3).

Figure 3
Net Employment Change in Massachusetts for Nine Key Industry Clusters, 1997-1998
SOURCE: MassachusettsTechnology Collaborative Work Force Needs Survey

According to Massachusetts Job Outlook Through 2006, the Commonwealth's economy is expected to expand by 40,000 new jobs or by 12.4 percent by 2006. An additional 170,000 jobs will need to be filled to replace workers who retire, move up the career ladder or change careers. In total, more than 1.1 million jobs should result.

The Massachusetts Job Outlook report suggests that technology is transforming the pattern of job growth in the Commonwealth causing certain industries and occupations to grow quite rapidly and others to recede in importance. For example, services industries are projected to create more than three out of four, or 77 percent, of new wage and salary jobs (Figure 4).

Figure 4
Massachusetts Job Growth Rate by Industry, 1986-96 and Projected 1996-2006
SOURCE: Massachusetts Job Outlook Through 2006, Massachusetts Division of Employment and Training, 1999

The Massachusetts Job Outlook report claims that the service industries are projected to generate the largest number of jobs in Massachusetts through the year 2006, just as they did between 1986 and 1996. The report states also that growth is projected to average 2.5 percent each year, maintaining the growth pace set between 1986 and 1996.

Specifically, within the services industries, business services are projected to create the largest number of new jobs in the Commonwealth. The Massachusetts Job Outlook report indicates that by 2006, business services are projected to generate 92,400 new jobs, the most in services . In particular, within business services, the demand for computer software and other related services should fuel 55,000 new jobs, or six out of every 10 new jobs. By 2006, this industry alone should generate more jobs than any other single industry in Massachusetts (Figure 5).

Figure 5
Fastest Growing Industries in Massachusetts
SOURCE: Massachusetts Job Outlook Through 2006, Massachusetts Division of Employment and Training, 1999

Electronic Commerce in Massachusetts

According to the 1999 MTCW report, the emergence of a new IT industry, electronic commerce (e-commerce), has had a profound impact on the Commonwealth's Innovation Economy. E-commerce refers to any business process conducted over the Internet or similar non-proprietary networks. The MTCW report classifies e-commerce businesses and activities into the five categories listed below.

The MTCW survey reports that Massachusetts is well prepared to expand its e-commerce sector. The Commonwealth already has made considerable investments in e-commerce assets and technologies and has a sizable number of e-commerce companies in addition to traditional businesses, entering the online marketplace. As a consequence, the number of e-commerce employees is on the rise (Figure 6).

Figure 6
Number of Massachusetts E-Commerce Employees by Specific Industry Category
SOURCE: Massachusetts Technology Collaborative E-Commerce Survey, 1999

As noted in the MTCW survey, a region's ability to support e-commerce begins with its assets. E-commerce requires a highly skilled workforce that can meet the challenges and employ the strategies needed to develop and maintain electronic commerce. The MTCW survey reports that major academic institutions in Massachusetts have steadily increased their number of courses related to e-commerce. Of the 31 colleges and universities surveyed, 15 percent offered undergraduate coursework, 26 percent offered graduate level coursework and 9 percent offered degrees or certificate programs in e-commerce (Figure 7).

Figure 7
Percentage of Massachusetts Academic Institutions with E-Commerce Offerings, 1999
SOURCE: Massachusetts Technology Collaborative E-Commerce Survey, 1999

Higher Education and the IT Labor Force:
The Nation and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts

In the 1999 publication, The Supply of the Information Technology Worker in the United States, Freeman and Aspray observe that the traditional and formal educational system is critically important to the training of the IT workforce. These authors argue that different types of jobs within the IT sector require very different skills and levels of knowledge. Consequently, the type and level of education required of IT employers varies by specific jobs. Freeman and Aspray contend that formal programs leading to associate's, bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees have their place in IT-related fields.

Unlike bachelor's degrees, two-year or associate's degrees are granted by community colleges whose primary focus is to serve local communities. Business and industry leaders agree that community colleges can adapt more quickly than four year colleges to meet the needs of business and industry. However, this adaptability can also be a weakness. Although associate's degree programs do teach foundation skills, students with these degrees may sacrifice depth of knowledge for current technical skills, making it easier for them to obtain employment immediately but harder to continue to develop the knowledge skills needed to attain their ultimate career goals and aspirations (InfoWorld, 1998).

Consistent with other research findings, the 1999 report, Help Wanted, published by the Information Technology Association of America (ITAA) found that over 80 percent of IT employers in the fields of computer science, systems analysis, and computer programming require employees to have at least a bachelor's degree.
(Table 2).

College and University Degrees in IT-Related Fields of Study

Advocates of the baccalaureate contend that programs leading to IT-related degrees are an excellent way to learn the foundation skills necessary to succeed in the ever changing world of work: problem-solving, communication skills and above all, the ability to continue learning. However, the importance of having a bachelor's degree in computer science, as opposed to any other area, is a subject of intense debate. Although some companies say they prefer to hire graduates with computer science degrees, there are successful IT professionals from all disciplines. Of the more than 75 percent of all respondents to the 1998 InfoWorld Compensation Survey who indicated they had a bachelor's degree, only 26 percent held a degree in computer science. Other respondents held degrees in business and the humanities, 19 and 15 percent, respectively (InfoWorld, 1998).

According to the National Center for Education Statistics, the number of students earning bachelor's degrees in computer science has declined during the past decade. In contrast, the total number of earned graduate degrees in computer science has increased despite the nearly 1.3 million IT job vacancies in the United States (Table 3).

Similar to the national trend, the Massachusetts Board of Higher Education Review of Computer and Information Science Technology Programs Report (CIST) indicates that over a ten year period, Massachusetts has also experienced a decline in the number of bachelor's degrees in computer science and engineering. In contrast, graduate degrees in these areas continue to rise (Table 4).

According to the Massachusetts Board of Higher Education CIST report, the substantive increase in graduate degrees in computer science and engineering is inadequate to offset the decline in undergraduate degrees. Combined totals, 7608 in 1987 and 6014 in 1997, show a significant reduction in the total number of computer science and engineering degrees awarded by Massachusetts' colleges and universities.

The Massachusetts Job Outlook report indicates that the three fastest growing occupations in the Commonwealth are located in the information technology field: computer scientists, systems analysts and computer engineering (Figure 8). These occupations typically require a bachelor's degree or higher.

Figure 8
Percentage Rate of the Fastest Growing Occupations in Massachusetts through 2006
SOURCE: The Massachusetts Job Outlook Through 2006, Massachusetts Division of Employment and Training, 1999

Turning to the Western Massachusetts region, specifically, twelve of the fourteen institutions surveyed for this report award associate's, bachelor's and graduate degrees as well as certificates in IT related fields. Of these, three award the associate's degree, nine award the bachelor's degree, two award the master's degree and one awards the doctoral degree in majors such as computer science, computer systems engineering and computer information sciences (Table 5).

Clearly, the region's institutions of higher educaton are active in academically preparing students for entrance into the IT workforce. Between 1995 and 1998, 1,209 IT-related degrees were awarded by Western Massachusetts colleges and the University. Nearly half of these degrees, 597, were awarded by the University of Massachusetts Amherst, followed by Western New England College awarding 230 degrees. The largest number of degrees, 329, were awarded in 1997 followed by 301 in 1995, 289 in 1996 and 290 in 1998. With regard to degree level, the largest number of degrees awarded, 585, was the Baccalaureate followed by the Master's at 310, the Associate's at 186 and the Doctorate at 128 (Table 6).

Survey Results

Identification of the Target Population

In early September 1999, the fourteen colleges and University in Western Massachusetts were invited to participate in this study. A letter of invitation to participate was sent to the college and University presidents and chancellor requesting the names, addresses and phone number of graduating seniors majoring or studying in a field related to information technology, as defined by their specific college or University.

Because telephone interviewing was scheduled to commence October 19, institutions were asked to provide the requested information by October 1. Twelve of the fourteen institutions agreed to participate in the study. Amherst College chose not to participate, and Bay Path College informed researchers that none of its IT students were scheduled to graduate in May of 2000. Although American International College (AIC) agreed to participate in the study, no phone numbers were included with the ten student names that the college submitted to researchers. Similarly, although Hampshire College submitted the name of one student, the phone number provided was not accurate. Consequently, it was not possible to include either AIC or Hampshire College in the study.

There was one slight inconsistency in the development of the comprehensive list of IT graduates used in this study. Springfield Technical Community College (STCC) contacted its group of selected students before sending the lists of names to researchers in order to determine whether or not each student was willing to participate in the study. In other words, STCC forwarded to researchers only the names of students who agreed to be interviewed. Unfortunately, the number of STCC students who did not grant the college permission to submit their name and phone number to researchers is unknown.

Response Rate

Five of the ten participating institutions submitted their lists of IT students prior to the October 19th start-up date, whereas the remaining institutions submitted their lists later in the month. Unfortunately, three institutions submitted their lists in late November or early December (see Appendix A). Because most interviewing took place on six Tuesday evenings between October 19 and December 7, researchers did not have as much time to do "call-backs" with students from these colleges. It is likely that the response rates for these colleges would have been higher had these lists of names been received earlier in the interviewing process.

Fortunately, researchers obtained the vast majority of student names and phone numbers (563 out of a total of 639) before the end of October. Appendix A shows the dates that researchers received student names and phone numbers from each institution. Because interviewers made multiple attempts over the course of six evenings (and also on a few weekdays) to contact all of the students, the overall response rate for the survey was a satisfactory 61%. As illustrated in Appendix B, response rates varied by institution. The highest response rate (79%) was achieved with STCC students, but it is important to note that this response rate is artificially high because students were "pre-screened" by the institution. A particularly high response rate also was achieved with UMass Computer Engineering/Computer Science (CE/CS) majors (71%). It is important to note that higher response rates might have been achieved for some colleges had the bulk of the interviewing not been restricted to Tuesday evenings. Unfortunately, SARIS's polling operation is limited to Tuesday evenings for logistical reasons.

Respondent Demographics

Table 7 illustrates the demographic characteristics of respondents by institutional group. As illustrated, UMass CE/CS and CCGS students are disproportionately male. Community College and CCGS students are older, on average, than UMass students. CCGS students are most likely to have grown up in Western Massachusetts, followed by Community College students. Only a small proportion of UMass students grew up in Western Massachusetts.

The Survey Instrument

The survey instrument used in this study included fifty-eight closed-ended items, two open-ended questions, and four demographic items (Appendix C). Students were questioned about their future employment plans, their interest in being employed in particular geographic areas, their knowledge of job opportunities in particular geographic areas, their methods of obtaining information about job opportunities, their previous employment and internship experiences in the IT field, and factors that would influence their decision to accept a particular job offer. In addition, students were asked to rate their level of proficiency in a variety of skills specific to IT (e.g. operating systems, programming languages, networking technologies). They also were asked to rate their general employment-related skills (e.g. ability to work independently, analytical reasoning, written communication).

The survey was administered using a computer-assisted telephone interviewing (CATI) software package. The use of this technology facilitated accurate administration of survey questions and also minimized data entry error.

This report presents the survey results in a comparative format. As illustrated in Appendix B, there is substantial variation in the number of IT graduates from each institution. UMass and Greenfield Community College (GCC) accounted for 72% of all of the IT majors that were identified for this study. For the purposes of this study, responses of the community college students (CC) were grouped together. Similarly, responses of the students from the Collaborating Colleges of Greater Springfield (CCGS) were grouped together (Elms College, Springfield College, Westfield State College, and Western New England College). In some instances, the responses of all UMass students (SOM and CE/CS) were grouped together, but for most survey items the results were reported separately for SOM students and CE/CS students. Because only eight Smith students and one Mount Holyoke student were interviewed, the group of Liberal Arts Colleges was not included for comparison in this report.

Employment Plans

First, all students were asked a screening question to determine whether they were planning to be employed in the IT field upon graduation. As illustrated in Figure 9, the vast majority of CCGS students plan to be employed in the IT field. The proportion of UMass CE/CS students planning to be employed in IT exceeds the proportion of UMass SOM students. Only students who expressed a definite or possible plan to be employed in the IT field were asked the remainder of the survey questions. Students who intended to seek employment in a different field, or attend graduate school, were skipped to the demographic questions.

Figure 9
Are you planning to be employed in the Information Technology field
when you graduate from college?

Next, students were asked to report their level of interest in working in Western, Eastern or Central Massachusetts, or outside of Massachusetts upon graduation. As illustrated in Figure 10, CC students and CCGS students were more than twice as likely as UMass students to express interest in working in Western Massachusetts. Only 12% of UMass students said they were "very interested" in working in Western Massachusetts. UMass students were more likely than either CCGS students or CC students to express interest in working in Central/Eastern Massachusetts or outside of Massachusetts.

Figure 10
Student Interest in Working in Each Geographic Area
(% of students saying "very interested" or "somewhat interested")

Sources of Information about Job Openings

Students were asked about their sources of information about IT job opportunities. Figure 11 illustrates the proportions of students who indicated that they had discovered job opportunities through each particular source. Nearly 70% of the students in all three groups had been informed about job opportunities through word-of-mouth. Whereas job fairs were the most important source of information for UMass students, they were not an important source for either CC or CCGS students. Similarly, Career Services was an important source of information for UMass students, but less so for CCGS and CC students. Less than one-quarter of students in all three groups had obtained information from employment agencies.

Figure 11
Sources of Information About Job Opportunities
(% indicating they had found out about job opportunities through each source)

Knowledge of Job Opportunities by Geographic Location

Students were asked how knowledgeable they are about job opportunities in Western, Central, and Eastern Massachusetts, and outside of Massachusetts (Figure 12). UMass students were less likely than CC or CCGS students to report being knowledgeable about job opportunities in Western or Central Massachusetts. This finding was not surprising given the small proportion of UMass students who expressed interest in working in Western Massachusetts. Conversely, UMass students were twice as likely as CC or CCGS students to be knowledgeable about job opportunities outside of Massachusetts. Similarly, UMass students were more likely than the other two groups to express interest in working outside of Massachusetts.

Figure 12
Knowledge of Job Opportunities in Four Geographic Locations
(% saying "very knowledgeable" or "somewhat knowledgeable")

Salary Expectations

Students were asked about their salary expectations for their first IT job (Figure 13). The salary expectations of CC students are noticeably lower than CCGS or UMass students: CC students were more likely to expect incomes in the lower two income categories. The average income expected by UMass students is $43,427, whereas CCGS students expect an average of $40,147, and CC students expect an average of $35,680. CC students may expect lower incomes because they anticipate that their two-year degrees may not qualify them for IT jobs commanding higher salaries.

Figure 13
Expected Yearly Income in First IT Job

Influential Factors in Deciding to Accept a Job Offer

Students were asked to rate the importance of five factors in making a decision to accept a job offer (Figure 14). Importance ratings were similar for the three groups of students. The one exception is the rating of cost of living in the geographic area. Nearly two-thirds of CC students rated this factor as "very important," compared to slightly more than two-fifths of CCGS students, and one-quarter of UMass students. Opportunities for career development and quality of life in the geographic area were the factors that were rated highest by all three groups of students, followed by salary level.

Figure 14
Importance of Various Factors in Making a Decision to Accept a Job Offer
(% of students rating each as "very important")

Job and Internship Experience in IT

Students were asked whether they had ever been employed in a job that required them to use their IT skills (Figure 15). Community College students were less likely than CCGS or UMass students to have been employed in an IT position. Similarly, students were asked whether they had ever had an internship or coop experience that involved learning or using IT skills (Figure 15). UMass students were more likely than both CC and CCGS students to have had an internship or coop experience.

Figure 15
Employment and Internship Experience in IT

Students who reported having an internship were asked where their position was located geographically (Figure 16). The vast majority of CCGS and CC students had internships in Western Massachusetts, compared to only 14% of UMass students. UMass students were most likely to have had an internship in Eastern Massachusetts or outside of Massachusetts.

Figure 16
Geographic Locations of Students' Internships/Coops

Self-Ratings of IT Skills

Because there are substantial differences in reported skill levels between UMass CS/CE students and SOM students, the results for these two groups are presented separately in this section. Students were asked to rate their hardware skills (such as installation, repair, monitoring, upgrading and troubleshooting) as excellent, good, fair or poor (Figure 17). CCGS were most likely to rate their hardware skills as "excellent," followed by UMass CE/CS students. More than seventy percent of CCSG students and UMass CE/CS students rated their skills as "excellent" or "good." UMass SOM students were more likely than the other three groups of students to rate their hardware skills as "poor."

Figure 17
Self Evaluation of Hardware Skills

When asked to rate their level of experience with relational databases, students in all four groups were most likely to say they are "somewhat experienced" (Figure 18). CCGS students were most likely to rate themselves as experienced in this area, followed by CC students, UMass CE/CS students, and UMass SOM students.

Figure 18
Experience with Relational Databases

Students were asked to rate their level of proficiency in the following IT skill areas: operating systems, programming languages, applications systems, and networking technologies. Students were asked to rate their proficiency using a scale ranging from 1 to 5 where 1 is "not at all proficient" and 5 is "proficient." Figure 19 shows students' average proficiency ratings in five different operating systems. SADRI's Labor Force Mismatch Survey found operating systems to be the group of skills that employers are most likely to require of all of their hires. Overall, students rated their proficiency in Windows 95/98 higher than any of the other operating systems: All four groups of IT majors had mean proficiency ratings exceeding 4.0. Windows NT received the second highest proficiency ratings overall. There was substantial variation among the institutions in students' ratings of their Unix skills: The average proficiency rating was highest for UMass CE/CS students (3.41) and lowest for CC students (1.58). UMass CE/CS students gave themselves a higher rating in MAC OS than students in the other three groups; nevertheless, this rating (2.59) is below the mid-point on the proficiency scale. All four groups of IT majors had low proficiency ratings (< 2.0) in MVS. SADRI's study found that among the employers interviewed, Windows NT, Unix and Windows 95/98 were the specific operating systems most likely to be required. Consequently, although student training appears to be well-matched to local employers' needs with regard to Windows systems, proficiency in Unix is low relative to employers' needs.

Figure 19
Mean Proficiency Ratings for Operating Systems

Figure 20 shows the proficiency ratings for programming languages. SADRI's survey found that the vast majority of local employers who require programming have difficulty finding skilled employees. As illustrated, there was substantial variation among institutions in proficiency ratings. One consistency across the four groups is low proficiency ratings for PERL and CGI. CC students and UMass SOM students rated themselves above 2.0 in only one language - HTML. In contrast, average ratings for CCGS students exceeded 3.0 for three languages - HTML, C/C++, and SQL. Average ratings for UMass CE/CS students exceeded 4.0 for C/C++, and exceeded 3.0 for Java and HTML. UMass CE/CS students had the highest proficiency ratings for five of the seven languages, whereas CCGS students had the highest rating in one language (COBOL). Since the SADRI survey found C/C++ and SQL to be the two programming languages most likely to be required by employers, it appears that the skills of only UMass CE/CS students and CCGS students are well-matched to local employers' needs.

Figure 20
Mean Proficiency Ratings for Programming Languages

Figure 21 shows the proficiency ratings for applications systems. There was little variation in proficiency ratings among the four groups. All four groups gave themselves high proficiency ratings in Microsoft Office Suite, whereas ratings for Corel Suite and Oracle were low.

Figure 21
Mean Proficiency Ratings for Applications Systems

Figure 22 shows the proficiency ratings for networking technologies. Overall, proficiency ratings were lower for this skill area than any other area: Few proficiency ratings exceeded 3.0. Across the four groups, proficiency ratings were particularly low for Global. Not surprisingly, UMass SOM students had a higher average proficiency rating in E-Commerce support than the other three groups. CCGS students gave themselves higher proficiency ratings in WAN systems and LAN systems than students in the other three groups.

Figure 22
Mean Proficiency Ratings for Networking Technologies

Self-Ratings of General Skills Related to Employment

Students also were asked to rate their general employment-related skills. Students were read a list of eight skill areas, and were asked to rate their own skills as excellent, good, fair, or poor. Figure 23 shows the proportions of students who rated their skills as "excellent." Across institutions, students rated their ability to work independently and ability to be a team player highest. In contrast, they ranked their supervisory skills lowest. More than half of students in all three groups rated their ability to work independently as "excellent." Interestingly, in almost all areas UMass students were less likely than either CC or CCGS students to rate their skills as "excellent," the one exception being interpersonal skills. CCGS students were less likely than UMass students and CC students to rate their skills as "excellent" in the following areas: ability to be a team player, ability to manage projects, supervisory skills, and interpersonal skills.

Figure 23
Self-Rating of Skills in Each Area as "Excellent"

Need and Expectations for On-the-Job Training

When asked whether they think they will need any on-the-job training after being hired to work in the IT field, the vast majority of all students responded "yes" (Figure 24). Similarly, when asked if they expect to receive on-the-job training after being hired, the vast majority responded "yes" (Figure 24).

Figure 24
Perceived Need for and Expectations for On-the-Job Training

Current Job Leads

More than one-half of UMass students (56.9%, n=62 ) reported that companies had expressed interest in either interviewing or hiring them for an IT job, followed by 48.6% (n=17) of CCGS students and 26.9% (n=18) of CC students.

Conclusion

Results presented and discussed in this report have important implications for research, higher education, business and industry and the Western Massachusetts regional economy. This study's findings indicate that Western Massachusetts colleges and the University are graduating individuals who are interested and engaged in pursuing careers in the IT sector. The survey results are a rich source of information pertaining to students' technical and general-employment skills, employment interests, and employment plans. It is hoped that these findings will stimulate productive discussions among the various stakeholders located within and outside the Commonwealth.

Our findings suggest that interest in working in Western Massachusetts is highest among CC and CCGS students. Given that these students are likely to seek employment in the local area, it is important for their skills to closely match local employers' particular needs. Although the training of these two groups of students appears to be well matched to local employers' needs with regard to Windows systems, proficiency in Unix is comparatively low.

Given that a relatively small proportion of UMass students expressed interest in working in Western Massachusetts, local employers and the University may find it advantageous to work together to stimulate interest among UMass IT students in seeking employment in the local area. UMass students' skills appear to be well matched to local employers needs (as estimated by the SADRI study), particularly in the areas of programming and operating systems.

This study identified specific sources of information that graduating seniors are most likely to use to find out about job opportunities. Across all groups, students reported that word-of-mouth and Career Services are principal sources of information about employment opportunities. However, for UMass students, job fairs are the most important source of information. Consequently, local employers seeking to hire UMass graduates might benefit from participating in job fairs at the University.

With regard to general-employment skills, the majority of graduating seniors rank themselves highly in terms of their ability to be a team player and work independently. Students rated themselves lowest in supervisory skills.

The survey findings have additional implications for IT employers in search of new hires. Overwhelmingly, the majority of students across all groups anticipate that they will need on-the-job-training and expect to receive it. Therefore, IT employers are encouraged to invest substantively in entry-level training programs in order to retain a highly productive and skilled workers. IT employers should recognize that although all of the area colleges and universities prepare students to enter the IT laborforce, self-reported skill proficiency levels among graduating seniors vary by institutional group. Consequently, some prospective new hires may not enter the work setting with all the requisite skills considered most important by IT employers.

Higher education institutions should consider responding to the employment needs of a diverse student population interested in careers in IT. Key findings suggest that higher education and business and industry should work closely to ensure that curricula reflect the skill areas most in demand by employers. In particular, higher education and business and industry leaders should consider developing partnerships. For example, local IT company professionals might lecture on college and university campuses, provide internship and co-op experiences, or make accessible to students resources and facilities such as state-of the-art computers and laboratories.

Lastly, these research findings suggest the need for continued research on the role of higher education as primary supplier of the prospective IT laborforce. Currently, no published national, regional or local studies exist that focus on college or university students as prospective IT professionals. However, the existing literature includes a few studies that focus on the IT employment experiences of recent college and university graduates.

The authors of this report encourage researchers and scholars to engage in research activities targeted at improving and supporting the role of higher education as a primary labor source in the IT sector. Towards this end, we hope that this report provides some guidance as well as base line data for future research initiatives.

References

Davidson, P., & Mohr, V. (2000). Labor Force Demand and Supply Mismatch Survey of the Information Technology Sector in Western Massachusetts. Social and Demographic Research Institute, University of Massachusetts Amherst.

Freeman, P. & Aspray, W. (1999). The Supply of Information Technology Workers in the United States. Computing Research Association, Washington, D. C.

Information Technology Association of America (1998). Help Wanted 1998: A Call for Collaborative Action for the New Millennium. Arlington, VA.

Massachusetts Board of Higher Education (1999). Review of Computer and Information Science Technology Programs Report 1999-2000. Boston, MA.

Massachusetts Division of Employment and Training, (1999). The Massachusetts Job Outlook Through 2006, Boston, MA.

Massachusetts Technology Collaborative Workforce, (1999). Index: Massachusetts Innovation Economy 1999. Westboro, MA.

Steen, M. (1998). Training for the future: IT skills. InfoWorld, 100(1).

U. S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Labor Statistics, (Fall, 1998), Occupational Outlook Quarterly, Washington, D. C.

U. S. Department of Education, National Center on Education Statistics, (1998), Degrees and Other Awards Survey. Washington, D. C.

U. S. Department of Education, National Center on Education Statistics, (1998) IPEDS Completion Survey, Washington, D. C.

Veneri, C. (1998). Here today, Jobs of Tomorrow: Opportunities in Information Technology. Occupational Outlook Quarterly, 42,3, 44-57.

Appendix A: Dates of Receipt for Lists of IT Majors from Participating Institutions