Assessing Skills and Knowledge of IT Professionals in Saudi Arabia

Abstract

This research paper assesses current and future skills and knowledge of IT professionals working in selected Saudi Organizations through ranking the importance of selected 17: management, database, and programming skills and knowledge gained by IT university graduates. The student depicted moderate dynamism and change in the importance of several IT skills and knowledge after 3 years compared with the present time. It was concluded that IT curricula, especially MIS, have to be alter to the changes in the demand for knowledge and skills in computer programming languages, database systems, IT and management knowledge/skills and reflect that in their educational programs. The student provided several recommendations for corporate executives who oversee the organizational strategy, the human resource managers who are involved with hiring and maintaining IT personnel, the developers of academic programs who are eager to provide better education in this highly demanded field of education, as well as government strategy makers who formulate IT national plans and would like to see maximum levels of synergy between the various stakeholders.

Keywords: IT skills, IT knowledge, IT labor market, Saudi Arabia