The Impact of IT Professionalism on the European Economy

An IT Profession Consultation

Carm Cachia, eSkills Malta Foundation

An IT Profession Consultation

A Local Perspective

“In order for ICT remains an enabler for economic success, a country needs to establish and mature the ICT as a profession and develop a professional structure”

Council of European Professional Informatics Societies (CEPIS), 2012

An IT Profession Survey – a Local Perspective

Quick Local Snapshot

No mandatory or voluntary ICT Regulation;

No ICT Regulatory Body;

University and MCAST are self accrediting;

Other Academic and Tertiary Courses accredited though NCFHE for EQF Equivalency;

Industry Certifications highly recognised by local Industry;

ICT Apprenticeships offered by MCAST only for Diplomas and Placements for Degrees;

University Placements are not an integral part of the Degree but students are encouraged to find a summer placement;

An IT Profession Consultation – a Local Perspective

Stakeholders currently influencing the IT Profession

COMPANIES WITH AN IT INFRASTRUCTURE

UNIVERSITY OF MALTAMCAST

GOVERNMENT THROUGH MINISTRY

GAMING AND BETTING COMPANIES

(Approx. 150)

ICT COMPANIES(Approx.150)

TRAINING PROVIDERS

PROFESSIONAL INSTITUTIONS

OTHER ACADEMIC UNIVESITIES AND COLLEGES (8-10)

Middlesex UniversityUniversity of LondonHertfordshire UniversityDerby UniversityUniversity of LeicesterNCC

MicrosoftCiscoOracleVmwareRedHatHPSunIBM

BCS MaltaISACA Malta ChapterCSMIMIS MaltaIAP

PRINCE2PMIISEBCISACISMITILLPI LinuxCompTIA

ESKILLS MALTA FOUNDATION

ICTCONSUMERS

An IT Profession Survey – a Local PerspectivePast work done in the subject area in Malta (1)

A Study and a Paper was done by the then eSkills Alliance on the possibility of setting up an ICT professional Body. Participants who came from various stakeholder groups within the eSkills Alliance were of differing opinions, 6 were against while 19 were in favour;

The Study considered definitions of an ICT Professional from leading ICT professional institutions, and the following qualities stood out:

Practitioner Follows risk management guidelines

Foundation/specialised Body of Knowledge Accountability

Appropriate Qualifications Demonstrated potential leadership

Undergoes continuous development Demonstrated project management skills

Agree to a code of ethics/conduct Sound communication skills

Broad set of skills Experience

An IT Profession Survey – a local perspectivePast work done on the subject area in Malta (2)

The Paper stated that the Code of Ethics must be the central focal point to the practice of the ICT Profession;

The Paper also proposed a Qualification-based method (e.g. EQF/MQF) mapped to a competency framework to recognise the competence and professional experience of an IT Professional;

It proposed the continuous development of the ICT professional through various methods;

AND choosing the right option in forming the ICT Professional Body, i.e. legal, voluntary, leave as is, etc.

An IT Profession Survey – Public Consultation

Main Objectives of the Survey

The Survey will seek to get feedback on:

the definition of the ICT Professional for Malta within the European and international context;

the drafting an ICT Code of Ethics for Malta or adopting a European Ethical Guidelines;

the use of the e-Competence Framework (e-CF) and Foundational ICT Body of Knowledge (BOK);

adopting a life-long learning concept for ICT professionals;

the setting up an ICT Professional body, or similar, to professionalise the practice;

the adoption of the European Framework for IT Professionalism, which in fact include all above.

The IT Profession Survey – a Local Perspective

Stakeholders of the Proposed Consultation

Since this initiative covers the relationship that an IT professional has with society, with clients, with employers, and with other members of the profession, then it would be expected that the public consultation is directed and expected to receive feedback from the following stakeholders:

ICT Professionals; The then Current ICT Students; ICT Graduates; ICT Industry and ICT-using Industry; ICT Colleges and Universities; ICT Training organisations;

Local ICT professional institutions; Chamber of Commerce and other similar

chambers; Chambers and institutions of other Professions; Citizen.

This Consultation is being proposed to be done online in the 2nd half of 2017 and will run for 4 to 6 weeks

The IT Profession Survey – a Local Perspective

Consultation on Options

Professionalise the IT Profession

Set up an IT Professional

Body

European Ethical Guidelines

Register of IT Practitioners

Leave as is but Promote

Foundational ICT Body of Knowledge

e-Competence Framework

Education and Training

European Framework for IT Professionalism

The IT Profession Survey – a Local Perspective

Other Areas of the Consultation in the Survey

Body form, government? Professional institution?

Voluntary?

Backed by legal framework?

Structure of its boards?

Membership structure?

Criteria for Membership?

Should membership map to a competence framework?

Guidance on ethics?

How to ensure continuous development?

Should it be active in standards?

An IT Profession Survey – a Local Perspective

After the Survey

The Outcome will be discussed internally by the Foundation and a way forward mapped;

The outcome and way forward will also be communicated and possibly discussed with the stakeholders;

The way forward may also be influenced by the plans of the European IT Professionalism Framework;

We would welcome help and consider best practices from our European counterparts;

This initiative cannot be seen as a silo and is part of a chain of events for the development and expansion of the Digital Economy;

The eSkills Malta Foundation looks very much forward to the development of the IT Profession in Malta and Europe, we are all in this together with the same common aim.