A case study of Klang valley it workers technical competency among fresh IT degree graduates in Malaysia / Siti Zarith Iylia Mohammad Zainal

Current technology mainly computer related technology has changed rapidly and continues to change the lifestyle, succeed in business and interact socially. New and improved technology changes almost daily. Thus, the issues regarding to the supply of skills from the universities and the demands from the industry need to be recognized to lessen or close the space between IT graduates and the industry. This study was undertaken to identify the problems faced by the fresh Malaysian IT degree graduate students in terms of technical competency in the fields of IT, and the perception of these graduates of the requirements of IT skills required by the industry. This study intends to uncover the significance of different technical competency and technical skills for them for different positions, and the changes needed in the IT curriculum to enable the IT graduates to obtain appropriate initial skills required by the industry. A survey method is used in this study and a set of questionnaire were provided to 164 IT professionals in Klang Valley area. Based on the findings, it shows that most of the IT professionals need to have a combination of skills such as Analysis and Design Skills, Business Skills, and Interpersonal Skill. Skill level of the IT graduates for each skill is depending on the position, the knowledge that they obtain during university and from the working experience in IT industry which will help the IT graduates to obtain knowledge and skills. Further study need to be done to compare the universities curriculum taught in different universities in Malaysia in IT field for getting a clear understanding on the skills taught to the graduates and this will provide the universities the authorities to change the current curriculum based on the latest industry requirements. The contribution of the study is the first known study in the whole focusing specifically on the Klang Valley IT graduates where there are a few studies which have been conducted by other researchers based on the technical competency and issues faced by fresh IT degree graduates in the industry.