Competencies Needed by IT Graduates as Perceived by IT Industry Experts: Basis in Creating an Employability Development Framework

The high unemployment rate of IT graduates is increasing every year; the problem of mismatch in graduate attributes or skill sets contributes to that rate. The emerging technologies in the Philippines in the field of ICT need knowledge workers. Our country is one of the fastest growing segments in terms of ICT-enabled services. A well-known economist and professor, Dr. Bernardo M. Villegas, stated that “the curriculum and courseware of the Philippine IT schools and training centers must be at par with global standards. The courses must be focused, updated, and accredited and accepted by the industry experts.”From the article of Michael J. Watson and Gregory S. Dawson, “The Importance of Competency-Based Education and Training for the IT Workforce,” the authors argue that competency-based education and training (CBET) is essential for preparing IT graduates to meet the demands of the rapidly changing IT industry.In this study, the researchers sought to know what are the graduate attributes and competencies needed of an IT graduate as perceived by IT industry experts, as a basis in creating an Employability Development Framework. The respondents in this study are IT industry experts. Purposive non-random sampling was used to determine and identify the samples.The study reveals that IT graduates must be adaptable, possess problem-solving skills or attributes, and programming skills. Moreover, information security competency ranks highest in the survey. The researchers recommend having a competency support program for all major subject offerings in the BSIT curriculum.