iFairs highlight careers in information technology
Released: November 26, 2007
In the last five years, enrollment in information technology (IT) programs has declined by 70 percent across the nation. It is estimated that by 2012, there will be five million IT jobs that cannot be filled. Many trade journals are calling the current shortage of IT professionals a crisis. As a response to this crisis, the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater is hosting an "iFair" at Washington High School in Milwaukee Nov. 29 for middle school students.
"Parents and counselors are telling children that there is no future for the IT field, but really there has never been more IT jobs than there are right now, and the job field will continue to grow," said Bob Horton, professor of management computer systems and iFair coordinator. "We want to generate excitement among the students so they consider how exciting a career in IT would be."
The iFair will showcase 20 booths sponsored by companies and educational institutions featuring highly interactive displays of various IT industries. For example, one booth will allow students to custom design a motorcycle and plan a road trip. Another booth will show a virtual tour of Milwaukee from the air, and students will be able to zoom between buildings, go over the lake and land in a park, among other actions.
Companies and educational institutions that are involved include:
- American Family Insurance
- Apple, Inc.
- Aurora Health Care
- Badger Meter
- GE Medical
- Great Lakes Higher Education
- Harley-Davidson
- Northwestern Mutual
- Rockwell International
- United Water
- Wells Fargo
- West Bend Mutual Insurance
- First Robotics
- MATC
- Marquette University
- MPS Technology
- Project Lead The Way
- Society of Mechanical Engineers
- UW-Whitewater
The UW-Whitewater student chapter of the Association for Information Technology Professionals (AITP) will staff the UW-Whitewater booth at the iFair.
"Many companies are feeling pain because of not being able to hire people," Horton said. "Students are so well-versed in technology, but are being told that IT is not a good field to go into. Students need to know the options that are out there."
This is the second iFair that Horton has organized. There will be another iFair in March or April to be held at Harley-Davidson for Milwaukee Public School high school students. Horton has hopes to expand the iFair to other communities who would like to expose students to an IT career.
"I'm eager to work with other school districts, companies and others to make this happen outside of Milwaukee," he said. "This is a statewide and nationwide issue."
- Abby Clark,clarkae12@uww.edu
