An expert has called on the government and higher education institutions to reform their approach to IT education, claiming that current arrangements are largely failing to meet the needs of the industry.

Richard Nott, director of specialist website CWJobs.co.uk, acknowledged that more young people are aiming for careers in technology, but insisted there remains something of a skills gap in the UK.

"Young people are moving into IT, but we just need more of them," he commented. "It's about making the courses relevant to what businesses want at the end of it. There is a big piece of work to do."

Mr Nott added that there is a real risk that growth in the British economy will be restricted unless swift action is taken to boost the numbers and abilities of computing graduates over the next few years.

His comments came after BCS Academy of Computing co-ordinator Simon Humphreys told a Westminster summit that current IT courses left students "bored rigid" and were "not fit for purpose".

Posted by Ross George