Training an IS professional for large scale industry strength thinking is neglected by both the educators as well as the industry training offerings. The IS professionals are constantly concerned and look forward with unfulfilled needs about their "real professional life" training.
For example, take the case of an average Java programmer's training background.
He/ She will usually have an Associate degree/ University Extension courses diploma offerings/ or a four-year IS/ IT degree with atleast a couple of Java courses (Java Programming I/ II). These programming courses may be supported by a Data structures/ Algorithms course, a couple of Software Engineering fundamentals course offerings.
That is all!
Programming exercises emphasise on fundamentals of programming structures, objects and classes, Interfaces and Inheritance. Some programming classes emphasise examples on extensive GUI building techniques, Applets to show the power of Java in these areas. These are covered at most in two semesters.
More conscious programmers get hold of some more books and resources and keep learning and discovering on their own. They soon get engrossed in the exercise of self learning and master the art of programming large scale.
Sooner or later they learn to handle and address the "ities" of Information Systems such as Scalability, Reliability, Security, Extensibility, Performance, Recovery and the inter-relationships. They also realise that the Architectural considerations of the systems they use or build are far more useful than the exercises they practiced in their course offerings at schools/ training institutes. In the process of this extended periods of self learning, they discover about industry certifications. The industry certifications are yet another insurance for their survival in this industry. Accomplishing a certification requires time, dedication, sincerity of purpose and focus. Yet, the professional may not achieve beyond a step or two further and once again gets consumed by the demands of working environments.
I agree with the arguments on the benefits of self learning and self discovery. Yet, a little help from the educator's curriculum that
- emphasises large scale thinking with top down approaches,
- large and complex problem solving techniques beyond basics,
- explains the importance of understanding the goals, deficiencies, risks of complex architectural frameworks of technologies,
- debates on protecting several contradicting stakeholder interests,
- issues that growing and successful organizations professionals handle
on a daily basis
- Links technology architectures to business requirements,
- helps discover trends,
- helps understand the thought processes required to recognize and incorporate radical changes in existing technologies and organizational procedures and processes to cater to the needs of tomorrow in the industry,
- shows how a professional progresses and paves his/ her path to progress in knowledge and achieves success in the profession would be a welcome change.
In other words, a curriculum that bridges the gaps between bottom up, detail oriented problem solving and top down leadership issues that helps professional growth is what I am talking about.
IS professionals can progress with their self discovered strengths and weaknesses, help from the curriculum that caters to their needs, dedication to the work ahead and an understanding of the bigger issues facing their business. Small scale, short term thinking for the aspiring IS professional is only an obstacle to his/ her own progress.
