Preliminary Results from a Systematic Literature Review on Computing Competencies Valued in the Workplace

The computing field is constantly evolving, causing researchers to question the degree to which the competencies required to perform computing-related roles may be changing. This research question has led to a number of studies that explore the gaps between what the computing industry currently demands and the level of competence displayed by graduates of higher education programs. In this article, we present a systematic search and review of research studies that have been published in prominent databases and have focused on competencies required by computing professionals in the workplace. From the formulation of the literature search strategy to the dissemination of the results, we applied a three-stage process consisting of planning the review, conducting the review, and reporting the review findings. The process was informed by the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) 2020 methodology and guidelines. In this article, we report on characteristics of the reviewed studies, such as the location of the studies, computing disciplines of interest, and research methodologies. Further analysis of the reviewed studies allowed us to examine gaps in competencies that the studies identified between industry needs and academic preparation. Other equally important findings of the systematic literature review are the recommendations that computing professionals and managers offer to computing programs to address these gaps.