What makes an industry popular?
Posted by podit on January 23, 2008
There has been talk over the last 6 months that IT just isn’t attracting enough graduates through the university to fill the gaps that are going to appear more and more over the next few years. I spend all my time in this industry so I can see that.
But other industries are also finding it hard to find new recruits. The main ones that come to mind are nursing & teaching. I am of the opinion (even though my wife is a teacher) that anyone going into these careers these days is either crazy or extremely compassionate.
So the big question is raised. Why is it getting harder to recruit in these areas? My first thought is $$DOLLARS$$. They don’t pay enough. This is probably only partly true. IT if you are good pays relatively well as an employee.
I think the guts of the matter for all three industries (IT, Nursing & Teaching) is quality of life. In each of these industries you are driven to work all sorts of hours, don’t get to see your family, and are expected to do all sorts of add-ons to your standard job, because it is well just expected.
I was talking to a couple of IT guys yesterday and they love their jobs, however they don’t love the hours. One was saying his shortest day last week was 9 hours long. I was tempted to ask what his longest was, but I am sure it wouldn’t be good.
Anyway the guts of this is that all the extra stress, work & duties comes at no additional rewards. Teachers spend huge chunks of their so called holiday’s preparing for the next term. Nurses (so I am told) have drastically changing shifts. IT guys get given a task list and they can go when it is done no exception.
Of course I generalise. However these industries and others like it are loosing out because the candidates and employees of the future have one thing that previous generations didn’t have. That is information, They can be choosy because the can research and match their talents to positions that deliver more quality of life.
