Changing attitudes could result in more people entering IT

10:39 1st June 2009

Changing attitudes towards the IT sector could result in more people seeking computer training and pursuing careers in the industry, according to new research.

Jennifer Hewitt, chairman of the BCS (formerly the British Computer Society) YPG (Young Professionals Group), said the spread of technology in everyday life is giving IT a more mainstream image and appealing to wider sections of society.

She added that parents are also becoming more accepting of their children choosing to study IT as they are beginning to realise its importance, as well as the fact that it is potentially lucrative.

Ms Hewitt said: "[People are realising] IT isn't about sitting in a room, being a bit of a geek and coding all day; it's about inventing all these really cool things that everybody uses on a daily basis now and have sort of revolutionised how we live."

Around half of 16 to 30-year-olds surveyed in a recent study by the BCS believe that more funding should be made available to help employers deliver computer training to their staff.