By Pramit Kumar

Matching India’s global reputation as IT/Computing Capital with globally qualified professionals

With an aggregate revenue of more than US$100 billion in 2012, India is undoubtedly one of the world’s leaders in Information Technology (IT). From the early days of its IT revolution in 1967, when the government first established the Santacruz Electronics Export Processing Zone (SEEPZ), to its peak in the 1980s where SEEPZ was responsible for exporting 80% of the world’s software solutions, India’s IT industry has grown exponentially and looks set to continue growing. NASSCOMM, for instance, estimates that India’s IT industry will generate over US$225 billion in revenue by 2025.

This boom is however not without its challenges. In order to sustain the growth, the industry must ensure that it has both the manpower and the talent to meet this demand; and in today’s competitive global marketplace, this means having professionals that have been trained to world-class standards.

Reality vs. Requirement

Thanks to deeper Internet penetration and continuous advancements in technology, the world today is a global village: small, interconnected, and extremely discerning. If the India IT industry wants to retain the competitive advantage it has accrued so far, it must do its best to ensure that the 2.7 million IT professionals it currently employs does not just meet international standards, but to also exceed them.

Not only do overseas campuses offer aspiring students a better global perspective, these institutions also tend to emphasize experiential learning instead of taking a purely theoretical approach to the curriculum. Many overseas institutions also often allow students to pursue a postgraduate degree in IT without requiring a Bachelor’s Degree in IT, thus making them more attractive for those seeking a sea change.

Furthermore, several overseas institutions offer various financial assistance schemes and scholarships to help lighten the student’s financial burden. Coupled with the increased employment and immigration opportunities that come from an overseas education – not to mention a certificate from an internationally-renowned institution – completing one’s education abroad is increasingly becoming the norm for Indian IT students.

Need for Lifelong Learning

While a Bachelor’s degree or postgraduate degree programme is a great place to start one’s career in the IT industry, it is important to keep in mind that such a course is but the beginning. With the rate of technological change rising every year, IT is a subject that rarely remains static for long. Constant training and education is required to keep oneself up to date, and that is something that can only be achieved by way of having a positive attitude towards lifelong learning.

The Management Development Institute of Singapore (MDIS) is Singapore’s oldest not-for-profit institute for lifelong learning, since 1956. Established in 2002, the School of Technology & E-Learning (STEL) in MDIS nurtures Information Technology (IT) professionals in both academic education and professional skills development.

All programmes delivered through STEL are from well-accredited and reputable universities from the United Kingdom, such as University of South Wales, University of the West of England and Northumbria University. The School works closely with the industry and universities to ensure its programmes are relevant, rigorous and of high quality. The School offers both undergraduate and post-graduate programmes in computer security, digital media, computer forensics and computing and information systems.

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